Toronto's Spanish listings in our directory are few but well spread out: three tapas bars in three different neighbourhoods. That makes for a tidy weekend plan, one bar a day, with a walk through each area between meals. Everything below about the restaurants comes from their own directory records.
Friday night: Beso by Patria, King Street West
Start on King West, the stretch of King Street West lined with restaurants and bars west of the financial district. Beso by Patria is at 478 King St W. Its record calls it the place "where Spain comes out to play": a newer space from INK Entertainment that puts a modern twist on Spanish dining.
This is the dressiest stop of the weekend and the one in the highest price band of the three, so it suits a Friday dinner rather than a quick bite. Book ahead if you can, and treat it as a night out.
Saturday: Madrina Bar y Tapas, Trinity Street
Spend Saturday afternoon around Trinity Street in the Distillery District, a pedestrian area of Victorian industrial buildings from the old Gooderham and Worts distillery, now filled with shops, galleries and cafés. Madrina Bar y Tapas is at 2 Trinity St.
Madrina's kitchen is led by chef Carlos Zamora. His menu uses seasonal produce alongside ingredients brought in from Spain, and reworks Barcelona classics with a playful streak. If you want a reference point before you go, our guide to pan con tomate covers one of the most Barcelona of all tapas, and our croquetas piece explains why they're a good test of any Spanish kitchen.
It sits in the middle price band of the three.
Sunday: Santa Marta Bar y Tapas, the Beaches
On Sunday, head east along Queen Street East to the Beaches, the neighbourhood along the Lake Ontario shore with its long boardwalk. Santa Marta Bar y Tapas is at 2066 Queen Street East.
Santa Marta is the casual end of the weekend: tapas, paella and cocktails in a relaxed setting, and it's in the directory's lowest price band. A long lunch after a walk on the boardwalk is the obvious plan. If you're sharing a paella, our note on how to spot a bad paella is worth a read first.
Planning notes
All three areas are reachable by TTC streetcar from downtown, but check the TTC for weekend diversions before you set off.
The order matters a little: the weekend runs from the most formal meal to the most casual, so the bill gets smaller as you go.
At all three, share. Order a few plates at a time and add more as you go. Our tapas etiquette guide covers the basics.
Heading further afield in Canada? The directory also lists Spanish restaurants in Vancouver and Montreal. See every Toronto listing on our Toronto page.
