Exploring Toronto's history through its vibrant restaurant scene.

From taverns to tea rooms, soda fountains to sushi bars, and everything in between, Toronto's dining trends say a lot about the history of the city. Beginning with the early days in the Town of York, where eateries also had to serve as houses of worship, Dining Out vividly describes many of the long-forgotten restaurants that had a profound impact on the city and the people who called it home.

While some argue that before 1966 Toronto had no restaurants to boast of and that the only good ones were in clubs, Thompson reveals this is not the case. Toronto has always been able to offer dining experiences worthy of any major city, and Dining Out illustrates this through the changing tastes, immigration patterns, and social customs that have shaped this city's dining out culture, right up to today's trendy restaurants opened by newcomers and inspired by outside influences. Thompson also examines the timeless challenges to fine restaurants and explains why many did not survive. Fortunately, while the locales where Torontonians eat may have changed through the years, the quest for good food and good company continues to define the city.