A Guide to Eating at the Toronto Pro

Toronto Pro Preview sponsored by Allmax

A Guide to Eating at the Toronto Pro!

The Toronto Pro Show is the biggest IFBB show in Canada, and also home to the Ontario Physique Association’s Provincial Chapmpionships; which means a boatload of athletes and spectators alike descend (or ascend) onto the city to watch some of the best athletes compete. As you know if you’re a fan of the sport, where there are bodybuilders, there is food… and after a competition, all you want is GOOD good. So to help you cut through the information overload, here are some key favourite places to eat from the Muscle Insider staff!

Fancy Dining

360 The Restaurant at the CN Tower
360 The Restaurant is one of Toronto's finest, features unforgettable food combined with a magnificent revolving view of Toronto more than 351 metres (1,151 ft) below. 360 offers market-fresh cuisine, featuring regional ingredients to ensure an incomparable culinary experience. It's cool to note that elevation to 360 Restaurant and access to the LookOut and GlassFloor levels of the CN Tower, following your meal, are complimentary with the purchase of a prix fixe by each guest. So it's like getting dinner and entertainment for the price of one event!

Canyon Creek
(2016 OpenTable winner 50 Best Steakhouses in Canada) is located downtown Toronto, just steps from Union Station, Metro Toronto Convention Center and the Royal York Hotel. They have so many dishes served fresh from the kitchen, like our Calamari Fritti, Pan Roasted Salmon or Chipotle Sirloin Steak. If you go there for lunch, you can try lighter fare like their popular Canyon Creek Prime Rib Sliders, Baby Kale and Quinoa Salad or Bandera Chicken Tacos. Canyon Creek is also known for thier lively bar, where you can sit to sip cocktails and engage with a mix of guests, including savvy locals, business professionals, families, tourists and many just heading off a show or game. Canyon Front Street is always here to give you a memorable time out.

Clean Eating

Fresh Restaurant
Fresh restaurant opened its doors in 1999, way before "clean eating" and "vegetarian" were on the lips of every second Torontonian. As the times changed to make healthy choices mainstream, Fresh grew along with it, opening four locations around the city. Tables are always packed and there is almost always a wait, but the food delivers on every count. The quinoa onion rings are some of the best onion rings in the city and pair beautifully with the house BBQ sauce. The sweet potato fries have a following, and the miso gravy feels as decadent and rich as if you had used all the drippings from a Thanksgiving turkey. This is not diet food, but this is about living well. 

Feel Good Guru
Whether you’re looking for a bottle of kombucha that’s made in-house, a revitalizing juice or a nice, healthy lunch that’s entirely plant-based, Feel Good Guru has got you covered. If you’re really venturing into new health territories and trying out the whole raw side of things, try the Rawzagne, made with zucchini noodles, cashew “cheese,” kale and hempseed pesto, tomatoes and marinara sauce.

Quick and Easy (right across from the convention centre)

Boston Pizza
Boston Pizza has offered guests two experiences under one roof – a family-friendly casual dining restaurant and a separate sports bar with a lively atmosphere. No matter which side you select, Boston Pizza serves up an extensive menu with over 100 items to choose from. While they're famous for their gourmet pizzas made with their signature hand pressed dough, their extensive menu satisfies every appetite with mouth-watering pasta dishes and a wide variety of appetizers, salads, entrées and desserts. The casual atmosphere, combined with big-screen high-definition TVs in the sports bar, makes Boston Pizza as fun for families as it is for teams and groups of all ages. Most of our restaurants also feature an outdoor patio for those days when guests want to sit back and soak up the sun!

Jack Astor’s
Jack Astor’s is a casual, family oriented bar. They’re all about sports, music, and creating a welcoming and entertaining atmosphere. The servers are attentive and personable; they’re always happy to have a conversation with you. And the food itself is excellent, with a mix of your typical pub-fare, but not as greasy, and the rest of the menu is as unique as the milieu. This is the perfect environment for a Friday or Saturday night, and their patio on Front St. is a great place to see IFBB pros post-show!

Best Desserts

Carole’s Cheesecake Café
Carole's Cheesecake makes mouthwatering cheesecakes in every variety imaginable including Dulce de Leche, Taffy Apple, Rocky Road, and most peoples' personal favourite, New York Cherry. Not many options if you're a crust fan, but the Yorkville and Castlefield cafes locations do offer the choice of mini cup cheesecakes or regular slices, as well as lower-sugar cheesecake options.

Wanda’s Belgium Waffles
Sweet & savoury Liege & Brussels waffles share the menu with sandwiches at this late-night haunt. Wanda's is a staple for late night desserts when you are near Yonge and Dundas. It is one of the few dessert joints that open until 2-3am (Marble Slab nearby closes around midnight). The waffle quality is amazing, belgian style, small dense chewy caramelized waffles. They are known for their waffles rather than their crepes for a reason. The crepes batter lack sweetness/flavour, but if you're a crepe person, you'll definitely not be disappointed.

_{(All photos courtesy of the company's Facebook page)}