Award-winning

R&D Restaurant - Toronto

Name: R&D Restaurant - Toronto
Address: 241 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5T 2E2
Telephone: (416) 586-1241
Price range: CAN$31 to CAN$50
Rating: 4.6

4.6

1314 Reviews

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Contemporary Asian

Top tags:

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.

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Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sept 22, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 21 times today

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
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
Neighbourhood
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 need 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.

Popular dishes

CSB
char siu, housemade milk bun
- 2 Pcs$14.00
Grandpa's Fun Guo
chicken, truffle, bamboo
- 3 Pcs$14.00
French Onion Spring Roll
beef short rib, caramelized onions, emmental mornay
- 3 Pcs$14.00
Hokkaido Scallop Siu Mai
chili, sesame, gochujang, maggi
- 4 Pcs$16.00
Kalbi Beef Bao
beef short rib, kimchi, kewpie
- 2 Pcs$14.00
Foie Gras Sou
foie gras parfait, hazelnut, sour cherry, maple
- 2 Pcs$14.00

Choi

Vegetables

Honeynut Squash$16.00
japanese curry, pumpkin seed crumb, maple syrup
Kale Salad$16.00
preserved soybean dressing, pine nuts, poached pear, croutons
Brussels Sprouts$16.00
deep-fried, chili glaze, wild rice
Charred Broccolini Gomae$16.00
peanut dressing, spiced nuts, roasted garlic

Siu

Small

King Salmon Sashimi$23.00
juniper-cured, citrus foam, pickled jalapeños, thai basil, crème fraîche
Beef Tartare$21.00
lemongrass, galangal, sambal, coconut, rice chip
Mapo Tofu$16.00
fermented chili, silken tofu, szechuan spiced crispy tofu
Shrimp Toast$20.00
preserved lemon emulsion, brioche, brûlée lemon, chives
Popcorn Shrimp$18.00
prawn-crusted nobashi shrimp, laksa mayo
Lamb Spiducci$20.00
satay sauce, candied peanuts, aïoli
Fried Chicken$25.00
chili crisp, osprey bluffs honey, 16-spice blend

Dai

Large

R&D Fried Rice$29.00
mushroom xo, porcini butter, maitake, olive leaf, singapore crunch
Chili Crab Tonnarelli$38.00
dungeness crab, lobster, tomato, parmesan
Halibut$44.00
tom yum, wild mushrooms, red spinach, lime leaf
Ibérico Char Siu$45.00
ginger scallion, wildflower honey, jus
@wok_lobster$75.00
lobster dashi, charred corn, vermicelli, poached tail
Wagyu Beef$120.00
a5 japanese wagyu strip loin, potato pavé, black pepper bordelaise, shallots
Best Duck In the City$110.00
whole roasted pekin duck, roasted garlic hoisin, cucumber, leeks, steamed baos

Tim Ban

Dessert

Sticky Toffee Pudding$15.00
palm sugar toffee, medjool dates, caramelized apples, calvados cinnamon ice cream
Lava Cake$15.00
valrhona dark chocolate, tonka bean ganache, toasted brown rice ice cream (baked to order, please allow 15 minutes)
Sweet Corn Panna Cotta$15.00
ontario corn, corn flakes, wild blueberries
Ice Cream$5.00
two scoops of black sesame, mango, ginger, red bean, vanilla or matcha

What 1,314 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
4.5Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Toronto / Ontario
Innovative
Toronto
Innovative

