#FOOD: TIFF 2026 PLACES TO DINE – LAI WAH HEEN, MINAMI, MIKU, 156 ONEFIVESIX, NO VACANCY, LYLA, ODD DUCK

This September, the city’s film festival season takes centre stage, and Toronto’s dining scene is getting in on the action. From cinematic cocktails and film-inspired dishes to limited-time tasting menus and lavish seafood spreads, a star-studded lineup of restaurants is serving up experiences worthy of the red carpet, including exclusive menu features from Lai Wah Heen, Odd Duck, 156 ONE FIVE SIX, Miku Toronto, Minami, No Vacancy, and Lyla, with each restaurant putting its own creative spin on the season.

Lai Wah Heen
IG. @laiwahheen
📍108 Chestnut Street

Lai Wah Heen is staging a culinary premiere of its own during Toronto’s international film festival season. Executive Chef Heyden Sin’s The Treasure of Fortune is an extravagant five-course experience priced at $8,888, including a 500-gram tin of caviar and the Supreme Eight-Treasure Gourd-Shaped Goose as its main-course centrepiece.

Prepared over three days, the whole deboned goose unites three Cantonese traditions: the dramatic release of broth from a traditional pigeon preparation, the technique and symbolism of Eight-Treasure Duck, and the prized mountain-and-sea delicacies associated with Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. Shaped into an auspicious bottle gourd, it is filled with eight treasures, including Alba white truffle, Japanese dried abalone, fish maw and Galapagos sea cucumber. The goose arrives whole for a dramatic tableside reveal before being ceremonially carved and finished with freshly shaved truffle.

Guests may elevate the experience with a rare 1989 Château Margaux, offered as an optional $3,888 bottle pairing. One of Bordeaux’s celebrated First Growths and top vintages, the Cabernet-led vintage was shaped by an exceptionally hot, dry growing season and is distinguished by its richness, complexity, floral character and remarkably smooth tannins. Only two bottles are available.

Five-course experience: $8,888 CAD, including a 500-gram tin of caviar
Optional wine add-on: 1989 Château Margaux, $3,888 per bottle
Wine availability: Two bottles only
Availability: Limited quantities during Toronto’s international film festival season

Advance order: Three days required
Available from September 10–20.
Link to Reserve HERE.

Minami Toronto
IG. @minamitoronto
📍225 King St. W

This year Minami is honoured to return as an Official TIFF Hospitality Partner and is setting the scene for with a festival-inspired lineup of Japanese dishes and cinematic cocktails. Features include Wagyu X Tartare with black truffle, caviar, sour cream, yuzu, sesame, Japanese black vinegar, and crispy sushi rice; and Aosa Lobster Tempura with yuzu Saikyo miso, wasabi, ume katsuo ponzu jelly, and charcoal oil. The cocktail program takes its cue from the silver screen with Reel It In, made with Redbreast Whiskey, and the aptly named The Sequel. From September 11–16, Minami will also welcome the return of the Visa Infinite Studio, an exclusive evening experience for eligible Visa Infinite cardholders. Set against the excitement of TIFF, the Studio will offer a curated program of food and drink, signature cocktails, entertainment, and special experiences.

Minami TIFF Menu
Wagyu X Tartare
Aosa Lobster Tempura
Minami TIFF Cocktails
Reel it In | $22
The Sequel | $19
Available from September 10–20.
Link to Reserve HERE

156 ONE FIVE SIX
IG. @onefivesix_156
📍1100 Queen Street West

For the film festival season, MICHELIN‑recognized 156 ONE FIVE SIX introduces a trio of limited‑edition features inspired by the works of Korean filmmakers Na Hong‑jin and Yeon Sang-ho. The “Familiar Stranger” highball ($21) honours the upcoming world premiere of Paradise Lost, blending Toki Whisky, peach soju, shiso oleo and soda into a playful reinterpretation of the classic highball and a nod to the film’s tension between the known and the uncanny.
Two dishes draw from Hope and its remote Hopo Port setting. “Hopo Coast” translates the film’s stark, coastal atmosphere into a refined seafood plate of poached and chilled lobster, cucumber noodles, medley tomatoes and yuja pine nuts. “Midnight in Hopo,” offers a Korean‑style potato pancake layered with mussels, myeongran aioli, prosciutto, horseradish and dill, mirrors the film’s darker, late‑night mood while pairing a familiar Korean staple with maritime flavours.
Together, the trio offers a culinary homage to Korean storytelling, blending memory, place and atmosphere into dishes and drinks that feel both cinematic and deeply rooted in Korean tradition.

