By now, it’s been drilled into the collective Torontonian consciousness that the holidays will “look a little different this year.” Naturally, this doesn’t come as a surprise to many of us, given the current state of the city, which, admittedly, is a shell of what it was last holiday season. But, despite the challenges (to put it lightly) presented in 2020, there’s still reason to celebrate the holidays and the coming New Year – whether with your household bubble, or virtually with larger groups.
Central to the typical holiday celebration is a memorable and comforting meal that feels uniquely special and satisfying. While restaurants remain eerily vacant, and multi-generational family potlucks may be out of the question, some of Toronto’s top chefs, hotels, and restaurants are bringing unforgettable holiday feasts to your home. If you’re in the market for an effortless, delicious, and social media-worthy holiday meal, consider ordering from one of these Toronto spots this holiday season.
12 At-Home Holiday Feasts From Toronto’s Beloved Hospitality Spots
1. Louix Louis at The St. Regis Toronto
Since it opened its regal doors in late 2018, The St. Regis Toronto’s 31st-floor Louix Louis restaurant has been a decided special occasion spot – a place to splurge and celebrate in style. This year, the family can indulge from your own dining room table (or couch) with the Exquisite Holiday Feast at Home from Louix Louis. Curated by the spot’s Executive Chef Satish Yerramilli, feasters can choose from a whole roaster free range turkey ($325) or a AAA prime rib roast ($399) with fixings like sunchoke & truffle soup, apricot & chestnut bread stuffing, country crushed potatoes, chocolate praline yule log, and more. Complete the meal with an optional wine pairing ($150), which includes a bottle of Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne and a bottle of Wines of Substance Cabernet Sauvignon. The meal serves six to eight people. Find more information here.
2. Marben Restaurant
Wellington Street staple Marben Restaurant is making lives easier this season with elevated dinner kits for two or more. Chef Chris Locke and his team have put together three festive dinner kits that cover everything from snacks, to dessert and can easily be heated and prepared at home. Catering to different cravings and dietary restrictions, the kits include the ‘Taste of Home’ chicken ballantine inspired by Chef Locke’s British roots ($180), beef wellington ($180), or the onion and sweet potato tart ($155). All include a mini charcuterie board with paté-en-croute, citrus-cured trout, and a garlic miso sausage roll; tomato and ricotta curd with roasted beets; and a sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce. The kits can be ordered with 72-hours notice throughout the month of December on Marben’s website for pick-up at the restaurant (Tuesday – Sunday, 1 – 8 PM) or delivery (Thursday – Saturday). Find more information here.
3. TOCA at the Ritz-Carlton
Go all out and treat your family to a five-star feast that cuts no corners. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the Ritz-Carlton’s beloved TOCA is offering an elevated and comforting holiday meal that includes a seasonal butternut squash soup, three varieties of salad, an oven-roasted turkey, a traditional apple pie, stuffing, potato puree, gravy, and cranberry sauce. The meal feeds two to four people, with options for six to eight people also available. The holiday dinner is available for pick-up 2 pm to 5 pm on December 24 and 25 at the Ritz-Carlton. Find more information here.
4. Chef Basile and Campo Viejo
For a low-key New Year’s Eve celebration (or, any time, really), Campo Viejo and Chef Basile have created Campo Hour – a daily time allotment from 6 pm to 7 pm – to help reclaim an hour of vibrancy and light in these challenging times. Weekly virtual entertainment and curated food and drink packages are all a part of the Campo Hour experience. Chef Basile’s at-home Campo Hour kits ($42.50) include a bottle of Campo Viejo, a well-curated charcuterie platter made with local goodness, and a Campo Hour activity for you to create customized tote bags. The kits are available for sale at Stackt Market. Find more information here.
5. La Palma
Dundas West hot spot La Palma is offering a comforting Hannukah Hamper feast this year. The sleek Italian restaurant and its Chef Craig Harding are switching up their famous 100-layer lasagna (the one people travel across town to taste) with a limited edition 100-layer kugel for the festival of lights. This dish is accompanied by matzo ball soup, potato latkes, smoked pastrami, and sufganiyot. Pre-order this feast for two ($80) by December 16 for pickup or delivery on December 18 or 19. Find more information here.
