By now you’ve probably heard rumblings of Toronto’s trendiest food market, Assembly Chef’s Hall. This trend, making its way from the cosmopolitan streets of the New York boroughs (Smorgasburg, Gansevoort & Chelsea Market) and dotting the streets of Londontown (Boxpark, Borough Market), is one of few permanent market installations in Toronto (of course, there's the classic St. Lawrence and the newer Spanish food hall, Campo). Featuring the collective best of the Six’s competitive and diverse culinary landscape, Assembly Chef’s is a fully-licensed hall with over a dozen vendors, amazing decor and the best patio in the downtown core.

What I love about this place is that there is just about every type of cuisine imaginable. Since everyone can grab exactly the type of food they are craving, it eliminates any sort of compromising conflicts. It is casual enough for pre-game drinks and classy enough for date night or dinner with the parents. Above all other pros, there are margaritas on tap!

Check out the list of my favourite stalls below, with a few more details on the cuisine, mother restaurants and chefs at the helm. Also be sure to comment if you have a favourite dish from Assembly Chef’s so I can try it the next time I’m there (sharing is caring, right!?).

Colibri
Chef: Elia Herrera

A few years ago I had the chance to take a masterclass with chef Elia Herrera where we made guacamole. A simple enough recipe, fresh ingredients, with a few small twists from Chef Herrera and voila - the best guacamole I’ve ever made. It’s this same approach she takes to the menu at Colibri, the sister restaurant to King Street’s Los Colibris and El Caballito. Simple Mexican fare, market-fresh ingredients and drool-worthy tacos are the result. I get the Baja Fish and Beef Alambre tacos. 

Ramen Isshin
Chef: Koji Zenimaru

Nothing, I repeat nothing, is more comforting than a giant bowl of ramen. Especially when that ramen is perhaps the best in Toronto (bold statement, I know). With the original restaurant, of the same name, located at College and Bathurst, this smaller outpost brings the same amazing flavours, fresh made noodles and talents of executive chef Zenimaru. Try the Kotteri Shoyu and it’ll forevermore be the standard you hold ramen to… A blessing and a curse. 

Resto Boemo
Chef: Ivana Raca

Okay, I could write a paragraph here all about how Boemo means “free-spirit” or “bohemian” and about how they make Canadian comfort food… or I can just get straight to the point: their Double B burger is the BEST burger I’ve had in my entire life. It is a fancy Big Mac. And I know those two statements may make people question my opinion but Big Macs and quality burgers are not mutually exclusive concepts, people!! I will stand by this statement.  

Check out the full list of vendors here.