Available September 10-20

Link to Reserve HERE

156 ONE FIVE SIX Menu Features:
Hopo Coast | $36
Midnight in Hopo | $20
Familiar Stranger | $21

Miku Toronto
IG. @mikutoronto
📍10 Bay St.

In celebration of Japanese cinema, Miku Toronto invites guests to experience a meal told like a film. Inspired by kishōtenketsu, a traditional Japanese storytelling structure built around introduction, development, transformation and resolution, the $85 Pre-Screening Menu unfolds in three cinematic acts—beginning with an opening scene, building to its leading role, and culminating in a final cut of Miku’s signature sushi. Like any great film, the experience is designed around pacing, contrast and anticipation, with each course revealing a new chapter in the story.

Available September 10–20.
Link to Reserve HERE.

Miku Toronto Pre-Screening Menu | $85 per person
OPENING SCENE
Appetizer Trio
Hokkaido Scallop & Atlantic Salmon Sashimi (2pc)
Ebi Fritter (2pc)
Aka Miso Duck
LEADING ROLE
Choice of Entrée
Saikyo Miso Sablefish (3oz)
—or—
A5 Japanese Wagyu Striploin (2oz)
THE FINAL CUT
Sushi Selection
Aburi Nigiri (2pc)
Aburi Salmon Oshi (1pc)
Aburi Ebi Oshi (1pc)
Miku Roll (1pc)
Red Wave Roll (1pc)
Guests can also add a Sapporo for $7 with the purchase of the Pre-Screening Menu.
SAPPORO — $7
With purchase of the menu.

No Vacancy
IG. @novacancyto
📍74 Ossington Ave.

No Vacancy, Canada’s 100 Best’s Best New Bar, No. 14 on Canada’s 100 Best Bars list and No. 82 on the extended North America’s 50 Best Bars is also joining the star studded lineup. In celebration of film festival season and the world premiere of Always Lalisa, the new documentary following BLACKPINK superstar LISA, No Vacancy is spotlighting its aptly named BLACKPINK cocktail for $25. Made with vodka, an olive oil wash, activated charcoal, Plymouth Gin, vermouths and yuzu bitters, the striking cocktail offers a fitting nod to one of the season’s most anticipated music documentaries. Available at No Vacancy on Ossington throughout the festival season.

No Vacancy Menu Features

BLACKPINK | $25

Available September 10-20.
Link to reserve HERE.

Lyla
IG. @lylatoronto
📍60 Sudbury St

For the city’s upcoming film festival season, Lyla is getting into the cinematic spirit with a trio of food and drink offerings inspired by this year’s films. In celebration of Nanni Moretti’s It Will Happen Tonight, Lyla’s $42 1942 in Capri brings a little Italian romance and glamour to the occasion, with Don Julio Añejo 1942, Campari, Cocchi and Guerra coming together in a celebratory aperitivo made for a pre-screening toast or a night out after the credits roll. For Conversation with the Sea, the coastal Mediterranean hot spot is serving a conversation with the sea of its own: the Grand Plateau brings together caviar bites, oysters, cocktail shrimp, ceviche and bluefin tuna crudo in a celebratory seafood spread designed for sharing before a screening or over a festival-season dinner. Finally, in celebration of A Talent for Murder, Lyla is serving a killer Italian‑inspired order that nods to the film’s dramatic flair: Tagliolini All’Aragosta pairs butter-poached Atlantic lobster with delicate tagliolini, VSOP lobster bisque and lobster glaze, available with a half or whole lobster for an indulgent choice worthy of a festival night out.

Lyla Menu Features
1942 In Capri | $42
Grand Plateau | $95
Tagliolini All’Aragosta | Half Lobster $69 or Whole Lobster $109

Available September 10–20.
Link to Reserve HERE.

