This pre-wedding ceremony is often overlooked and may be the last on the planning list. Luckily, we scoured the city for the best places to host your rehearsal wedding! We didn’t just find the best tasting restaurants, but we found the spots that also had excellent servers, bartenders and event staff! After long hours of practicing, you need the perfect place to unwind, refresh and get ready for the big day. Sweet and chic, here are the top 5 restaurants in Toronto to hold your next rehearsal dinner at.
Canoe Restaurant
Location: 66 Wellington St. W, TD Bank Tower, 54th Floor.
Contact: 416.364.0054
canoerestaurant.com
Not only is this spot conveniently located just minutes from Union Station, but it is delicious too! Using contemporary Canadian cuisine, Canoe creates dishes that reflect Canada’s diverse landscape, history and culture. With over 20 years of culinary history, their chefs source the finest ingredients from across the nation by working closely with farmers and suppliers.
Whether you decide to make a small reservation in the restaurant, or want a private dining experience, both are available options! You can book a private dining room that can accommodate as small as 24-seated guests or as many as 140-seated guests. Featuring bundled wood, chandeliers, moss-covered wall art, and copper accents, this spot is an authentic representation of Canadian culture. Featuring large windows, it is the stunning view of Lake Ontario that really seals the deal for Canoe’s guests.
“It’s true you can’t eat a view, but the one from Canoe will never, ever get tired.”
– Chris Nuttall-Smith
Copacabana Brazilian Steakhouse
Location: 230 Adelaide St, W.
Contact: 1.888.432.6721
thecopa.ca/home
Have a taste of authentic Brazilian cuisine by visiting this unique and flavourful spot! All you can eat; this is just the place to stuff your bellies full. Featuring 16+ cuts of meat, Copacabana offers an escape to Canada’s Urban Rodizio. In many parts of Brazil the restaurants offer a fixed price for people to taste various combinations from the menu. Inspired by a southern Brazil region, known as the Pampa region, this restaurant brings their BBQ culture to life. Carvers will cut various styles of meat fresh at your table, and you are free to order as many times as you like! Lets not forget about the “Galleria” of buffet-style options including fresh baked breads, fresh cheese, hand sliced charcuterie selections and many other salads and starters.
If your dinner rehearsal is looking for an energetic evening, you will definitely want to book this place! Booking on a Monday – Thursday, you can have a quiet evening with the option of booking a private room that is available for up to 200 guests. If you’re not a fan of the Rodizio style menu, Copacabana will create a meal package that works best for you. Book on a Friday or Saturday, and you’ll get to experience spectacular live entertainment. To top it all off, they have a personal mixologist too! NLIMITED
“Meat lovers paradise! It’s a constant flow of the best tasting grilled meat you ever had.”
– TripAdvisor
Café Boulud
Location: 60 Yorkville Ave.
Contact: 416.963.6000
cafeboulud.com/toronto/
Rooted in French tradition, this restaurant serves a seasonally changing menu that combines bistro classics with contemporary dishes. Chef Daniel Boulud gears his kitchen up with a rotisserie he uses to slow roast some of his best meat dishes around town. Choose between dining in a vintage-inspired ambiance, semi-private room or their spirited lounge. Your rehearsal dinner will be flexible as with these 3 options, you can choose an intimate, casual or upbeat setting.
Their spirited lounge has a DJ playing every Mon – Saturday evening if you are looking for a party atmosphere. For smaller dinners, the private room can fit up to 8 people by still giving you the main dining hall experience. If you need more room, Café Boulud offers reservations ahead of time for up to 125 guests. Located out of the Four Seasons Hotel, you can book a place to sleep and a night to eat! This Location is fitting for all parties looking for a convenient and tasty evening.
“To me, there’s no great chef without a great team.”
– Chef Daniel Boulud
Buca King West
Location: 604 King St W.
Contact: 416.865.1600
buca.ca/king.html
Buca Osteria & Enoteca opened in 2009 and they have already expanded to 3 locations across the city. Internationally celebrated, this place picks the best locally sourced food and only uses seasonal ingredients! Inspired by classic Italian tradition, Buca intrigues its guests with house-cured meats, pizza and pasta. This place is the perfect toss up of modern dining and old world recipes, creating a truly satisfying experience.
Seating up to 20 people, this will be an easy pick to please all your guests. Not too energetic and not too calm, this place has the perfect balance if you’re looking for a relaxing rehearsal dinner. Book online, or give them a call to inquire more about their party packages. This place will surely spark your taste buds just in time for the wedding!
“…I would’ve licked the sauce off my plate if I respectively could have.”
– Jamie Sarner
George Restaurant
Location: 11C Queen St East.
Contact: 647.496.8275
georgeonqueen.ca
As you may already know, many say that the George is the best restaurant in Toronto. Recently named the 2014 Canadian Culinary Champion, Chef Lorenzo Loseto is the Executive Chef of this popular restaurant. George provides seasonally sourced menus that create a unique and tasty experience every single time. Available a la carte or as a tasting menu, the options are almost endless in this lifetime experience.
With wines curated by their sommelier team, there is no doubt nothing awaits but warmth and tasty endeavors. Their private dinning areas can fit up to 64-seated guests by providing the same décor and cuisine as the George, but with complete privacy. Customizable and reliable, this is the place where options are available and beauty is everywhere. Take advantage of this place by indulging in their art of wine pairing!
“You will be delighted, tempted and intrigued by the adventure in gastronomy at this magical Canadian small-plates specialist.”
— Zagat