Best Restaurants for TIFF Star Spotting in Toronto

TIFF starts this Thursday and runs until Sunday, September 14th. Take notice of these dates because our city becomes North Hollywood for this short while, with celebrities running all over town promoting their films and lucky for us, dining in our restaurants.

Montecito

1
299 Adelaide St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1P7

With a secret back door for celebs to slip in and out of (because passing through a busy kitchen is so 1990s) and Bill Murray Day on Friday, Sept 5 (for the world premiere of Murray's latest film, St. Vincent, TIFF will be celebrating three comedy classics: Stripes, Groundhog Day, and ahem, Ghostbusters), this is going to be the place to be.

Azure Restaurant & Bar

2
225 Front St W, Toronto, ON M5V 2X3

This one might surprise you because the InterContinental Toronto Centre doesn’t get a lot of attention compared to newer, trendier hotels. But in addition to greeting Azure guests with official TIFF popcorn containers filled with seasoned kernels, you should know that this is where many North American press junkets are held.

One Restaurant

3
116 Yorkville Ave, Toronto, ON M5R 1C2

Mark McEwan’s restaurant One is in the Hazelton Hotel, where many stars prefer to stay – and sometimes live. I will have more specific details about this later this week, but just know that if you want to see some famous faces, this is one of your best bets.

Sitting on the dock of the bay, or a patio downtown, or in the cool comfort of an air conditioned restaurant, nothing says summertime like fish and chips. Here are the city’s top 5 spots:
We are so fortunate in Toronto that we don’t have to wait for TIFF to arrive to get a sneak peek of Hollywood elite, supermodels and their ilk. If you want to star-gaze and get up close to celebs, head to these top 5 eateries in the city for VIPs and superstars.
One of the best ways to spend a summer evening is to catch a show. Whether you’re going out to a big theatre production such as Newsies or Kinky Boots, or you’re heading off to hear a performance by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Canadian Opera Company or Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra & Chamber Choir, you’re going to want to eat beforehand.
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