Odd Duck
IG. @oddduckwandp
📍93 Ontario St S

To celebrate the film festival season, MICHELIN-recommended Odd Duck debuts its limited-edition “Director’s Cut” cocktail, inspired by the 1922 silent-film classic Blood and Sand, starring Rudolph Valentino. The restaurant gives the iconic Blood and Sand cocktail its own “director’s cut,” preserving its signature Scotch, cherry and citrus profile while reimagining it with Monkey Shoulder Scotch, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, sencha tea and blood orange, topped with a silky blood orange cold foam.

Odd Duck Menu Features
Director’s Cut | $19
Available September 10–20
Link to reserve HERE.

#FOOD: BTS ARIRANG WORLD TOUR PRE-MEAL IDEAS IN TORONTO

BTS is bringing its highly anticipated ARIRANG World Tour to Toronto for two performances at Rogers Stadium on Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23, 2026, with both concerts beginning at 8 p.m.

Whether Toronto ARMY members are fuelling up before the concert, gathering for a post-show drink or celebrating without tickets, three of the city’s Korean-chef-led restaurants and bars are joining the excitement. From Friday, August 21 through Sunday, August 23, Lyla, No Vacancy and 156 ONE FIVE SIX will feature BTS-inspired food and cocktails while playing the group’s music throughout the weekend.

156 ONE FIVE SIX
IG. @onefivesix_156
📍1100 Queen St. W.

Chef and partner Myeongseok “MJ” Jeong brings a personal perspective to modern Korean cuisine. Raised in Yeosu, South Korea, Jeong moved to Canada in 2014, studied culinary arts at George Brown College and built his experience at acclaimed Toronto restaurants including Canoe, R&D and Canis. His original restaurant, 156 Cumberland, appeared in the Michelin Guide’s Toronto selection for three consecutive years before reopening on Queen West as 156 ONE FIVE SIX.

For BTS weekend, guests can try:
Hooligan Highball — $21
A BTS-inspired version of the restaurant’s Shiso Highball, made with Toki whisky, Momotoro peach sake, shiso oleo and soda.
ARIRANG Afterglow — $21
A celebratory take on the Asian Pear Spritz, combining pear eau-de-vie, Korean pear, pear oleo, lime, lychee boba and Prosecco.
BTS Naengmyeon — $20
Created especially for the weekend, this new dish offers a contemporary interpretation of naengmyeon, Korea’s iconic chilled noodle dish. It is best enjoyed alongside the restaurant’s popular kalbi.
Kalbi-Marinated Australian Wagyu Skirt Steak Ssam Platter, 6 oz — $60
Marinated Australian Wagyu skirt steak served with ssamjang, chimichurri, house pickles, white kimchi, salad and lettuce wraps.
Sujebi Pasta — $38
A major nod to Korean comfort food, 156’s contemporary sujebi pairs hand-torn-style pasta with U10 scallops, perilla butter, guanciale crumbles and zucchini purée.

Lyla
IG. @lylatoronto
📍60 Sudbury St.

Executive Chef Daniel Kim leads Lyla’s evolving coastal Mediterranean menu, bringing experience from several of Toronto’s most distinguished kitchens, including Michelin-starred Osteria Giulia, Michelin Guide-recommended Sammarco and Opus. His cooking combines Mediterranean technique with subtle Asian and Korean influences.
Lyla’s BTS weekend selections include:
Borahae — $25
Named for the BTS-associated expression meaning “I purple you,” this vivid cocktail combines Valley of Mother of God gin, Lillet Blanc, Choya, soju, lychee, yuzu and butterfly pea.
Yukhoe — $25
A BTS-weekend presentation of Lyla’s steak tartare, made with anchovy oil, pear gel, sous-vide egg yolk and a gochujang–Gouda crisp.
SWIM Platter — $95
A renamed version of Lyla’s Grand Plateau and a playful reference to BTS’s “SWIM.” Designed for sharing, the platter includes caviar bites, oysters, cocktail shrimp, chef’s ceviche, bluefin tuna crudo and accompaniments.
High resolution photos for Lyla available HERE.