1,314 Reviews

U
Ureak
London
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on September 14, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience3
Fine food. Nice service. Too much loud, but like everywhere now.
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S
Stella
Toronto
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on September 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing food and service. Always love to come back!
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c
chloet
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on September 6, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience2
The r&d fried rice and char sui milk buns were the best… the char sui large dish and sui mai not great. Prawn toast was good
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c
carl
Toronto
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent restaurant. Wonderful, friendly and professional service. Incredible food. Really nice vibe. We absolutely loved the food. Will be returning for the best duck in the city!
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MG
MitchellG
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Everything we ate on the menu was incredible. The flavours were unique and wonderful.
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D
Dani
Toronto
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall2food3service3ambience2
Vibe was off compared to other restaurants of the same “caliber” in Toronto. High price point for food, some dishes were good some just OK. We had a 8:45 PM seating on a Saturday night and we felt rushed to leave at 10:15 PM. For a group of 4, ordering food and cocktails, that’s not how you want to feel. Having just dined at Mimi Chinese - R&D fell very short.
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L
Laurie
Chicago
26 reviews
vip
5.0
26 reviews
Dined on September 2, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This is such a fun restaurant! The food is so interesting and delicious. Our server was delightful. It s a special place.
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K
Kody
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 2, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Came to celebrate my anniversary dinner. The entire night had a very warm and friendly vibe. Very positive experience with the food and environment. Ordered 5 dishes and no crumbs left, all were delicious. Enjoyed the company of Chef Tyler watching him cook and explaining the dishes. Definitely recommending and coming back!
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RR
RonR
Vancouver
10 reviews
vip
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on August 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food experience - very eclectic, but tasty with reasonable portions
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S
Strummer
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic fusion cuisine - would highly recommend the green beans, Dan Dan noodles and Iberico Char Siu!
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J
Jayjay
Toronto
5 reviews
vip
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on August 26, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
For those that want an approachable version of Chinese food
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CT
CharT
Toronto
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on August 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
My parents are in town from overseas and I took them here for dinner and they really enjoyed it!
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JP
JadeP
Montreal
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Second time here. Great experience. The foie was slapping. Will be back 100%!
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D
Docbells
Vancouver
41 reviews
vip
5.0
41 reviews
Dined on August 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great service - amazing food - their Peking Duck was really one of the best we have ever had. Delicious drinks from the bartender, Dylan, who could not have been more accommodating.
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SB
SofiaB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 19, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience4
Our best dining experience in Toronto yet. The food has unexpected and delicious flavors that create an out-of-body experience.
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ST
StephTravels
Toronto
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on August 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had another great dinner with excellent service, great chats with the whole team and amazing food! They take such care to make sure that ever guest has a special experience and managed my allergies so well with so much care and attention. We had the duck this time and it is the best we've ever had! 12/10!
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L
jLau8715
Toronto
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We LOVE R&D! The modern take on Peking Duck has truly spoiled me for choice. Our cocktails were perfect, balanced and paired well with the food. The Kalbi beef baos were a true surprise, as I rarely eat kimchi...but the kewpie mayo balanced the heat making it easy to eat.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Toronto
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on August 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great from start to finish Ian and Staff are terrific Many Thanks for an outstanding meal and evening an
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FF
FoodieFamily
Toronto
5 reviews
vip
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on August 18, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience4
Props to Ray, our server, for attentive and great service!
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J
Jackie
Edinburgh
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent cocktails. Food came at a good pace and was just sublime both in presentation and taste.
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T
Travis
Toronto
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was fresh and delicious. The pace at which the food comes out is very methodical and makes the experience very enjoyable.
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SH
StevenH
New York Area
20 reviews
vip
3.0
20 reviews
Dined on August 12, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience3
Unfortunately, the quality of the meal wasn't as good as it was in the past with the flagship duck lagging in taste this evening. The group however did enjoy the other dishes such as the RD Fried Rice, which the group thought was the highlight of the meal. Staff was overwhelmed, so service was behind pace with dirty plates on table crowding out new dishes.
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T
Traveller
Toronto
22 reviews
5.0
22 reviews
Dined on August 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Counter is interesting to watch and good presentation lovely.
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TF
TigF
Toronto
