Recent social media posts
2026-05-17
We go hiking to forage. For the menu. It’s tiring work. Fun and relaxation are seldom found when we spend a day off together 😌
2026-05-05
We’ve been open for 14 years now! We’ve weathered being celebrated by this list, being left behind by it, being slap dab in the middle of it twice in a row now! and gosh are we ever proud of it all. Of our team and our purveyors and of every day we turn the lights on.
Thank you for the recognition. Thank you for giving us an excuse to celebrate ourselves!! We rejoice in the opportunity to still be a part of this food scene, and are honored to be sitting alongside some of our favorite cooks, who inspire us and remind us there is as much joy in nourishing ourselves as there is in feeding others.
Go out to dinner tonight!! And thank whoever is cooking for you 🫶
2026-04-11
Greenhouse greens greens greens greens greens
~Pickled Erie pickerel with river mint, over watercress and arugula
~Parsnip and spinach blanquette
~Swiss chard pavé with ramp, pumpkin seed, coriander seed paste
~Juniper grilled kale, sunchoke and pork belly skewer
All from Nathan .. trust your farmer! All through the year!
2026-04-04
Aspiring and established cooks of Toronto.. we have an open kitchen position!!
We’re a small restaurant that is driven by our farmers and the joy of expressing ourselves through cooking Ontario’s land and seasons. We are not focused on perfection, the quality of our food and our lives is defined by our values that have deepened over 14 years. Our work is built on honesty and intentionality, and we are constantly growing through our guests, our purveyors, and our own openness. We don’t think of ourselves as fine dining, but we believe in how loving fine gestures can be. Our ingredients’ fine flavours and colours and aromas shape our days, and we embrace them humbly with constant creativity and joy.
We work a 4 day week in a house filled with hard working reliable good people. If you’re interested in joining us, please write to [email protected] with a resume and a cover letter letting us know why this is the right restaurant for you.
2026-03-26
Fruits and flowers of March 🌱😌
We’ve been so excited and humbled by Newfoundland’s sea urchins, by the freshness of greenhouse greens, the aromas of our preserves, and by the first forages, under melted snow and in cold streams
2026-03-18
We’re looking for someone for the spring and summer!
Email us if you’re interested.
2026-03-12
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD MENU!
Three courses
$60 pp
A condensed version of our full menu with the intention of having you in for a simpler more casual meal.
When we opened 14 years ago, the idea was to be a neighbourhood spot that served a three course menu. We have of course, grown since then, but our philosophy has never changed.
Reservations for the Neighbourhood Menu are available on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
If you’d like to do the Neighbourhood Menu on a Friday or Saturday, just give us a call.
2026-03-02
After some sweet time with potato brioche and a warm couple months with rye bread, Jiao’s Manitoba Einkorn sourdough is back.
Baked daily for our neighborhood and full menu starting this Thursday 😌
We always source this heritage wheat (and an overabundance of tasty treats) from our trusty friends
2026-02-05
4 months ago, Nathan from harvested his beets to store in the root cellar, and every Saturday he sells them at next to his sweet spinach and bitter dandelion greens.
1 year ago Justin associated beets and magnolia, and that winter I opened the tree’s buds to taste the green hibernating petals. Clovey! Peppery! Bitter!
130 years ago Henri Rousseau painted a portrait of a woman in a bright red dress engulfed in greens. I saw it in Philadelphia. A month ago I caught a similar image in ’s film, and then my friend lent me the cookbook, which has the most beautiful beet recipe.
This dish took shape, inspired by all these images and flavours and ideas, sitting on a plate by .haneu that captures all its depth and delicacy, and every day our bubble of joy learns more about the cooking and juicing and smoking and drying and LOVING of the beet, and every night pairs it with a bold Shiraz by , as if it was a juicy steak.
And it takes time for a dish to marinate! And it takes a community to cook it!!
2026-01-23
Ontario! Hazelnuts!! An appreciation post for our friends Amanda and Andy, who’ve proudly run their family farm in the Niagara region for over 10 years! These nutritious gems have been a deep, decadent, chocolatey pillar for our winter menus ever since we first tried them.
Right now they’re baked into a dacquoise meringue in this layer cake extravaganza with preserved quince, rose and honey! Come try it over the next week before it’s gone, or wait to find the hazelnuts elsewhere on the menu after that. At all times. Because we truly can’t get enough.
