A Foodies Guide To International Dining

Since Canada is a multicultural nation, there are many opportunities for tourists and locals to treasure international dining. Major cities like Ottawa, Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga and Vaughan have more dining options since there are more immigrants residing there and things to do for people to enjoy, compared to the smaller towns such as Sutton, Collingwood and Pefferlaw where there are less visible minorities residing there and not as many opportunities for tourists to enjoy extravagant international dining experiences. International restaurants and take-out joints that serve Japanese, Chinese, Eastern European, Filipino, Thai and Mexican are situated all over the GTA, however most of them depend on the area where the locals are residing and operating their businesses. For example, there are a heap of Vietnamese, Japanese, Mexican, Korean and Thai restaurants in the Yonge and Sheppard neighbourhood of Toronto because the majority of the residents are of Asian and Hispanic descent. Whether you are wondering around the Sheppard Centre or outside in the neighbouhrood, you won't have an issue finding places to enjoy international cuisine.

There are endless eateries for people to experience authentic Japanese cuisine in the Greater Toronto Area. Cities in the Greater Toronto Area such as Markham, Richmond Hill, North York, Downtown Toronto, Midtown Toronto, Vaughan, Mississauga, Brampton and Etobicoke will provide you with the most options compared to small towns. You will be able to explore all the Japanese restaurants and take-out spots in plazas, outdoor malls and indoor shopping centres in the city. Even if you don't know how to use chopsticks or don't favour dishes Sushi, there are many Japanese dishes for tourists and locals to eat and enjoy! Some of the restaurants even offer All You Can Eat which means people can eat and drink how much they want at the same price, which is one of my favourites! I love dining out with friends and enjoying unlimited Sushi and other Japanese dishes and delicacies like Udon Noodle Soup, Vegetable Tempura, and Teriyaki Chicken.

Take a look at the 10 high-profile Japanese restaurants in the Greater Toronto Area!

1. Wakame Sushi in North York, Ontario

Wakame Sushi is one of my all-time beloved Japanese eateries! When I was a teenager, my family and friends would regularly visit the North York location for lunch and dinner, mainly for all-you-can-eat Japanese cuisine. Some days, my mom would not want to cook or sit in a restaurant after a long day at work, so she would regularly get take-out sushi for my brother and I to enjoy at home. For my 16th birthday, my friends and I dined at the second location which was not far from my high school. We took advantage of the all-you-can-eat dinner buffet. It was a memory of a lifetime and I'll never forget it. I am definitely a veteran of Wakame Sushi, since I have visited so many times during my youth. I miss going here very much. For all sushi and Japanese cuisine lovers, please check out Wakame Sushi!

North York address: 638 Sheppard Avenue West, North York, ON, M3H 2S1 Phone #: 416-630-2345

Second address: 2625 Weston Road #31 North York, ON, M9N 3X2

Phone #: 416-241-0505

2. Akasaka Japanese Restaurant in Richmond Hill, Ontario

Akasaka brings back unforgettable memories from my teenage years. The first time my mom and I have ever discovered a real Japanese teppanyaki place was when we saw the movie Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (October 10 2015) in the theatres. There was one scene in which Alexander and his family visited a teppanyaki place which was in fact, one of my favourite scenes out of all of them. For my 18th birthday, my mom booked a reservation at the luxurious, high-profile and top-rated Japanese restaurant called Akasaka in Richmond Hill. I remember watching the chefs cook in front of us, like he was doing a culinary performance for the whole family. The food was incredible and the customer service was fantastic! The staff were really friendly and the place was immaculate. The atmosphere was very tranquil, so it was definitely a pleasant place to dine-in. Best of all, you can free ice cream if it is your birthday! If you ever have a birthday celebration, please visit Akasaka. You will have the night of your life here!

