A Michelin-recommended restaurant in Vancouver has just opened a location in Toronto, and this one is even bigger and better.
Now open at 115 Wellington Street West, Riley’s Fish & Steak brings all the glitz, glam, and high-quality bites, the Glowbal Restaurant Group is known for. The group is also behind Black + Blue, which opened in the Financial District after expanding from British Columbia.
The new chophouse serves up steak and seafood executed with flair and a side of live music. Glowbal Restaurant Group CEO Emad Yacoub says Riley’s “uniqueness” made it an ideal concept to bring to Toronto.
“The food scene everywhere has started to lose that family-style feeling — like going to your grandma’s or your parents’ place on a Sunday, where everything’s in the middle of the table and meant to be shared,” he says. “I want to bring that back. When you pair that with this style of food, it felt like the right way to launch in Toronto.”
Stepping into the massive restaurant is like stepping into a 1950s grand jazz bar. With private dining rooms, the space spans more than 7,000 square feet, with an additional 100 seats soon to be available on a patio opening in June.
A long bar anchors the centre of the room, while velvet chairs and table lamps give each table a warm, intimate feel. Subtle touches of luxury are everywhere — including a wine cooler with a price tag north of $100,000.
Taking centre stage is a dedicated performance area, where a rotating lineup of local musicians plays alongside dinner from Tuesday to Saturday evenings. Yacoub says the goal is to soon have a set schedule, so diners know exactly when their favourite artists are performing.
The entire space, Yacoub says, is intentional — designed to feel “timeless” and to stick around like the kind of longstanding, institutional restaurants you find across the U.S.
“I really hate restaurants that have very new designs that, two years from now, is no longer approachable, and I hate that very old design that gives you a dark room that’s not fresh,” he says. “So, when we design our restaurant, we try to keep that combination of both — the old and the new coming together.”
Such a large space allows for a broader, more elevated menu than its West Coast counterpart. With a focus on Canadian sourcing, the menu boasts shareable mains like Atlantic lobster pot pie, seafood pastas and Canadian prime steaks, alongside both hot and cold seafood towers. A whole roasted chicken stuffed with foie gras and breadcrumbs is a standout — but go early, as only a limited number are available each night.
“Coming to Toronto, the kitchen is huge, so we’re finally able to do everything I’ve been wanting to do in Vancouver but couldn’t,” Yacoub says. “We’re also adding more tableside elements — the space and direction really allow for it.”
On the drinks side, classic cocktails sit alongside some fresh takes, while the wine program features around 30 options by the glass and more than 500 labels overall.
“We’re trying to highlight smaller, boutique wineries from the Okanagan and Niagara, alongside some of the bigger names,” he says. “Everything is meant to work together — you might come in for a cocktail, then stay for a glass of wine. That’s what the whole concept is about.”
