THE TORONTO INTERNATIONAL Film Festival, a.k.a. TIFF, is descending on the city, and amongst the hot new indie releases, star-studded red carpets and lines of cinephiles snaking around downtown, we’re excited to see one thing above all else — where the celebs are eating, drinking and laying their glamorous heads. And when it comes to TIFF celebrity hotspots, Toronto certainly isn’t short on options.
With plenty of actors expected to be promoting their films in town, it’s only right that we should expect them to eat at least a few times a day (after all, even celebs need sustenance once in a while), meaning our chances of spotting a celebrity are considerably heightened. Whether celebs are dining at PAI yet again, Toronto’s Michelin restaurants, catching a jazz set at the Communist’s Daughter à la Elijah Wood or a nightcap at one of the city’s swankiest hotel bars, we’ve got our beady eyes trained on those glittery stars of the screen.
The city will be abuzz with exclusive TIFF experiences and pop-ups that make you feel like a million bucks. The best bars in the city will be rolling out signature TIFF cocktails, while the best restaurants are serving luxurious dishes and tasting menus fit for the rich and famous. But if you’re desperate to see a celeb, instead of just dining like one, these are the TIFF celebrity hotspots most likely to host them.
TIFF runs from September 10 to 20, bringing more famous faces to Toronto than you can shake an autograph book at. Ready, set, celeb.
18 TIFF celebrity hotspots to see stars in Toronto
1. Bisha Hotel Toronto
80 Blue Jays Way
Few TIFF celebrity hotspots compare to the Bisha Hotel for star sightings. From the Lenny Kravitz-designed suits to the black marble, this property is dramatic, iconic and — above all else — luxurious. A laundry list of Hollywood’s elite have either stayed here, or been hosted in Bisha’s lauded bars and restaurants, including glam lobby bar Mister C, stunning restaurant Akira Back and rooftop oasis KOST.
This year, Bisha will once again host the Deadline’s Portrait Studio from September 10–13, welcoming a steady stream of stars for exclusive portrait sessions. Throughout the festival, the hotel will also transform into The House of BISHA, making the hotel an exceptionally promising spot for a glimpse of TIFF’s biggest visitors.
2. 1 Hotel Toronto
550 Wellington St. W.
During TIFF, camp out in the elegantly earthy Flora Lounge at 1 Hotel Toronto, where The Hollywood Reporter Green Room returns from September 11–20. The vibey piano lounge pairs chef-driven light bites (no one wants to get papped with steak in their teeth after all) and Don Julio cocktails with live music on select nights, all beneath the hotel’s greenery and candlelight.
Sip and snack on sustainable offerings made with ingredients from the hotel’s own garden pavilion while you listen to live music. Better yet, The Hollywood Reporter TIFF Studio will call the hotel home, from September 10–14, bringing some of the festival’s most star-spangled names through the doors for exclusive portraits and interviews — making it a great place to spy celebrities sneaking in and out.
3. Campari Cinema Center
624 King St. W. (inside Cassius)
The Campari Cinema Center returns for TIFF, this year taking over Cassius on King as one of the festival’s busiest hospitality hubs. By day, the space will host Collider’s press junket; by night, it’ll transform into a home base for celebrity receptions and star-studded after-parties tied to some of the festival’s biggest premieres. Even if you can’t snag an invite, keep an eye on the red carpet outside — or cross your fingers for a glimpse of a famous face slipping in for a post-premiere negroni.
4. Nobu
25 Mercer St.
At a spot as glitzy as Nobu, the star power is dialled up high, even outside the TIFF festivities. Already one of downtown’s buzziest TIFF celebrity hotspots, the global restaurant, famed for its black cod with miso, sits right in the thick of the festival action on Mercer Street in downtown Toronto, providing exactly the kind of see-and-be-seen energy A-listers gravitate towards. And now, with the 36-room Nobu Hotel open above it, complete with a private, key-card-access lobby, celebs can dine, drink and lay their glamorous heads post-premiere all under one roof.
Downstairs, Nobu Restaurant Toronto will host a number of film studio buyouts and premiere parties, while the bar is serving a TIFF-ready Red Carpet cocktail made with hojicha-infused Roku Gin, dry curaçao, cherry and lime. Past Nobu sightings have included Selena Gomez, Zoe Saldaña, Jacob Elordi, Pharrell Williams and Martha Stewart — so we’d fancy your chances of spotting a familiar face.
5. Minami
225 King St. W. Suite 100
Minami is back as an Official TIFF Hospitality Partner this year, serving a festival-ready lineup of Japanese dishes and cinematic cocktails just steps from the action. Expect suitably luxe plates like Wagyu X Tartare with black truffle and caviar, alongside silver-screen-inspired drinks including the Redbreast Whiskey-spiked Reel It In and The Sequel.