Address: 280 West Beaver Creek Rd, Richmond Hill, ON, L4B 3Z1

Phone #: 905-764-9291

3. Spring Sushi in Downtown Toronto, Ontario

This is another place I really admire in the Greater Toronto Area. I visited this place a couple of times with my old friends while we were hanging around the Yonge and Dundas Square one afternoon on a weekend. On another night, I visited here with my best friend for a birthday dinner. The vast selection of Japanese dishes like Salmon Nigiri, Shrimp Tempura, Philadelphia Roll and The Yam Tempura Roll, the amazing customer service and the hospitable atmosphere will make a memorable dining experience for you, your friends and your family! I recommend the all-you-can-eat lunch/dinner buffer, because you can enjoy all the dishes for the same price. Whether you are spending a few hours at The Eaton Centre, seeing a movie at the Yonge and Dundas Square or strolling around the Yonge and Dundas Sqaure, Spring Sushi should be one of the places to visit in downtown Toronto!

Address: 10 Dundas Street East #4, Toronto, ON, M3B 2G9

Phone #: 416-596-6866

4. Rolltation in Midtown Toronto, Ontario

Rolltation opened up in 2017 when I was almost done high school. Since my family and I enjoy Sushi so much, my mom decided to get take-out from Rolltation one night. We have never heard of a sushi burrito or a poke bowl until Rolltation existed. My family and I are veterans of the Yonge and Eglinton area, because we have often visited here to shop, eat and stroll around on the weekends. When Rolltation opened up, I was able to purchase and eat my first sushi burrito which was delicious. You can put whatever you want in the burrito, just like when you go for a burrito at a Mexican restaurant or take-out join. The same goes for the poke bowls, which is basically the Japanese/Hawaiian version of a Mexican taco bowl that is served at Chipotle. If you love both Japanese and Mexican food, please consider this place to dine-in or take out!

Address: 2291 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON, M4P 2C6

Phone #: 416-901-7655

5. Nara Sushi in North York, Ontario

This may not be the top-rated place, but I still consider this a spectacular place regardless. Nara Sushi is definitely a childhood treasure of mine. Since I grew up in the Bathurst and Wilson neighborhood which is near Avenue Road, my mom, my brother, family friends and I would often come here for dinner. When my mom did not want to sit in a restaurant after a long day at work, she would often get take-out from Nara Sushi in addition to Wakame Sushi or Rolltation. The crab salad sushi is to die for here, so I would consider this one of my favourite rolls to get here at Nara Sushi! The peaceful atmosphere, the calming music in the background and amazing hospitality makes Nara Sushi a wonderful place to come to. They don't have all-you-can-eat here, but it is still worth visiting.

Address: 1931 Avenue Road, North York, ON, M5M 4A1

Phone #: 416-782-6161

6. Story Sushi in Thornhill, Ontario

Believe it or not, this place used to be called Hockey Sushi! I did not discover this place until I was in Grade 7 during a day-long outing and shopping trip in Thornhill with my mom and my brother. My family and I were craving sushi and this spot came to our attention at the time. After coming here several times with my family and friends, this became one of my go-to sushi places in Thornhill. My friends and I would often take advantage of the all-you-can-eat dinner or lunch buffet since my friends and I love to eat more sushi for the same price. My mom and I would do the same when we come. There are so many dishes that I find delicious, so it is hard to pick which one I like the most. In terms of sushi rolls, I love the Beef Teriyaki and Philadelphia Roll which are two of my favourite rolls at Story Sushi. The fried appetizers and the ice cream is also delicious, so I recommend trying those. Whether you want all-you-can-eat, take-out or just a light meal, Story Sushi is the place to come at any occasion!

