The Best Toronto Restaurants to Celebrate the Season with Coworkers

For many young professionals, their colleagues are more than just the people they work beside – they’re like family.

You guys work hard all year long to reach company goals and be all-around professional badasses and we feel that all of that effort deserves to be celebrated, especially during holiday season.

So if you’re looking for a great place to cut loose with your work squad, we’ve got you covered with Toronto’s best restaurants for team holiday celebrations.

best-toronto-restaurants

Photo: Cindy La

Luma
Right in the heart of the city (making it convenient no matter where your office is located), Luma Restaurant is a no-fail option for teams of all sizes. Its well-rounded menu will suit the dietary restrictions of even your pickiest coworker and comes with the Oliver & Bonacini stamp of quality. It’s particularly great as a lunchtime option, as groups of eight or more receive Magic Hour bar pricing between 11:30am and 5:30pm. This means $5 martinis, Manhattans, sangria and bottles of Grolsch (because boozy lunches are the best lunches).

best-toronto-restaurants

STK
If you have a team full of carnivores and you’re working with a generous budget, a dinner at STK will definitely be well received. The upscale steakhouse – a favourite in cities like Las Vegas, New York and Miami – made its highly anticipated Toronto debut last month and has become a popular destination ever since. With a sleek and sophisticated vibe, gorgeous design, and a high-energy in-house DJ, it’s a place you and your co-workers will want to stick around for cocktails.

best-toronto-restaurants

Photo: Cindy La

Jump Restaurant
Looking to keep things classy? Book a team lunch at Jump Restaurant – their North American cuisine with an Italian twist has been a long-time favourite of Toronto’s connected Bay Street set. Think comforting dishes that really hit the spot once the temperature drops, like a heavenly burrata and bison lasagna or their famous Jump Burger. Pro tip: you may not want to schedule any afternoon meetings. The restaurant is renowned for its selection of over 90 types of scotch, whiskey, and bourbon, and its spirit-forward cocktails.

best-toronto-restaurants

Bar Reyna
Not long after Bar Reyna opened its doors this past spring, it became a go-to culinary hotspot among the city’s cocktail connoisseurs, tapas lovers and those seeking a cool but unpretentious Yorkville vibe. The restaurant dishes up delicious dishes like zucchini fritters, oysters and five varieties of fries that are perfect for sharing among large groups.

best-toronto-restaurants

Boehmer Restaurant
This unpretentious west end spot is as beautiful as it is spacious. You’ll come for Boehmer’s cool décor and trendy Ossington vibe, but you’ll stay for their mouthwatering French-inspired dishes. Plus, if you have a large team or simply want to celebrate and talk shop in privacy, the spot offers a private dining room that can seat up to 20 people.

best-toronto-restaurants

Photo: Cindy La

Leña Resturante
Oliver & Bonacini’s latest and greatest spot, Leña Restaurante, is perfect for the team that has their fingers on the pulse of Toronto’s food scene. Located in the new Saks location at Yonge and Queen, the art deco-inspired space is rich with history and quirky features, making it the perfect backdrop for lengthy lunches or post-work get-togethers. Their substantial cocktail list and traditional South American menu doesn’t hurt either.

best-toronto-restaurants

Colette Grande Café
For a lunch or dinner experience that feels decidedly special, you may want to take your team to Colette Grande Café for some fine French fare. The bright, airy space can accommodate larger groups, and the menu features a diverse assortment of goodness – from their gooey French onion soup to their always top-notch escargots. Their fully loaded salad bar is an added lunchtime bonus, available every day from 11:30am-2pm.

best-toronto-restaurants

Biff’s Bistro
Self-described as the spot where “1930s Paris meets fresh London cool,” Biff’s Bistro dishes up traditional French favourites like steak tartare, steak frites and duck confit. Perfect for large groups (there’s even a private dining room), they also offer an assortment of eclectic, bite-sized “Dirty Bites,” available daily after 2 pm. If you don’t have to rush back to the office, you’ll want to stick around after the meal – this spot is always buzzing with networkers looking to make their next great business connection.

best-toronto-restaurants

Pizzeria Libretto
For a more casual beer-and-pizza vibe, lunch or dinner at one of Pizzeria Libretto’s four Toronto locations is always a crowd-pleaser when it comes to the team holiday meal. As you know by now, the spot serves up some of the best Neapolitan pizza in the city. For those who aren’t quite as passionate about pizza, other offerings include an assortment of fully loaded salads, their famous meatballs and apps like buttermilk-fried calamari.

best-toronto-restaurants

Photo: Cindy La

R&D Restaurant
When it comes to quality modern Canadian-Chinese cuisine, the in-the-know foodies know to hit up Toronto gem R&D Restaurant. The spot is the brainchild of two celebrity chefs – Alvin Leung and MasterChef Canada winner Eric Chong – and it dishes up comforting plates like fried chicken with Hong Kong egg waffles, poutine topped with silken tofu, and beef tongue with oysters. And you can dine assured that there is no shortage of crafty cocktails to wash it all down.