If you crave them in your own kitchen, you can also reach out to Amanda via [email protected]! Happy cooking!!
2026-01-02
This year we’ve welcomed amazing new members to our team, rebuilt the backyard for the 76th time, said goodbye to our captain John and our koji master Adam, while Jiao opened a bakery by herself (and then came back to us!!). We worked with truly amazing farmers, usual suspects and new faces, and welcomed so many of you for the first time. All these things have impacted this building we call home and helped us deepen the way we cook for and serve you. Thank you!!! We can’t wait to show you all the colours and perfumes and comforts and ideas we’re cooking up for 2026!
To our guests, our purveyors, our team, we wish you the very best in the new year 🫶 see you again, starting January 7th
2025-12-24
Happy faces! Happy food! Happy holidays!
Moments filled with love and joy from our last week of service for 2025!
2025-12-09
Our last service of 2025 will be on December 20th.
Reservations are going fast but feel free to give us a call and we will try to squeeze in as many of you as we can, or keep an eye on the Dinr app as we will be posting last minute reservations there.
2025-11-26
First bites are a really special moment. It’s this almost philosophical moment where there’s an energy, an anticipation of what’s to come. A moment where someone’s eyes might open wide in surprise and delight. The beginning of something.
This has been the first bite on our bread course for a few weeks now. We’ll be sad to see it go, but the best part is that there will always be another first bite.
~Gooseberry & Juniper Sour Onions~
~Roasted Beets~
~Pickled Swordfish~
2025-11-18
Cooking seasonally means more to us than simply using seasonal ingredients. Of course, sourcing organic, local foods is a big part of our menu development. However, for us it also means cooking for the weather. Cooking for what we crave and what we need. When it starts to get colder and darker earlier each day, we yearn for comfort. Rich, hearty foods that will nourish us for the winter months to come. That’s what we love about living in a place that has four distinct seasons, you get to crave things to come, you get to miss things that have gone, knowing that next year, they’ll come back.
~Aged Duck Breast~
~Roasted Root Vegetable Tart~
~Kitten Spinach~
~Fried Lichen~
2025-10-12
Another amazing summer!
2025-08-25
We will be closed for the next two weeks for our annual summer break!
While we’re away, please go to a farmers market and buy some fruit!!
We’ll be back on September 10th, see you then.
2025-08-04
Miguel got a new camera!
July was a blur, but also a blast.
A classic blur/blast.
2025-07-22
The Bread Course
Less is more is not our philosophy when it comes to our bread course. For us, it’s a moment where we get to fill up the table with as many dishes as will fit.
Is there anything better than a table full of food?
~Jiao’s Sourdough~
~Zucchini Spread~
~House Charcuterie~
~etc~
Address
971 Ossington Avenue
Toronto, ON
M6G3V5
To get to Ossington Avenue in Toronto, you can take the TTC bus or subway. From the north or south, take the 63 Ossington bus and get off at Ossington Avenue. From the east or west, take the Bloor-Danforth subway line to Ossington Station and exit onto Ossington Avenue.
If you prefer to drive, there is limited street parking available on Ossington Avenue and nearby side streets. Alternatively, there are paid parking lots on Queen Street West and Dundas Street West within walking distance of Ossington Avenue.
Opening Hours
| Tuesday |
6pm - 10pm |
| Thursday |
6pm - 10pm |
| Friday |
6pm - 11pm |
| Saturday |
6pm - 11pm |
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What people say
Actinolite Restaurant on Ossington Avenue in Toronto is a must-visit for anyone looking for an exceptional Canadian dining experience. The restaurant's commitment to using farm-fresh ingredients is evident in every dish, and the culinary team led by Chef/Owner Justin Cournoyer consistently delivers creative and delicious meals.
One of the standout features of Actinolite Restaurant is their Neighborhood Menu, which is only available on Wednesday and Thursday nights. This menu offers a unique dining experience that showcases the best of what the local community has to offer. And if you're looking for a cozy winter meal, Actinolite's indoor dining room provides the perfect atmosphere.
Whether you're looking for a romantic dinner or a night out with friends, Actinolite Restaurant has something to offer everyone. And with both reservation and walk-in options available, it's easy to plan your visit. So why not stop by and enjoy some delicious food and drinks at this fantastic Canadian restaurant?