Minami is back as an Official TIFF Hospitality Partner this year, serving a festival-ready lineup of Japanese dishes and cinematic cocktails just steps from the action. Expect suitably luxe plates like Wagyu X Tartare with black truffle and caviar, alongside silver-screen-inspired drinks including the Redbreast Whiskey-spiked Reel It In and The Sequel.
6. One Restaurant
116 Yorkville Ave.
For one of the best chances to bump into a celeb, head to ONE Restaurant inside Yorkville’s Hazelton Hotel. One of Yorkville’s most reliable TIFF celebrity hotspots, the Forbes Five-Star hotel is a magnet for stars slipping in for discreet lunches, meetings and nightcaps. On sunny days, the tree-lined patio is prime people-watching territory — past sightings include Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Robert De Niro and Emily Blunt.
While you’re there, channel the A-list with The Macallan Bar Cart, available daily in the dining room and bar lounge, where rare whisky pours and cocktails are prepared tableside.
7. Sotto Sotto
120 Avenue Rd.
If a restaurant has a special “Drake” table, it’s a pretty safe bet that it’s a celebrity hotspot. This Yorkville trattoria has long been one of Toronto’s most dependable TIFF celebrity hotspots, flooded with star-studded guests when festival season rolls around. A-listers like Brad Pitt, Oprah, Ricky Gervais, Liam Neeson and Jennifer Garner have been spotted here. Even if you don’t snag a reservation during the festival, chances are you’ll spot a movie star popping in for a bowl of fresh pasta, Italian cured meats, striploins and more.
8. PAI
18 Duncan St.
Simu Liu, Shawn Mendes and Elijah Wood are just a few of the celebs who’ve dropped by PAI while in Toronto, helping cement its reputation as one of the city’s more unexpected TIFF celebrity hotspots. A scroll through the Thai hotspot’s Instagram feed reveals plenty of celeb cameos, from Hollywood actors to international athletes in town — there’s even a photo wall documenting its star-studded fanbase. It’s easy to see why: The Michelin-recommended restaurant is beloved for its bold Northern Thai flavours and lively atmosphere. Plus, its prime location on Duncan Street makes it the perfect pre-premiere stop before hitting the red carpets along King Street during TIFF.
9. Vinny Restaurant & Vinyl Bar
461 King St. W.
Vinny is in the perfect location to attract big celebrities for a drink after a premiere. If you pop in for a meal or a drink, you might just rub shoulders with a star — Andrew Garfield, Dakota Johnson, Jude Law and Paul Rudd have all been spotted here. The listening lounge is crammed with vintage speakers, vinyl records and plush booths that are perfect for cozying up with a cocktail while you people-watch. For TIFF, order the aptly cinematic Life’s a Peach, a cocktail inspired by the movie-theatre favourite snack Fuzzy Peaches.
10. W Toronto
90 Bloor St. E.
Perched right at the edge of Yorkville, the W Toronto hotel is rolling out the red carpet for TIFF with a lineup of cinematic food and drink experiences — and, as one of the neighbourhood’s buzziest hotels, it’s a prime place to keep your eyes peeled for visiting talent. Above the city at TONO by Akira Back, you can indulge in a four-course Nikkei tasting menu featuring wagyu tartare, Canadian lobster and charcoal-grilled beef tenderloin.
But for true A-list decadence, order the $500 “Opening Scene” cocktail — a mix of 25th Anniversary Clase Azul, calvados and jasmine oolong served in a handcrafted treasure chest alongside black caviar. Downstairs in the Living Room, drop by Sept 8–20 for mini martini flights, rosé and oyster pairings, and a movie-inspired cocktail collection fit for post-screening debriefs.
11. Powder Room
130 Bloor St. W.
A lounge that has already brought in the likes of Nick Jonas, Leon Thomas and Niall Horan might be the place to spot a leading star. For TIFF, this hidden Yorkville bar is hosting the official Opening Night Party and VIP Afterparty, complete with a few movie-themed items on the menu. Try out the Rotten Tomatoes — a drink made with Ketel One vodka, muddled tomatoes, 15-year-old white balsamic vinegar, shiso and cracked black pepper — and pair it with an order of Red Carpet Tater Tots, which come tossed in Flamin’ Hot Cheetos powder and topped with crème fraîche and caviar.
12. Lai Wah Heen
108 Chestnut St.
If you have $8,888 burning a hole in your pocket, Lai Wah Heen has designed the ultimate exercise in film festival excess — just the kind of extravagant feast we can see appealing to a deep-pocketed A-lister.
Executive chef Heyden Sin’s five-course menu, The Treasure of Fortune, opens with an absurd 500-gram tin of caviar before bringing out a whole deboned goose shaped like a bottle gourd. It’s carved tableside, with fresh truffle shaved over top. If your expense account hasn’t already burst into flames, tack on a rare bottle of 1989 Château Margaux for another $3,888 — though the kitchen only snagged two for the entire festival run. Book three days ahead between Sept 10–20, and maybe warn your accountant first.
