Most expensive Restaurants in Canada

The most expensive restaurants in Toronto are places that specialize in luxe ingredients and engaging techniques. In my mind, these are places reserved for major celebrations, high-rollers, expense account holders, dinners where mom, dad or an unsuspecting first date picks up the tab.

While you'll find a few steakhouses on the list, we didn't want them to dominate, so allow us to give honourable mentions to Joso's, Harbour Sixty Steakhouse, Michael's on Simcoe, Mistura, Splendido, Woods, Buca.

Here is a round-up of the most expensive restaurants in Toronto. On a side note, I've hardly touched on how alcohol can send the tab off the rails, as my principle criteria was the cost of mains.

Cooking for 30+ years, the kitchen at this Japanese restaurant is staffed solely by chef and owner, Masaki Hashimoto. The dinner menu, a flat $300 (not including drinks) features an eight course omakase menu with complimentary tea ceremony to finish.

This highly regarded King West steakhouse is home to seafood towers ($58), duck fat frites ($12) and most notably, charbroiled slabs of meat that range from a modest 6oz tenderloin ($39) to an ungodly 16oz Black Tajima ribeye priced at $328. As if that's not rich enough, there is always the option to add an Atlantic lobster tail for $30.

Showcasing domestic products wherever possible, the menu at Oliver & Bonacini's flagship restaurant features starters like bison carpaccio ($24) and pan seared Quebec foie gras ($28). Follow that with main courses like mackerel with lobster or braised Alberta lamb ranging in price from $32 to $47.

This upmarket Avenue Road restaurant with a stunning view of the city specializes in luxe ingredients that elevate rustic cuisine. First courses like the foie gras terrine are priced at almost $30, while handmade pasta goes for $37 thanks to truffled porcini sauce and fresh truffle shavings.

Housed in the Four Seasons Hotel, this restaurant from celebrated chef Daniel Boulud does seasonal haute cuisine driven by French technique. Ultra rich plates like seared foie gras with medjool dates are listed under apps for $28 while the steak au poivre tops the priciest of the a la carte mains at $46.

This recently opened restaurant makes it possible to drop $38 on a vegetable dish; parsnips and foie gras anyone? Mains like lobster carbonara ($46) or wild bass ($42) are at the top end of the price scale but the cocktails priced between $14 to $18 can also easily do damage to your pocketbook.

This legendary steakhouse on Elm Street champions gastronomical hedonism with a menu featuring pricey top cuts of meats and seafoods. A 12oz filet mignon wrapped in bacon sells for $60.50 - start that off with a jumbo shrimp cocktail for $24.75 and order a couple drinks and the final tab quickly gets into triple digits per diner.

It's easy to rack up an exorbitant tab at this Avenue Road trattoria, especially when following the typical Italian multi-course progression. Shared antipasti hover around the $20 mark, but add to that a similarly priced pasta course, seafood or meat mains ($35-$45) and a $14 dessert, and you're looking at a real chunk of change.

This third-floor Momofuku restaurant does 10-course tasting menus for $150, add-on wine pairings for $80 more. While the flat fee means the final tab will be predictable, what you'll get is always unexpected. Menus change frequently but are known to begin with a number of amuse bouche followed by a parade of inventive plates featuring luxe seafoods like Sea Urchin and scallops and rare and interesting meats like lamb belly or elk.