Growing up in Toronto, I realize how spoiled I’ve been when it comes to having so many amazing restaurants at my fingertips. Toronto has such an incredibly diverse food scene. You can find food from any culture, at any price point, at virtually any hour of the day (or night). Burlington – where I live now – has many wonderful restaurants, but Toronto is simply in a league of its own when it comes to food. Luckily, I’m still not that far from Toronto (I can get downtown in just under an hour without traffic) and I have to commute downtown twice a week for my job anyways, so I have a good excuse to continue exploring Toronto’s amazing restaurants.
Recently, I met my friend Victoria for drinks and dinner at Fonda Lola. Victoria is my best friend – we’ve been friends ever since high school, attended the University of Toronto together, and we were even roommates when we rented our first apartment together. She’s an outdoor enthusiast who shares all her camping and hiking adventures on Instagram, so please give her a follow if you’re so inclined! We’d been wanting to check out Fonda Lola for a while. Located on Queen Street West just east of Ossington, they serve authentic Mexican food made with locally sourced ingredients, and are famous for their craft cocktails.
We went on a Wednesday evening, which turned out to be a great choice: every week, Fonda Lola offers special margarita deals for “Margarita Wednesday”! Their margarita menu is extensive, so there was a lot to choose from. I decided to start with their La Rosa Margarita, made with tequila, Chambord and lime, and garnished with a hibiscus flower – so pretty! Victoria opted for a traditional lime margarita – you can’t go wrong with a classic!
We started with drinks inside (it was drizzling) but once the skies cleared up, we moved out back to their patio for dinner. It’s a small patio, but beautifully decorated with string lights and leafy plants. I particularly loved this Frida Kahlo quote painted on the back door.
By now, we were onto our second drink! I went for the classic margarita this time, while Victoria chose Lola’s Margarita, which is made with lychee, strawberry, lime and kombucha (and of course, tequila!) The presentation of all their drinks is just stunning. Victoria gave me a bit of a food (drink?) photography lesson, as she was a food blogger before she switched over to camping content – she takes the best overhead shots! Photo credit for this one goes to her!
There were so many delicious-looking options on the food menu, and while we were tempted by tacos, ultimately we each decided to order the Baja Fish Bowl. Think of it as a mix between a salad and a burrito bowl, with the corn-battered fish served atop a bed of lettuce with rice, beans, cheese, pico de gallo and cream. It was fabulous: the fish was crispy and flavourful, and all the add-ins made the bowl so hearty and filling, yet it still felt like a relatively healthy choice.
After dinner, we went for a stroll along the Ossington Strip and stopped at Season Six to enjoy a glass of cider on their sidewalk patio. It was a lovely night, with the sky a particularly beautiful colour after the rain earlier that day (my photos don’t do it justice!)
I think ‘friend dates’ are so important, especially these days when people are busier than ever! It’s so nice to take some time out of our hectic schedules to reconnect with a good friend, whether you go for food, coffee or even just a walk. I’m so glad we got to try out Fonda Lola, and I look forward to returning on a Tuesday to try their ‘Taco Tuesday’ special.
Do you have any great restaurant recommendations in Toronto? If so, please email me or leave a comment below. I’d love to hear your suggestions!
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