Chef

Dyan Solomon

"Reema Singh's whimsical cake shop serves cake that you wish your mom had made (but didn't)! She uses the best ingredients and re-invents the classics without blindly paying homage to the past. She's both modern and vintage at the same time. Her place is absolutely beautiful and charming."

"This crab risotto has a perfect texture. It's not stiff at all, but it's similar to liquid velvet. It's full of fresh crab and asparagus, making it delicate but not too rich."

"Quebecers love their burgers, and La Boulette does a really great job of keeping things classic but upgrading it just a little. The burgers are on the smaller size so you can actually fit them in your mouth, and the bun is just right. The crispy chicken burger is crunchy and deep-fried with spicy, fresh garnishes. The fries are painfully good, too."

"Lawrence is a wonderful restaurant owned and operated by chef Mark Cohen, his wife, and Ethan Wills, who runs front of the house. Everything is made in-house: the bread, sausages, and even apple cider. The wine list is incredible, as well as the food. Brunch is a not-to-be-missed treat. The French toast is made with housemade brioche that's slowly sizzled in butter and maple syrup! The syrup is 'built-in,' and you've never tasted anything else so perfect. Try the scones as well."

"I like to drink a piccolo, also known as Pikolo latté, at Pikolo (!), which is essentially a very small double latte (by North American standards). This place is a perfect, little independently-owned cafe that uses some of the best beans from Canada and the U.S., such as Heart, Ritual, and Phil & Sebastian. It's coffee as art."

"This really fun kiosk is at Atwater Market in the summer and in a small space on St. Jacques in the winter. The food is inspired by brothers Mat and Alex's Singaporean mother, Kim (she works there, too). The green papaya salad is sweet, sour, and full of toasted salty peanuts and chilies. I never get bored of this salad. I love to order their vegetarian steamed buns and sneak some of my papaya salad inside. Mat, an old employee at Olive, jokingly accuses me of creating my own dishes with his!"