No Vacancy
IG. @novacancyto
📍74 Ossington Ave.

No Vacancy’s Korean-Italian kitchen is led by Chef Brian Kang, whose résumé includes experience in Michelin-recognized restaurants such as Benu, DaNico and Don Alfonso 1890. His menu brings Korean flavours together with Italian ingredients and technique. No Vacancy was also ranked No. 14 on Canada’s 100 Best Bars list and appeared at No. 82 on the extended North America’s 50 Best Bars list.
BTS weekend features include:
Dynamite Bulgogi Arancini — $23
A renamed version of No Vacancy’s Bulgogi Arancini: crispy rice filled with marinated beef and Parmigiano Reggiano, served with kimchi aioli.
FIRE Gochujang Poutine — $19
A BTS-inspired spin on the bar favourite, featuring fries, gochujang gravy, scamorza and scallion.
No Vacancy’s existing Korean-inspired cocktails will also be available:
Buonasera Seoul — $20
Soju, dry curaçao, St-Germain, clarified citrus, sencha and tonic, served carbonated.
Bae — $23
Planteray 3 Stars rum, Boulard Calvados and pear cordial.

From pre-concert meals to ticket-free BTS celebrations, all three destinations offer fans a way to experience the excitement surrounding the ARIRANG World Tour through Korean flavours, themed cocktails and a weekend-long BTS soundtrack.
This is an independently produced, unofficial BTS-inspired dining celebration and is not affiliated with or endorsed by BTS, HYBE or the ARIRANG World Tour.

#FOOD: “156 ONE FIVE SIX” CELRBRATES 5TH ANNIVERSARY

This June, 156 ONE FIVE SIX celebrates its fifth anniversary, marking five years of modern Korean dining in Toronto. Originally opened in Yorkville in 2021, the MICHELIN-recommended restaurant has grown from an ambitious first concept into a more refined expression of Korean cuisine, shaped by experience, seasonality, and a small team with a clear point of view.

Led by Head Chef and Partner Myeongseok Jeong (MJ), 156 ONE FIVE SIX continues to balance the familiar with the new. Long-standing signatures such as the beef tartare and 48-hour slow-cooked short rib remain central to the menu, while seasonal banchan, changing garnishes, and produce-driven updates allow the kitchen to keep evolving throughout the year.

After closing its original Cumberland location in December 2024, 156 ONE FIVE SIX reopened on Queen West on September 17, 2025. Now located at 1100 Queen St. West, the intimate restaurant continues to offer a polished, personal dining experience rooted in Korean flavour, modern technique, and care. Throughout its anniversary month, 156 ONE FIVE SIX will celebrate the milestone with special programming and festivities that honour the restaurant’s past five years while looking ahead to what comes next.

Reservations can be made HERE.

The Team Behind 156 ONE FIVE SIX
156 ONE FIVE SIX is led by a close-knit team whose paths into hospitality have shaped the restaurant’s hands-on approach. MJ first moved to Canada in 2014 after completing military service in South Korea, later studying culinary arts at George Brown College and building experience at acclaimed Toronto restaurants including Canoe, R&D, and Canis. His dream was to create a restaurant that introduced Korean cuisine to more people in a way that felt considered, creative, and welcoming.

That vision became 156 ONE FIVE SIX Cumberland, which he opened in Yorkville with his wife, Jennifer Yeo, who left her career in healthcare to help bring the restaurant to life and lead the front-of-house team. Today, the restaurant is also shaped by Sous Chef and Partner Dave Lee, who moved into kitchens after originally studying engineering at McMaster, and General Manager and Partner Sharon Chan, whose path at 156 ONE FIVE SIX grew from server to bar manager to General Manager.

A Modern Korean Restaurant with Fine Dining Intention
At its core, 156 ONE FIVE SIX is built around the idea of bringing Korean fine dining to a wider audience. The kitchen reimagines traditional Korean flavours through the team’s experiences, creativity, and global influences, resulting in a menu that feels both familiar and unexpected.

