Whitby is a beautiful waterfront town located in the heart of Durham region, between Pickering and Oshawa and is about 48 km east of Toronto. Although the population here mainly consists of a Caucasian demographic, Whitby welcomes any and all diversity, and continues to grow its population year after year.
Whitby is home to a great restaurant scene full of a little bit of everything. With restaurants offering a range of options, including local, farm-to-table cuisine, fresh seafood, pub fare, and multiple ethnic cuisines, to say Whitby is diverse in its food choices would be an understatement. No matter what your tastes are, you’ll be sure to find something you enjoy!
Chatterpauls
Bistro, Italian, Caribbean
3500 Brock St. N, Whitby, ON
905-665-7575
Named after the business owner, James Thomas-Chatterpaul, this restaurant got its start in 2008 and has become one of the more successful fine-dining restaurants in the area. The combination of Italian and Caribbean food makes the cuisine here unique and delicious, and although the menu is small, the quality of every single dish is top-notch.
To start off your meal, choose from one of the amazing options on the menu such as coconut shrimp and crab cakes, bruschetta, or baked brie topped with sundried fruit, frosted flakes, and cranberry apricot compote. Make sure to stop by between 3-5 PM, Monday through Saturday, as this is when they have their appetizers and bottles of wine on for half-price!
If you’re feeling like Italian, you can order the chicken parmesan that is served with sundried tomato, five cheese roasted red pepper, and kalamata olives over a bed of pasta mixed with a goat cheese marinara. On the flip side, if you’re craving Caribbean food, Chatterpaul’s is well-known for its jerk rubbed chicken breast that is marinated in-house. This dish comes with coconut basmati rice and is topped with a unique and delicious pineapple infused cilantro curry cream.
This restaurant is a popular spot for Christmas parties and work functions, but is a great spot to go for a romantic evening out or for a birthday dinner. Everyone that dines here can agree on two things: the food is outstanding and the service is impeccable.
The Vault Gastropub
Pub, Canadian
102 Brock St. S, Whitby, ON
905-493-5600
This pub is a local favourite among the residents of Whitby and offers a fresh take on classic pub-style food. The interior of the restaurant is sleek and modern and features red vinyl booth seats with dark wood tables and framed photography all over the walls. The Vault offers a great selection of beer, wine, and cocktails, in addition to their eclectic food menu.
On the menu at The Vault, you will find a wide variety of pub-style food, including apps like their famous mac and cheese balls, devilled eggs tops with maple bacon bits, and crispy wings that have a unique variety of sauces such as Orange Crush BBQ.
On the dinner menu, there are multiple different burger and sandwich options, as well as signature pub dishes like haddock and chips, chicken strips and fries, and a couple of pasta options as well. Be sure to check the menu on the website before you go as they are constantly changing it to keep it fresh and exciting. Additionally, there are several take-home meal options like lasagna and assorted pot pies, that are prepared and ready so you can finish cooking them at home!
This restaurant is a great place for dinner dates, work lunches, and meeting up with old friends, so be sure not to miss this amazing restaurant next time you’re in the area!
The Lake Grill
Seafood, French, Contemporary
1628 Brock St. S, Whitby, ON
905-556-0142
The Lake Grill is a small, upscale restaurant with a cozy atmosphere and has some of the best seafood options in town. Specializing in French cuisine, the chefs here have developed a well-rounded menu that has a ton of options that feature mainly seafood, pasta, and steak dishes.
The Cajun calamari is a delicious appetizer to start off your meal, featuring crispy seasoned calamari rings seasoned with Cajun spices and is served with a side of chipotle aioli for dipping. The seafood di mare is a great option for those of you who love seafood, and consists of a blend of bay scallops, salmon, and shrimp served up with fire-roasted red peppers and spinach in a rich, creamy rosé sauce all over a bed of fettuccine pasta.
If you aren’t keen on seafood, The Lake Grill has plenty of other options, including ribeye steak with chimichurri sauce, pasta primavera, and the El Presidente burger, which is topped with guacamole, crispy bacon, and jalapeño jack cheese.
The Lake Grill is a great spot to go for a scrumptious dinner with your significant other or to celebrate a family birthday or anniversary, and will satisfy all of your fine-dining needs with the small-town cozy restaurant feel.
Balti Indian Restaurant
Indian
115 Brock St. N, Whitby, ON
905-666-0909
This award-winning restaurant brings the authentic taste of northwestern India to Whitby with a slightly different style than other Indian restaurants in the area. The word “balti” means bucket in Hindi, and this restaurant is named that because of the way it serves up its famous curry—in a copper bucket!
The two head chefs at Balti have worked at high-end restaurants all over the world, finally settling down in Whitby to work at this amazing restaurant. Winner of the Readers’ Choice Diamond award in 2020, Balti offers up outstanding food and service to anyone who dines there.
With all sorts of authentic Indian dishes offered here, including the well-known butter chicken, traditional Indian curry served up in a copper bucket, and chicken tikka masala, most people who eat here simply can’t get enough and keep coming back for more!
Balti also offers plenty of vegetarian options that even meat-eaters will enjoy. If you’ve never tried Dal Makhani, you are missing out! This dish consists of black lentils that are slow cooked in a rich sauce consisting of cream, ginger, garlic, and tomatoes that are perfectly seasoned. Make sure to order plenty of naan, roti, or parantha to dip into this savoury dish!
Tahini’s
Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
4160 Baldwin St. S K3, Whitby, ON
905-655-9033
Tahini’s is a franchise restaurant that got its start in London, Ontario in 2012. Upon winning the first place award on TripAdvisor for best Middle Eastern restaurant in London, the owner and CEO of Tahini’s, Omar Hamam, decided to expand his restaurant business by opening up another location. The restaurant has grown to include 6 locations across Ontario, with 4 located in London, 1 in Whitby, and 1 in Barrie.
Tahini’s specializes in Middle Eastern cuisine that is authentic and fresh, in addition to being absolutely delicious. For those of you who love chicken shawarma, this restaurant offers the best in the area! Not only does Tahini’s offer amazing chicken shawarma wraps, they also have beef and falafel options, as well as slightly non-traditional wraps such as the Butter Chicken Shawarma and the Arabian Shawarma.
For anyone looking for something besides a wrap, Tahini’s also offers options like shawarma and rice bowls, shawarma poutine, and beef kafta skewers on rice. If you’re extra hungry, consider ordering one of the platters available! Most of the platters come with rice, freshly made hummus, garlic, cabbage, pickles, and a piece of warm pita bread. Meat options vary for the platters and include chicken or beef shawarma, beef kafta skewers, and chicken kabab. They even have a vegetarian-friendly option that features homemade falafels and fattoush salad, which is a salad made with fried pieces of pita bread, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
Tahini’s claim to fame is said to be their creamy and delicious garlic sauce, but anyone who has had the pleasure of dining here will tell you that everything this restaurant has to offer is superb and can’t be beat!
So, next time you find yourself in Whitby with a grumbling stomach, be sure to stop by one of these fantastic restaurants to grab a bite to eat! Whether you’re looking for quick service without compromising the quality of your food, or are looking for a more intimate setting, the restaurants on this list are the best in Whitby that we have found and will be sure to delight your taste buds and keep you coming back for more.
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