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A Guide to The Best Family-Owned Restaurants in Toronto
Written By
Posted Mar 18, 2025
A Guide to The Best Family-Owned Restaurants in Toronto
Written By
Posted Mar 18, 2025
There’s an old saying that nothing is as good as your mom’s cooking—or perhaps your dad’s, or even your grandparents’. That home-cooked feeling is something special, and fortunately, Toronto is home to a wide array of family-owned and operated restaurants that focus on bringing you that same warm, comforting experience.
These local gems place home-style comfort food front and centre, serving up traditional, authentic meals that evoke nostalgia and make you feel like you're dining at home. Whether you're craving classic comfort food, regional specialties that have been passed down for generations, or simply want to connect with the heart of the city's food scene, Toronto’s family-run eateries are the perfect place to experience genuine hospitality and flavours. Don’t miss these beloved spots scattered across the city, where tradition and homey vibes are always on the menu.
Trinity Bellwoods
125 Ossington Ave
Pho Rùa Vàng Golden Turtle Restaurant
Vietnamese
Open since 1987, three generations of the Nguyen family have run one of the city's favourite spots for Vietnamese cuisine. It’s a true family business, with all hands on dek serving up comfort dishes like Pho, fried noodles, pad thai and other classics that will have your mouth watering just at the thought of this delicious fare.
Pho Rùa Vàng Golden Turtle Restaurant
Trinity Bellwoods
125 Ossington Ave
Open since 1987, three generations of the Nguyen family have run one of the city's favourite spots for Vietnamese cuisine. It’s a true family business, with all hands on dek serving up comfort dishes like Pho, fried noodles, pad thai and other classics that will have your mouth watering just at the thought of this delicious fare.
Vietnamese
Danforth Village
920 Danforth Ave
Danforth Pizza House
Serving up it’s first slice in 1964, this family-owned pizzeria is the oldest in the city. First founded by Angelo D’Auria, the restaurant is now run by the Manikas family, highlighting the importance of family tradition, quality and excellence. Their pie’s include ‘The Mediterranean’, ‘The Napoletana’ and the option to create your own pizza.
Danforth Pizza House
Danforth Village
920 Danforth Ave
Serving up it’s first slice in 1964, this family-owned pizzeria is the oldest in the city. First founded by Angelo D’Auria, the restaurant is now run by the Manikas family, highlighting the importance of family tradition, quality and excellence. Their pie’s include ‘The Mediterranean’, ‘The Napoletana’ and the option to create your own pizza.
Koreatown
628 Bloor St W
Korean Village Restaurant
Korean
Korean Village Restaurant is a popular and thriving spot in Koreatown that has been in the neighbourhood for over 40 years. Committed to providing an authentic Korean dining experience, this family owned restaurant focuses on fresh and simple ingredients that emphasize the wide array of unique and rich Korean flavours.
Korean Village Restaurant
Koreatown
628 Bloor St W
Korean Village Restaurant is a popular and thriving spot in Koreatown that has been in the neighbourhood for over 40 years. Committed to providing an authentic Korean dining experience, this family owned restaurant focuses on fresh and simple ingredients that emphasize the wide array of unique and rich Korean flavours.
Korean
Leslieville
1220 Queen St E
Gio Rana's Really Really Nice Restaurant
Italian
Gio Rana’s Really Really Nice Restaurant is an Italian restaurant in Toronto that has survived for two generations. This old-school family kitchen is known for their red-and-white-checked tablecloths that are the background for delicious dishes like plates of pasta, giant meatballs and stuffed peppers.
Gio Rana's Really Really Nice Restaurant
Leslieville
1220 Queen St E
Gio Rana’s Really Really Nice Restaurant is an Italian restaurant in Toronto that has survived for two generations. This old-school family kitchen is known for their red-and-white-checked tablecloths that are the background for delicious dishes like plates of pasta, giant meatballs and stuffed peppers.
Italian
Comal y Canela
Mexican
This restaurant is known for its authentic and flavourful dishes that make you feel like you stepped into your Abuela’s kitchen. Family-run and committed to rich flavours and fresh, quality ingredients, Comal y Canela fuses Mexican and Canadian culinary techniques to create unique dishes that will have you coming back for more.
Comal y Canela
This restaurant is known for its authentic and flavourful dishes that make you feel like you stepped into your Abuela’s kitchen. Family-run and committed to rich flavours and fresh, quality ingredients, Comal y Canela fuses Mexican and Canadian culinary techniques to create unique dishes that will have you coming back for more.