13. St. Regis Toronto
325 Bay St.
Between its opulent gold-gilded Louix Louis bar, charming Astor Lounge in the lobby and luxe spa, the St. Regis Toronto is already an extravagant spot that caters to the rich and famous. (Just stand outside and watch what kind of cars pull up to the valet if you don’t believe us.) Continuing its partnership with TIFF for another year, the hotel and celebrity hotspot is pulling out all the stops for festival season.
The lobby has been transformed into an ode to cinematic glamour, with curated photo moments available from September 10–21 and complimentary Moët Hennessy cocktail tastings on September 10–12, 15 and 16, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. If you’re willing to blow a few bucks, you can elevate your experience with a Champagne Sabrage Ritual with Caviar ($300 for two) or TIFF-inspired Afternoon Tea ($98 per person) with refined bites like Egg & Caviar, King Crab on house-made tea bread, the whimsical Popcorn Box and their signature King’s Cake.
Upstairs at Louix Louis, the famously tall cake slice gets a TIFF makeover with 13 layers of Classic Red Velvet Cake, finished with silky vanilla buttercream. Dinner specials that play into the extravagance of cinema and a limited-time cocktail that pairs The Macallan M Black with Damblat Armagnac for an eye-wincing $2,000 are sure to draw some celebs, too.
14. Café Boulud
60 Yorkville Ave.
Four Seasons’ slick Yorkville brasserie is already one of the neighbourhood’s most polished TIFF celebrity hotspots, with festival fans and industry types descending on the neighbourhood each September.
This year, it’s giving its five-course tasting menu a starry upgrade for festival season. Running Wednesday through Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m., executive chef William Kresky’s TIFF Edition menu leads with a decadent caviar course before bringing out Japanese A5 Wagyu as the main event. At $225 per person, it’s a surprisingly accessible way to feast like A-list royalty in the heart of Yorkville while the red carpets roll out. Grab a table before the dinner rush hits.
15. Shangri-La Toronto and Mott 32
188 University Ave.
Just a short stroll from TIFF Lightbox, Shangri-La has long been one of downtown’s most reliable TIFF celebrity hotspots, where it pays to keep one eye on your cocktail and the other on the lobby and its inhabitants during festival season.
This year, Shangri-La Toronto is leaning hard into film festival season across the entire property. In the Lobby Lounge, you can book a TIFF Afternoon Tea featuring movie-inspired bites like the Popcorn-ette and Movie Play Tartare alongside sips from tea sommelier-selected blends.
Meanwhile, inside Mott 32 Toronto on the main floor, the kitchen is teaming up with Rémy Martin for a lineup of film-inspired cognac cocktails. If you’re looking for a quick bite before a late screening, Mott 32’s hosting a daily Golden Hour from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. with its own separate menu just for the festival.
16. Fairmont Royal York
100 Front St. W.
Give yourself the star treatment and walk a gold-accented red carpet before you even step inside Fairmont Royal York this festival season. The iconic hotel is no stranger to glamorous guests, and as TIFF prepares to take over downtown, it becomes another of the city’s TIFF celebrity hotspots worth keeping on your radar.
Inside at REIGN, the kitchen is serving a four-course tasting menu from Sept. 10–20. If you’re looking for an over-the-top main dish, they have The Director’s Cut — a surf-and-turf plate pairing Australian Wagyu with butter-poached Nova Scotia lobster claw, potato pavé and sauce Américaine.
17. Chotto Matte Toronto
161 Bay St.
Chotto Matte might not have the same star-power as some of Yorkville’s trendy hotel bars, but the high-energy dining room and vibey decor make this downtown restaurant a prime spot for attracting a post-premiere crowd. If you’re looking for star treatment on a budget, this hotspot is running a Golden Ticket Steak & Sushi Experience until September 20. For $70 per person, you get an eight-dish feast pairing premium steak with signature sushi rolls, plus a complimentary glass of wine to wash it all down. Better yet, book between Sept 10–20 from 5 p.m. onward and you’ll automatically be entered to win a free meal. Free high-end sushi during TIFF? We’ll take those odds.
18. Park Hyatt Toronto
4 Avenue Rd.
A longtime TIFF fixture, Park Hyatt Toronto remains one of Yorkville’s classic TIFF celebrity hotspots, with so much happening throughout the festival. Joni and rooftop favourite Writers Room will pour TIFF-themed cocktails, while Stillwater Spa is offering express treatments for a quick between-premieres refresh. At Joni, live music inspired by the glamour of cinema’s golden age will add a little old-Hollywood sparkle to festival season.
