Award-winning

R&D Restaurant - Toronto

4.6

1589 Reviews

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Contemporary Asian

Make a reservation

2 people

Feb 26, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 11 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for groups
Innovative
Great for creative cocktails

R&D is an urban casual restaurant in the heart of Toronto’s iconic Chinatown, headed by first-ever MasterChef Canada winner Eric Chong and his mentor, Michelin-starred restaurant owner Alvin Leung. The stylish interior reflects R&D's dualistic nature: open & abuzz with energy while preserving an intimate atmosphere.

At R&D, eastern dishes meet western style in the form of modern Chinese sharing plates, where classic ingredients are given a vanguard treatment.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
CAN$31 to CAN$50
Cuisines
Contemporary Asian, Asian, Tapas / Small Plates
Hours of operation
Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(416) 586-1241
Website
http://www.rdspadina.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Eric Chong
Private party facilities
With its eclectic and laid-back interior, animated Chinatown home and daring Asian fusion fare, R&D is an ideal venue for lively cocktail receptions, intimate group dinners and more.

Location
241 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2E2
Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2022
Neighborhood
Chinatown / Kensington Market
Cross street
Spadina & Grange
Parking details
Street parking available on Spadina Avenue. Public parking available on Sullivan Street.
Public transit
Accessible via the 510 Spadina streetcar. Located in front of the Sullivan Street stop.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Late Night, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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Experiences

Best Duck in the City
Multiple dates available
Savour Chef Eric Chong's famous whole-roasted Pekin Duck for $120. Featuring roasted garlic hoisin, leeks and steamed baos, you're in for a formidable feast for two (or more)! We require 24 hours' notice to prepare your duck. Please book your reservation at least one day in advance and indicate how many ducks to prepare in the reservation note. Kindly ensure that you select 'The Best Duck in the City Experience' when making or rescheduling your reservation.

Popular dishes

CSBCA$15.00
char siu, housemade milk bun / 2pcs
Spinach Dip Spring RollsCA$15.00
gruyère, pecorino romano, pickled jalapeño / 3pcs
- 3 PcsCA$14.00
Pork & Crab Siu MaiCA$18.00
dungeness crab, shrimp, red thai curry, coconut / 4pcs
- 4 PcsCA$16.00
Shrimp ToastCA$20.00
preserved lemon emulsion, milk bread, lemon, chives
Grandpa's Fun GuoCA$25.00
chicken, brown butter leeks, porcini, fresh black truffle / 3pcs
Kalbi Beef BaoCA$15.00
beef short rib, kimchi, kewpie / 2pcs
- 2 PcsCA$14.00
Foie Gras SouCA$14.00
foie gras parfait, hazelnut, sour cherry, maple / 2pcs
- 2 PcsCA$14.00

Choi

Vegetables

Baby Gem SaladCA$16.00
preserved beancurd, pine nut confit, cilantro dressing
Brussels SproutsCA$16.00
deep-fried, chili glaze, wild rice
Charred BroccoliCA$16.00
'nduha xo, aged cheddar sauce, wild rice
Wok-Fried Long BeanCA$16.00
preserved black beans, lap cheong, crispy garlic
Yu Xiang EggplantCA$16.00
chili crisp, chipotle, ramps

Siu

Small

Vietnamese Beef CarpaccioCA$22.00
nuóc châm, crispy garlic, thai basil
Salmon SashimiCA$24.00
heirloom tomato, yuzu kosho, smoked kalamata olive
Popcorn ShrimpCA$19.00
prawn-crusted nobashi shrimp, crustacean emulsion
Lamb SpiducciCA$18.00
gochujang, wasabi peas, korean furikake
Crispy SquidCA$24.00
typhoon shelter crumb, leek butter, thai chili

Dai

Large

Fried ChickenCA$29.00
mandarin gastrique, 16-spice blend, togarashi chili
R&D Fried RiceCA$33.00
mushroom xo, porcini butter, maitake, olive leaf, singapore crunch
CavatelliCA$34.00
mala spices, oyster mushrooms, doubanjiang, dry-aged pork
Lamb Chow MeinCA$36.00
xinjiang style, fresh tagliatelle, lamb jus
Ibérico Char SiuCA$46.00
roasted pluma, scallion, wildflower honey, natural jus
Chicken Fried SkateCA$37.00
chili & ramp rémoulade, cured egg yolk, housemade preserves
@wok_lobsterCA$75.00
lobster dashi, caramelized carrot purée, vermicelli, poached tail
Wagyu BeefCA$120.00
a5 japanese wagyu strip loin, ponzu borderlaise, pomme purée, pearl onion
Best Duck In the CityCA$120.00
whole roasted pekin duck, roasted garlic hoisin, cucumber, leeks, steamed baos

