"Toronto's most assured tasting menu — one Michelin star, Patrick Kriss's blind ten courses at C$245. Book it to mark an occasion."
About Alo
Patrick Kriss opened Alo in 2015 on the third floor of a heritage building at Spadina and Queen, and within a few years it had become the reference point against which every ambitious Toronto kitchen measured itself. When the MICHELIN Guide published its first Toronto selection in 2022, Alo took a star and has held it through 2025; it also anchors the Canada's 100 Best list. The restaurant closed in January 2026 for a full renovation and reopened in late March 2026 with a reimagined dining room and a tightened menu.
The format is a single blind tasting: six courses at C$185 or ten courses at C$245, with no a la carte. For the wider field, browse more restaurants in Toronto or the global guide to the best tasting menus worldwide.
The Kitchen
Kriss trained in France and at Daniel Boulud's Toronto kitchen before going out on his own, and the cooking shows that lineage: French in discipline, increasingly multicultural in its references. The dish people return for is the Hudson Valley duck with foie gras, plum, turnip and red curry — the savoury anchor of the long menu, the foie seared so the skin crackles while the centre stays silky. A mille-feuille of truffle, poached foie gras, yellow plum and lomo Ibérico opens many menus; PEI oysters, sea urchin, seared scallops and a lamb saddle move through the middle, and the desserts run to fig ice cream and miniature s'mores.
The blind format means you surrender the menu to the kitchen, which is the point — at C$245 for ten courses you are paying for Kriss's judgement, not your own. The precision traces straight back to his French and Boulud training, and it is the most consistent fine-dining kitchen in the city. If you have eaten at Edulis or the counter at Sushi Masaki Saito, Alo sits in that same small top tier of Toronto rooms.
The Room
The post-renovation third-floor room is intimate and low-lit, with a long dining counter that looks onto the pass and a handful of window tables over Spadina. Sound sits at an easy hum — you can hold a conversation without leaning in — and the lighting is dim and flattering. Tables are generously spaced, service is detailed without hovering, and the pace is set entirely by the kitchen. Dress is smart; there is no jacket rule, but this is a room people dress up for. The counter is the better perch for two who want to watch the work.
Best for closing a deal
Book Alo to close a deal because the evening does the persuading for you: a quiet, conversation-easy room, service that anticipates rather than interrupts, and a tasting that gives the dinner an arc without demanding your full attention. The bill signals seriousness, and the blind menu removes the awkward negotiation over what to order. Reserve the dining counter or a window table at the monthly release, aim for a weeknight, and compare the field of restaurants for closing a deal first. More Toronto dining sits one click away.
Not for
Skip it for a casual or quick dinner — there is no a la carte, the blind tasting runs to ten courses, and you commit to the full evening and the full bill.
Frequently Asked
Is Alo worth it?
Yes, for an occasion you want to remember. Alo has held one Michelin star in every Toronto guide since 2022 and sits on Canada's 100 Best, and chef-owner Patrick Kriss runs the city's most disciplined kitchen. At C$185 for six courses and C$245 for ten it is a serious outlay, but the cooking and service are the best in Toronto for a celebration.
How hard is it to book Alo?
Hard for weekends. Alo releases tables on a rolling monthly window through its own booking system, and Friday and Saturday seatings disappear within minutes of going live. Set a reminder for the release date, be flexible on weeknights, and consider the dining counter, which is easier to land than a window table.
What is the dress code at Alo?
Smart. There is no jacket requirement, but Alo is a special-occasion room and most guests dress up: collared shirts, dresses, or smart separates. You will not feel out of place in a blazer, and you will feel underdressed in shorts or athleisure. The third-floor dining room is intimate and dim, and guests treat it accordingly.
How much is dinner at Alo?
The blind tasting is C$185 for six courses and C$245 for ten courses per person. Wine pairings, cocktails, and supplements are charged on top, so a full evening with pairings runs well beyond the menu price. There is no a la carte option — everyone in the room eats the tasting.
Is Alo good for closing a deal?
Yes, when the deal warrants a long evening. The third-floor room is quiet enough to talk, the service is precise without hovering, and the tasting gives the dinner a built-in arc. For a faster business lunch, look elsewhere; Alo is dinner only and unhurried. Browse more options for closing a deal before you commit the calendar.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Alo
Tables release on a rolling monthly window; weekend seatings go in minutes.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address163 Spadina Avenue, 3rd Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 2L6
NeighbourhoodSpadina & Queen, downtown
CuisineContemporary French tasting menu
PriceSix courses C$185; ten courses C$245; wine pairings extra
ChefPatrick Kriss (chef-owner)
Dress CodeSmart
ReservationRolling monthly release, dinner only
RecognitionMICHELIN one star, Toronto 2022–2025; Canada's 100 Best
