Back in the day, if you wanted to spot what was next in food, you looked to New York. Toronto always seemed to be just a step or two behind but recently that dynamic seems to have flipped. From clean lunches in NoMad to somehow didn’t already have, a few of the city’s best ideas are landing in the Big Apple. Here’s what that looks like in New York right now.
1. The Wellness Warriors
While Manhattan has no shortage of juice bars, Impact Kitchen seems to have brought something a little but different to the city: a fully gluten-free, seed-oil-free, refined-sugar-free spot that you actually want to hang out in. Founded in Corktown by Josh Broun and MAC Cosmetics co-founder Frank Toskan, Impact opened on 25th & Broadway in NoMad in 2025 and picked up momentum fast. Influencers latched onto it early, calling it one of the city’s healthier standouts, with regular mentions of the Mexican power bowls and paleo carrot cake. A second location opened in Williamsburg.
2. The Mixologist Extraordinaire
Last year, Frankie Solarik brought Toronto’s cocktail energy to midtown and Manhattan is already obsessed. BarChef New York traded Queen West for a penthouse at 21 W 35th St. The vibe is high-gloss apothecary meets a 19th-century Parisian daydream, complete with a retractable roof and front-row views of the Empire State Building. Solarik’s trademark theatrics are all here — aromatics, dry ice and that Palo Santo-infused Reposado.
3. The Street Style Icon
If you’ve had those sinfully addictive small doughnuts in the signature pink box, you already know how good COPS is. Just last year, the brand brought its high-fashion energy to 10 Morton St. in New York’s West Village. People now wait impatiently for each weekly drop, with flavours kept under wraps until release. For its New York debut, the launch included a “See You Soon” glaze and a Turon-inspired jackfruit jam, a nod to its Toronto roots that still fits neatly into its Manhattan moment.
4. The Cult of Nutbar
The Summerhill-born café is set to open in Greenwich Village in Fall 2026, bringing its lineup of collagen smoothies, mushroom lattes and grab-and-go staples to New York. Nutbar grew out of Toronto’s wellness scene where adaptogens and matcha are part of the daily rotation. There’s also a family connection behind the brand: Nutbar’s founder is the sibling of the co-founder of Othership, the Toronto bathhouse known for its sauna, cold plunge, and recovery circuit. Together, they’ve helped shape what’s come to be known as the “Toronto morning” — heat, cold, then something functional on the way out the door.