Tim Ban

Dessert

Sticky Toffee PuddingCA$16.00
palm sugar toffee, medjool dates, caramelized apples, calvados cinnamon ice cream
Calpico Panna CottaCA$16.00
raspberry & milk sorbet, skyr yoghurt, garden basil
Molten Lava CakeCA$16.00
valrhona ivoire, lau sa, raspberry
Ice CreamCA$5.00
two scoops of mango, black sesame, red bean, matcha, or ube

What 1,589 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.6Service
4.3Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

R&D Restaurant in Toronto offers a unique "blend of traditional Asian and Chinese comfort food" with standout dishes like Peking Duck, praised as "the best in the city." Guests rave about the "excellent service" and "creative twists on familiar dishes," though some found the Winterlicious menu underwhelming. Overall, an "unforgettable experience" awaits with vibrant flavors and a warm ambiance.

1,589 Reviews

N
Nick
Toronto
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely amazing, came here for my anniversary and can say 100% we were not disappointed. Staff was super friendly, food was soo flavourful! I recommend sitting at the chefs table, they make the experience more lively.
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M
Marco
Toronto
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 2
Great duck and friendly service. Good ambience but music could be better.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Toronto
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
What I liked about it was different. No weird emulsions, or tiny plates after which you drop $2000 and eat pizza on way home. Good portion size, taste and flavour is there. My favourites which felt an explosion of flavour were Foie Gras and short rib. WOW. Honestly you got the flavour just right especially on the Short rib, that rib is a star. Fried Riz was spectacular. The Pork steak. Great flavour, marinated, but I thought if we are living on the skin, make it more crispy. Texture. Dessert of Pana Cota require a refining of flavours. It was over gelatinanted, I was expecting something along a flan texture smooth and soft, overpowering sour, ice cream was a nice balance. Maybe a pineapple and coconut would work or dragon fruit. This is more creative than I could imagine and far beyond my skills. If you're reading Chef, much respect. It's a great stop.
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G
Gabriel
St. Louis
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on February 16, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 5
The food was absolutely amazing. I would return just to try different things. The service was lacking from our waiter. Definitely not what you expect from a restaurant of this quality. But fortunately the cocktails and plates saved the night and we left happy with our selection.
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S
Sophie
Toronto
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 14, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Peking duck is something special here must try! Very crispy and tender meat !!
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S
SAILEE
Washington DC
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on February 14, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
To start, The staff here is really kind and warm and very accommodating. We were late because of the snowstorm and they totally understood and still let us dine. That being said, Sadly the food did not live up to the expectations. The food in winterlicious menu was really disappointing. To start we had soup dumplings and kale salad. Dumplings were basically simple dumplings and had no soup in it. The salad had nothing standing out about it, with very less crunch in it. Second we had duck pad thai and chicken adobo. I am not sure why they would pair dry fried chicken with plain rice. It does not make sense. The overall dish was super dry and very salty. To end, we had panna cotta and fried mantou. Panna cotta was really sour/tangy and fried mantou had again nothing interesting about it. Overall the whole food experience was lower than any other simple asian restaurant selling fried rice. There are so many good restaurants on Spadina, that this one ranks really low for me. Would not recommend to anyone I know.
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B
Brenda
Toronto
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on February 13, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Food very tasty, service was very good. Would recommend for modern Asian fine dining.
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W
Wendy
Toronto
3 reviews
2.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 10, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
Was disappointed with the food we got on the winterlicious menu. Everything was bland but the 5 cheese rangoon was good. The two plating of the tagliatelle was weird, one plate had a lot of sauce but the other had none… we were looking forward to that dish the most. Service was okay, he had a bit of an attitude and gave off an uncomfortable vibe. I’m sure the regular menu is very good but I won’t come back to try it.
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A
Andy Padraig
London
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 9, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
An innovative blend of traditional Asian and Chinese comfort food.
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R
Roxanne
Vancouver
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on February 8, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Great vibe. We sat at the counter and were able to see all the action of the chefs. We went for Winterlicious and very much enjoyed our meal. When we go back we will definitely order the Peking Duck. The saw 3-4 ducks being prepared for serving when the guests arrived - it looked perfect!
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R&D Restaurant - Toronto is rated 4.6 stars by 1589 OpenTable diners.