and/ore — Restaurant in Toronto

Why go to And/Ore? This is Toronto, a city full of gorgeous spaces with amazing staff and unimaginably good food and drinks, all of which And/Ore has, in abundance. (Try the King Oyster Mushroom Katsu Sandwich. No, really. You will NOT regret it.)

This review, however, is mostly about a too often overlooked, integral part of the dining experience which And/Ore NAILED: The Glassware.

It starts with the water glasses: solid, heavy bottoms; smaller circumference so as to not overwhelm smaller hands; nice weight. Very simple. Nice, but nothing really outstanding. Until you put it to your mouth. The lip of the glass is fine, yet not too thin to be worrisome. An unexpected pleasure to drink from, and that’s just the water.

The fig shaped champagne glasses are the perfect compliment to the bubbles they serve; the fluted tumbler for my long drink felt so good in my hands, as satisfying to drink from as the cocktail, itself, was to drink. The red wine glasses made me swoon. Every liquid I drank at And/Ore was in a perfectly perfect glass. What a delight!

Yes, glasses are a bit of a fetish with me, but how is the glass no longer considered an integral part of the wine and cocktail experience? I am amazed that so many restaurants will go to so much trouble to create delicious food and drink, then give no thought to the glasses beyond how they look on the table and the “proper shape” for their contents. Every dollar store in the city has champagne flutes, highball glasses, coupes &c. But the way a glass feels in hand, and, even more, the mouthfeel, have such a profound affect on how a drink, well, drinks. At least it does for me, and I suspect I’m not the only one.

I assume that glasses are a large, ongoing expense for any restaurant - they are, after all, glass, and surely must need to be replaced fairly regularly. But the difference a well considered glass makes to the experience of drinking even the cheapest wine - never mind the $18-$25 cocktails that are now the norm in our fair city - is huge. And ALL the glassware at And/Ore is as carefully considered as the drinks that are poured into them; as carefully considered as the food, the service, and the decor.

Again, the food was outstanding (Chef’s Picnic is such a great choice!) and the staff were phenomenal, walking that fine line between paying attention and being in our faces. You can see the pictures for yourself and tell how gorgeous it is inside. But the glasses are that note which let you know that the people running And/Ore are not messing around. They know what they’re doing, and they’re...

I first came across And/Ore on Instagram, and the cave-like interior design immediately caught my attention—it just looked so cool and different. So when I was invited to a client dinner there, I was excited for the opportunity to check it out.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get a table in the famous “cave” area downstairs, which was a little disappointing since that’s part of what makes the place so cool. If you’re planning to go, definitely try to snag a reservation for that space—it’s worth it for the vibe alone. Also, they conveniently offer complimentary coat check which was nice.

For dinner, we opted for the Chef’s Picnic—a $65 per person selection of the chef’s choice of snacks, small plates, and accompaniments like cheese and cured meats. The spread was impressive and included sourdough bread and butter, marinated olives, deviled eggs, a king oyster mushroom katsu sandwich, a charcuterie board, fried mozzarella, pan-seared salmon, and crispy potatoes.

The standout dishes for us were the deviled egg, the mushroom katsu sandwich, and the crispy potatoes—all unique, flavorful, and memorable. That said, the portioning was a bit odd, and it wasn’t always clear how we were supposed to share everything. Some dishes were served individually (we each got a deviled egg), while others seemed to be for sharing in ways that didn’t quite add up. For example, the crispy potatoes were served on three plates, each with just three pieces, making it awkward to divide among six people. Similarly, only three plates of salmon were brought out, leaving us to figure out how to split them.

That said, the service was great—friendly and attentive without being stuffy. They also have a really nice selection of mocktails, which is always a welcome as someone who doesn’t drink.

For dessert, we couldn’t resist and ended up trying almost everything on the menu. The toffee pudding and ice cream sundae were the highlights for me, but honestly, you probably can’t go wrong with any of their sweets.

Overall, And/Ore is definitely on the pricier side, but the food and service make it worth a visit—especially if you’re not the one paying! If you do go, I’d highly recommend trying to book a table in the downstairs cave area. It’s a great spot for a special occasion or a dinner that feels a little fancy. I’d say it’s worth checking out...

I had the pleasure of trying the tasting menu last week and it was quite possibly one of the best dinning experiences I've had in Toronto! The staff, ambience, and food were all a ten out of ten.

Staff- 10/10, everyone I interacted with was so pleasent and knowledgable about the food being served. Both the servers and the bar staff knew the menu and explained everything perfectly.

Drinks- 10/10, i love a classic cocktail and this place knows how to make them. My sister also said that the Mocktails were much tasteir then others she’s had at other restaurants.

Accessibility-10/10, not only was the above part of the restaurant accessible, but so was the basement! With an elevator going straight down and a huge washroom in the basement, this place is wheelchair accessible! When I made the reservation they also asked if I had any accessibility issues that they needed to accommodate. Very pleased that I could take my grandma here with her walker and there would not be an issue.

Ambience- 10000/100, this place is STUNNING, the picture online don’t do it justice. The outside may look like any other trendy restuant on ossington-but upon entering the restuant and seeing the above section, your breathe will be taken away. You will think to yourself “it can’t be better then this!” and then, you decend. If you thought the above area was nice wait untill you see the below! THE CAVE! Stunning. One of, if not the, nicest basements I have been to in Toronto, it really added to the dining experience. You have to see it in person.

Food- 100000/100, Everything was so good. This 8 course tasting menu was so yummy. Every dish I had I found myself wishing that it was x10 the size. While I loved everthing, my favourite part of any tasting menu is the amuse bouche and the palate cleanser (I often find the most experimentaion happens here) and these did not dissapoint. If the entire tasting menu was the amuse bouche I would have been delighted! And the palate cleanser (the rock picture) reset my palate in the best way, leaving me satisfied and ready for the next dish.

Overall this was an amazing experience, especially at the price point! I enjoyed every part of my time here and can’t wait to bring my parents/grandma here in the New Year!...