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Been wanting to come here since pre-pandemic. Well worth the wait because I can’t remember the last time I was this impressed with a menu! Everything we ordered was very good (Kalbi Beef Baos, Spiducci Lamb), to exceptional (French Onion Spring Rolls, Bang Bang Cauliflower, Dandan Mian). We don’t usually do desserts but everything was so good that we felt we would be remiss in not trying so we had the Kalamnsi Tart and the Ube Panna Cotta which were both delicately flavoured in their own way and excellent.
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TN
TracyN
Toronto
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Visited R&D restaurant and was pleasantly surprised by the food quality. Ordered various dishes before a concert, and they mostly lived up to expectations. The pork and crab shiu mai were interesting to try, but at $18, they felt overpriced for the portion. The beef bao, on the other hand, had flavorful beef and well-balanced sauce, but the Bao's texture disappointed – lacking the desired fluffiness and being somewhat chewy. A highlight was the R&D rice, a true gem. Steamed and dried for 2 days, it offered a lightness that traditional rice dishes often lack. The harmonious blend of ingredients elevated the dish to perfection. Our server and service was 10/10, I believe his name is Dylan. Overall, R&D restaurant's food exceeded expectations, particularly the standout R&D rice – a definite must-try. Will be back to try the duck!
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CG
ChrisG
Seattle
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
All three appetizers we tried (CSB, French onion spring rolls, Kalbi beef bao) were incredible. Entrees were great also, but honestly the appetizers were in a different league.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Toronto
25 reviews
vip
5.0
25 reviews
Dined on August 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Delicious food. We had the beef buns, popcorn shrimp and fried rice. I had their Mai Thai and was awesome.
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KS
KarlS
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on August 6, 2023
overall2food3service2ambience4
Two of the the three things I ordered were very good but beans were not very good. Would have been nice for wait staff to tell me that things would come out at same time which meant by the time I finished dinner it was cold. Cost was high and experience was low.
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CB
CharlotteB
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on July 24, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Summerlicious 2023 line up was ok. The food didn't look exactly like the photos marketed. Food was ok in terms of taste. What I liked was we were able to take the mains home because they give you a lot!
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JB
JasonB
Atlantic Canada
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 23, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
Beautiful venue, tasty and intriguing food. We were so lucky to meet chef Eric when we went
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SM
ScoM
Denver
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on July 23, 2023
overall4food3service5ambience4
The start of the meal fantastic. Pork and crab siu mai super flavorful and well thought out combination. We had a roll super crispy and not at all greasy. Filled with caramelized onion cheese and brisket, a take off of French onion soup flavor. Again fantastic and if that’s all we ordered it would be a 5 star review. We ordered 3 vegetable dishes: cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and long beans. All 3 separate vegetable dishes had an un proportionate amount of sauce. All were over cooked . All could have been 5 star dishes, if they weren’t over sauced and overcooked. The final dish a fried rice was an amazing diversity of ingredients and flavors. A great dish except super oily. How unfortunate. Over all a great restaurant and a wonderful experience. We will be back and hope the strong hand on the ladle and the off timing on the vegetables was an anomaly.
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MM
MitchM
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Took my friend here for his birthday dinner. We got the Peking Duck which was incredible but the star of the show was Wok Lobster. I have celiac disease and they were accommodating to my gluten free requests.
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DB
DerekB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This restaurant is phenomenal. The food is incredible, the service is fast and the servers are great. Expensive, but well worth the price.
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M
Monica
Toronto
2 reviews
vip
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 19, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
R&D was alright. The food was disappointing if I'm honest. I have had friends rave about the food but when we went there our dishes were cold and truthfully not that tasty. Not sure if the kitchen is inconsistent depending on who is working? Service was good, drinks were okay and overpriced. Not bad but not great.
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G
Geoff
Toronto
5 reviews
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 16, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
Overall the experience was pretty good, however as an Asian customer the food was way too salty when compared to traditional Chinese food. Would come back and try other selections but will definitely request it to be lighter on the salt side.
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CW
ClaytonW
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Incredible food, celebrated an anniversary and received complimentary Prosecco, overall it was a great time. Highly recommend to anyone who wants to go
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P
Peter
New York Area
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on July 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We've been here twice. The food was amazing both visits!!
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WC
WayneC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Had a super pleasant experience trying the summerlicous menu. Eric was super courteous and explained the dishes to us when he has the team. Kitchen staff were well organized, food were served very timely. Dishes were super unique, amazing flavours and texture in every bite. Would come again.
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DB
DeannaB
Toronto
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great first time! Already planning to go back with friends to be able to order more food to try.
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L
Lindsay
Toronto
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fabulous service, even better food! Highly recommend for elevated Chinese cuisine.
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitising
- Surfaces sanitised between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitised menu provided
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitiser or wipes provided for customers
- Contactless payment available

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
- Staff temperature check required

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from R&D Restaurant - Toronto using the Order Online button.

R&D Restaurant - Toronto is rated 4.6 stars by 1314 OpenTable diners.

R&D Restaurant - Toronto does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.