Mexican
Roncesvalles
229 Roncesvalles Ave
Ari's Place
Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner to locals since 1975, Ari’s was born out of the hardwork from 3 Greek brothers. After over 30 years in business, the restaurant remains family-owned and run and is known for their reasonable prices. Thanks to the hard work of this family, the tradition of serving homestyle cooking and a friendly atmosphere is still alive and well at this spot.
Ari's Place
Roncesvalles
229 Roncesvalles Ave
Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner to locals since 1975, Ari’s was born out of the hardwork from 3 Greek brothers. After over 30 years in business, the restaurant remains family-owned and run and is known for their reasonable prices. Thanks to the hard work of this family, the tradition of serving homestyle cooking and a friendly atmosphere is still alive and well at this spot.
Harbord Village
372 Harbord St
Terrazza
Italian
With the help of his parents, Frankie Lasagna opened family-owned Terrazza in 2008 with the goal to create a warm and inviting space that serves simple and good food as the centerpiece for friends and family to gather. In this classic Italian spot, menu items include bruschetta, bolognese, margherita pizza and caprese salad.
Terrazza
Harbord Village
372 Harbord St
With the help of his parents, Frankie Lasagna opened family-owned Terrazza in 2008 with the goal to create a warm and inviting space that serves simple and good food as the centerpiece for friends and family to gather. In this classic Italian spot, menu items include bruschetta, bolognese, margherita pizza and caprese salad.
Italian
Church Wellesley Village
129 George St
George Street Diner
American
Founded and owned by an Irish immigrant who arrived in Canada at the age of 19, The George Street Diner is serving up classic Irish dishes like a Irish curry poutine, and the ‘Massive Irish Breakfast’, which includes eggs on top of Farrelly’s famous Irish soda bread, Irish link Sausage, Irish Rasher, streaky Bacon, Irish White Pudding, Irish Black Pudding, seared tomato, baked beans, spuds, sautéed mushroom and onions.
George Street Diner
Church Wellesley Village
129 George St
Founded and owned by an Irish immigrant who arrived in Canada at the age of 19, The George Street Diner is serving up classic Irish dishes like a Irish curry poutine, and the ‘Massive Irish Breakfast’, which includes eggs on top of Farrelly’s famous Irish soda bread, Irish link Sausage, Irish Rasher, streaky Bacon, Irish White Pudding, Irish Black Pudding, seared tomato, baked beans, spuds, sautéed mushroom and onions.
American
North York
81 Underhill Dr
Allwyn's Bakery
Jamaican
With different locations across the city, Allwyn’s is a family owned spot that specializes in Caribbean cuisine. Known for their jerk chicken and sandwiches that are made from scratch using high-quality ingredients, you’ll want to drop by the closest location to you next time you’re looking for somewhere new to try for lunch.
Allwyn's Bakery
North York
81 Underhill Dr
With different locations across the city, Allwyn’s is a family owned spot that specializes in Caribbean cuisine. Known for their jerk chicken and sandwiches that are made from scratch using high-quality ingredients, you’ll want to drop by the closest location to you next time you’re looking for somewhere new to try for lunch.
Jamaican
Little India
226 Greenwood Ave
Maha's Restaurant
Egyptian
Tucked away just a little north of Gerrard Street, Maha’s is a family-owned and run restaurant named after chef Monkia Wahba and barista Mark Wahba’s mother. Offering traditional Egyptian dishes that are rich in spice and flavour, this spot is a favourite brunch spot amongst locals and celebrities alike.
Maha's Restaurant
Little India
226 Greenwood Ave
Tucked away just a little north of Gerrard Street, Maha’s is a family-owned and run restaurant named after chef Monkia Wahba and barista Mark Wahba’s mother. Offering traditional Egyptian dishes that are rich in spice and flavour, this spot is a favourite brunch spot amongst locals and celebrities alike.
Egyptian
Roncesvalles
195 Roncesvalles Ave
Cafe Polonez
Polish
Located in the heart of Toronto’s Polish community, Cafe Polonez has been serving the city for over 40 years. Dishing up traditional, homemade fare that’s made fresh in-house daily, this establishment has been family-owned since its opening in 1981. If you’re in the mood for authentic Eastern European and Polish cuisine, you’ll want to add this family-spot to your list.
Cafe Polonez
Roncesvalles
195 Roncesvalles Ave
Located in the heart of Toronto’s Polish community, Cafe Polonez has been serving the city for over 40 years. Dishing up traditional, homemade fare that’s made fresh in-house daily, this establishment has been family-owned since its opening in 1981. If you’re in the mood for authentic Eastern European and Polish cuisine, you’ll want to add this family-spot to your list.
Polish