Address: 1102 Centre Street, Thornhill, ON, L4J 3M8

Phone #: 905-882-6663

7. Miyako Sushi in North York, Ontario

Miyako Sushi has been around since I was a child. It is not far away from my dad's house which is located in the Allen Road and Eglinton neighborhood, which interconnects with the Marlee and Lawrence neighborhood. This may not be the most "top-notch" Japanese restaurant in the Greater Toronto Area, however the food and hospitality is reasonable. I have been here a few times during my young adulthood and it is quiet, small and calm rather than vibrant, loud, chaotic and spacious like the majority of the Japanese restaurants in the Greater Toronto Area. The philadelphia roll with cream cheese and smoked salmon, the miso soup, the spicy crab salad roll, the salmon nigiri and sushi pizzas are delicious and would recommend them! If you're the kind of inidividual that prefers somewhere calm rather than loud and vibrant, Miyako Sushi would be the best alternative for you. They do not serve all-you-can-eat here, but it is still worth the visit if you happen to be in the area at one point!

Address: 572 Marlee Avenue, North York, ON, M6B 3J3

Phone #: 416-782-4270 (as you can see in the photograph above)

8. Ichiban Sushi House in Vaughan and North York, Ontario

I have visited Ichiban Sushi House multiple times during my youth. They have two locations in the Greater Toronto Area, but I mainly visited the one in North York where I resided with my family at the time. What's really nice about this spot is the tranquil, traditional Japanese music in the background as well as the variety of dishes they serve. Ichiban Sushi House does not only serve sushi or Japanese cuisine; they also serve Korean dishes which is a game-changer for anyone who loves both Japanese and Korean cuisine. If one of your friends don't like Japanese cuisine, they have the option of eating authentic Korean food. The atmosphere is subtle and the hospitality is fantastic. The waiters/waitresses are very friendly and the bathrooms are clean and tidy. Ichiban Sushi House is worth the visit at both locations!

Address #1: 6212 Yonge Street, North York, ON, M2M 3X4

Phone #: 416-226-5022

Address #2: 8707 Dufferin Street, Thornhill, ON, L4J 0A2

Phone #: 905-731-6116

9. Maple Sushi in Vaughan, Ontario

Another one of my favourite sushi joints in the Thornhill area! The first time I remember visiting Maple Sushi was in the spring of 2014 when my friend and I joined her family for lunch. Since that one visit, I kept going with my other chums who live in the Vaughan area! The all-you-can-eat buffet is spectacular, the atmosphere is serene and welcoming, the service is amazing and their is always pleasant tunes in the background. Even if you do not do all-you-can-eat, this place is still a good option for take-out or delivery, so you can enjoy all of Maple Sushi's creations in your own home or at the park on a beautiful day! Maple Sushi is definitely a place I would suggest for anyone who loves all-you-can-eat and great customer service!

Address #1: 30 Disera Drive, Thornhill, ON, L4J 0A7

Phone #: 905- 709-2238

Address #2563 Major Mackenzie Drive W, Maple, ON, L6A 2E8

Phone #: 905-879-3888

10. Sushi Rock in Midtown Toronto, Ontario

I have only visited Sushi Rock a few times during my teenage years. However, Sushi Rock is one of my favourite places because it has a wide range of delectable Japanese dishes, the atmosphere is relaxing and immaculate and the service is excellent. I have only visited Sushi Rock for the all-you-can-eat, since their all-you-can-eat buffet is the best thing to take advantage of. I loved their tasty and crispy Sweet Potato Rolls, their creamy and yummy Crab Salad Sushi Rolls, and their miso soup is awesome. The music in the background is soothing, unlike some other restaurants where they have the typical annoying type of pop hits in the background. Whether you are doing all-you-can-eat, take-out, delivery or just coming for a light Japanese meal, Sushi Rock is a place I would suggest for both tourists and locals!

Address: 2359 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON, M4P 2C8

Phone #: 416-483-3888

I hope you enjoyed this blog, because I really enjoyed sharing all of the best Japanese restaurants that I have visited over the years. Please like, share, send me a tip and follow me under the Instagram name of naturalbibliophile22 to connect and be in the loop for upcoming Vocal stories! Take care and have a positive week! Cheers!