Zagat Toronto Restaurants Survey 2012 Released Today

Toronto's favourite cuisine is Italian, according to the 2012 edition of the Zagat Toronto Restaurants Survey, released today. Covering 315 restaurants, and voted on by 2,266 diners, this year's survey finds that Italian cuisine is tops with exactly one-quarter of Toronto respondents. French fare takes second place, at 16%, and Japanese follows close behind, at 14%. It's no shock that Chinese cooking comes next, at 8%, but possibly surprising that Thai food ties it for popularity. Next are Indian (7%), Canadian and Mexican (both at 5%) and American (3%). 

Image: It's good to have a view like Canoe if you want to make it big on the Zagat Toronto Restaurants Survey. Photo from Oliver and Bonacini's Canoe site.

Toronto's favourite restaurants are an oddly mixed lot, but rooms with a view seem to have the advantage, with Scaramouche and Canoe scoring high on several lists. Kudos for "Top Food" go to Scaramouche, with Chiado/Senior Antonio Tapas & Wine Bar in second place. In this context, it's a total anomaly that an eatery with no tables or chairs comes in third. Nonetheless, The Burger's Priest steals third spot, followed more predictably by Mark McEwan's North 44°, George, Campagnolo, Scaramouche Pasta, Sushi Kaji, Nota Bene and Auberge du Pommier. (The Oliver & Bonacini empire did very well overall, with three restaurants in their stable – Canoe, Auberge du Pommier and the O&B Café Grill – named in several lists.)

The "Most Popular" category is a dog's breakfast, lumping together casual chains, tourist traps and fine dining spots. The cheap and cheerful Asian chain Spring Rolls claims top spot, above Canoe (!), with local Italian chain Il Fornello in third, high-priced eatery Ruth's Chris Steak House in fourth, and another local Asian chain, Asian Legend, in fifth. And try to make sense of the rest of the list, which awards ninth place to the Hard Rock Cafe (hardly a food destination at all), along with stalwart fine dining locations Auberge du Pommier (6th), Scaramouche (7th), North 44° (8th),  and Oliver & Bonacini Café Grill (10th).

"Top Rated Newcomers" are, in order, Campagnolo, Ici Bistro, Khao San Road, Woodlot Restaurant and Bakery and Barque Smokehouse. "Best Bang for the Buck" – possibly the most coherent list – is to be found at Burrito Boyz, Burger's Priest, Salad King, Fresh, and Aunties & Uncles. Finally, Toronto diners chose the following list as their favourite "Restaurants By Cuisine":

• Canadian – George
• French – Scaramouche
• Seafood – Chiado/Senior Antonio Tapas & Wine Bar
• Chinese – Lai Wah Heen
• Italian – Campagnolo
• Thai – Mengrai Gourmet Thai
• Continental –  North 44°
• Japanese – Sushi Kaji
• Eclectic – Terra
• Mediterranean – Auberge du Pommier

The survey also found that Torontonians tend to cook about half their lunches and dinners at home; the rest are either take-out or restaurant meals. But trendy restaurant owners should take note that 60% say they're not willing to wait more than half an hour to get into places places that don’t take reservations.

Toronto diners are somewhat tech-savvy; 37% generally make reservations via the internet, while 36% have downloaded restaurant apps to their mobile devices. However, 51% find it "rude and inappropriate" to text, email, tweet or talk on a mobile phone in a restaurant, and only 3% consider it to be "perfectly acceptable". Food bloggers can relax, though: 69% say that taking pictures of your food and dining companions is "acceptable in moderation", while 18% think it's "perfectly acceptable".

Torontonians say they tip an average of 17.1%, which is a little on the low side; other Canadians tip less (Monteal tips an average of 16.7%, and Vancouver, stingiest of all the surveyed cities, hands over just 16.5%). West-coasters in Seattle, San Francisco and LA are next lowest tippers (18.6%, 18.6% and 18.7% respectively). New Yorkers tip 19.1% on average, while the Big Easy is the top tipper: New Orleans diners fork over a full 19.7%.