6. Four Seasons Hotel
Indulge in a Four Seasons-worthy holiday meal this year. Families can order a turkey festive feast ($255), a turkey festive feast with a house red wine pairing ($295), a roast beef dinner ($345), or a ham dinner ($345). All meals include an array of traditional side dishes and an apple crumble pie or chocolate hazelnut Yule log. This holiday meal is all the more worth the splurge because it gives back; $20 from every Festive Feast purchased will directly benefit the Seeds of Hope Foundation, which provides warm and festive meals to families in need. The Four Seasons Holiday dinner is available now through December 31. Orders must be placed 48-hours in advance by calling 416-964-0411 and picked up at 60 Yorkville Avenue. Find more information here.
7. Walhburgers Toronto
While famous gourmet burger spot Wahlburgers may seem like an unlikely option for a holiday feast, 2020 holidays are completely all about breaking tradition and switching things up. This holiday season, Wahlburgers is offering the ‘Tis The Season’ burger ($12.95) for those who want to celebrate the holidays with an indulgent feast that requires zero cutlery. The jam-packed burger features a juicy beef patty, applewood smoked bacon, horseradish aioli, onion rings, pickled red onions, arugula, and maple glaze butternut squash. Natural accompaniments include the spot’s famous tater tots or onion rings. The festive burger is available for takeout at the restaurant, or delivery via Ritual, Skip The Dishes, UberEats, and DoorDash. Find more information here.
8. McEwan Fine Foods
Elevated Toronto grocery spot McEwan Fine Foods – an initiative of the celebrated The McEwan Group, helmed by Chef Mark McEwan – is offering a healthy variety of well curated meal kits this holiday season. Mains include the choice of a small, medium or large-sized cooked turkey dinner, maple glazed baked ham, beef tenderloin and sides like French beans with leeks and onions, roasted heirloom carrots, and scallop potatoes. Dreamy desserts include apple pie, vanilla maple cake, and a butter tart biscoff cookie. All kits require a pre-order of at least 72 hours and are available for delivery though online grocery delivery service Inabuggy. Find more information here.
9. The Food Dudes
The beloved Food Dudes – the provider of some of the best food-driven events in the city (in better times) and group behind restaurants like Rasa, Sara, and Blondies – have you covered this New Year’s Eve with their new series of extravagant events-in-a-box. Fare by The Food Dudes features a box that includes everything you need to recreate a Food Dudes Event at home. The Dinner Party Box ($250) includes the iconic Rasa Chopped Salad, beef tenderloin, and brown butter shrimp, complemented by grilled broccolini, heirloom beets, and a bottle of red wine (plus optional mulling spices). Completing the experience are florals, candles, and a custom Spotify playlist. The box must be ordered 48 hours in advance, with contactless delivery available across the GTA. Find more information here.
10. Schmaltz Appetizing
Toronto chef Anthony Rose is dishing up all the Hannukah goodness this season. An à la carte menu includes two different kinds of latkes with sour cream, a whole za’atar-grilled chicken, a pound of heat-and-serve brisket, or a whole smoked fish platters – all of which come with with all the fixings and sufganiyot for dessert. Anyone who has experienced Chef Rose’s comforting fare knows that this will be a comforting feast to remember. Meals are available for order online now through December 18 and available for curbside pickup at 414 Dupont. Find more information here.
11. The Alpine Bar
Whether you’re solo on Christmas Eve or celebrating with your family bubble, Junction beer spot The Alpine Bar is taking care of dinner with a classic turkey dinner with all of the fixings. The meal is available to serve one or more people (at $25 per person, or $75 for four), and includes two kind of roasted veggies, cheesy potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce. Appreciated add-ons include tourtiere, charcuterie boards, sugar plum pie, and cookies for Santa. Orders can be placed now until December 20 by emailing thealpinetoronto@gmail.com. All meals will be delivered on Christmas Eve. Find more information here.
12. The Fairmont Royal York
With its stunning tree, festive décor, and soul-soothing restaurants, the iconic Fairmont Royal York has been a holiday-time destination for decades. This year, the hotel’s REIGN restaurant is bringing the regal Royal York experience home with festive meals to-go (starting at $250). The meals feed four to eight people and feature a choice of turkey or ham, with sides like kabocha squash and apple bisque, sage and onion stuffing, herb roaster marble potatoes, honey glazed root vegetables, and a home-style pumpkin pie or minced meat pie. Orders must be placed by noon on December 22 and will be available for pick-up on December 24 and 25. In the spirit of the season, $5 from each order will be donated to Make-A-Wish Canada. Find more information here.
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