The restaurant’s signature dishes include beef tartare, truffle chicken wings, kalbi-marinated wagyu skirt steak, 48-hour slow-cooked short rib, and sujebi, a comforting Korean soup made with hand-torn noodles in a savoury broth. Seasonal garnishes and banchan shift throughout the year, allowing the menu to reflect the produce and ingredients available at the moment.
The result is a dining experience that balances Korean identity with modern reinterpretation: refined, intimate, and approachable without losing its roots.

“I’m really proud of what we’ve created at 156 ONE FIVE SIX. Our hope is to keep sharing our love for upscale Korean food with Toronto, and guests from around the world, for years to come.”
— MJ, Head Chef and Partner

From Yorkville to Queen West
156 ONE FIVE SIX began as a dream for MJ, who moved to Canada in 2014 after completing military service in South Korea. After studying culinary arts at George Brown College, he went on to gain experience at notable Toronto restaurants including Canoe, R&D, and Canis.

During his military service, MJ imagined opening a restaurant that would showcase Korean cuisine in a way that felt welcoming to people from all backgrounds. That vision became a reality in 2021, when he and Jennifer opened 156 ONE FIVE SIX Cumberland in Yorkville. MJ and Jennifer’s vision was also supported by Bo, CEO of Kibo, who stepped in to help finance the project. As someone of Korean background himself, Bo connected with their passion for elevating Korean cuisine and helping bring a more refined, modern expression of it to Toronto.

Following the closure of the Cumberland location in December 2024, the team spent eight months rebuilding before reopening on Queen West. While the address has changed, the concept remains the same, now with a slightly more elevated approach.

A 26-Seat Room Built by Hand
The new Queen West space is intimate with 26 seats, allowing the team to deliver a highly guided and personal style of service. Before 156 ONE FIVE SIX took over, the space had been empty for ten years. Today, everything from the tables to the chairs has been handmade by Make Nice Project, a Toronto-based design company.
The dining room is designed to feel refined but relaxed, with music that is chill, upbeat, and influenced by Korean sounds beyond K-pop. The playlist is shaped largely by Sous Chef Dave Lee, with contributions from the wider team.
Service is a central part of the experience. The team focuses on reading each table and adjusting the pace and level of interaction accordingly, whether guests are looking for a more guided evening or a quieter, more intimate meal.

Cocktails Designed to Complement the Food
While food remains the main focus, 156 ONE FIVE SIX’s beverage program has been carefully designed to support the menu. Created in-house by General Manager and Partner Sharon Chan, the cocktail list is intended to complement the food rather than overpower it.

Signature drinks include the Asian Pear Spritz, a long-standing guest favourite featuring Korean pear and pear eau-de-vie from Spirit in Niagara; the Gochu-Pineapple Margarita, a Korean-influenced take on a spicy margarita with gochugaru and pineapple; and the Shiso Highball, a whisky highball variation made with perilla and peach soju.

The beverage program also includes wines, beers, soju, and cocktails that reflect the restaurant’s Korean roots while remaining approachable for a broad dining audience.

A Small Team with a Clear Philosophy
For 156 ONE FIVE SIX, hospitality starts with the team. The restaurant’s philosophy is simple: happy staff create happy guests. That people-first approach shapes the way the restaurant operates, from the kitchen to the dining room.

In a city with a strong and growing Korean dining scene, 156 ONE FIVE SIX is carving out space for a more intimate and refined expression of modern Korean cuisine. Small in size but ambitious in vision, the restaurant aims to bring more diners into the world of Korean fine dining while staying grounded in warmth, creativity, and care.

About 156 ONE FIVE SIX
156 ONE FIVE SIX is a Korean fusion restaurant located at 1100 Queen St. West in Toronto. Rooted in Korean tradition and elevated through modern technique, the restaurant offers an intimate 26-seat dining experience led by Head Chef and Partner Myeongseok Jeong, Partner Jennifer, Sous Chef and Partner Dave Lee, and GM and Partner Sharon Chan. Originally opened as 156 ONE FIVE SIX Cumberland in Yorkville in 2021, the restaurant has since relocated to Queen West, where it continues to offer a refined and approachable interpretation of modern Korean cuisine. The menu features modern Korean dishes, seasonal touches, and a beverage program designed to complement the food.

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