Kingston Ontario is known as the “Limestone city” and is famous for its vintage, old-time vibe, and historical sites.
If you’re planning to visit Kingston and enjoy its peaceful atmosphere, don’t forget to visit one of these best Kingston restaurants that can make you return to this lovely city.
Wait no longer, pack your bag, get your car keys, and save this list for later!
1. Grecos
Serving you freshly prepared classic Greek and Mediterranean cuisine since 1992, Grecos is where you’ll find yourself breathing Greek air and eating authentic Greek food.
From lamb, chicken, and seafood, to homemade tzatziki, and hearty, flavourful souvlaki, they are going to satisfy you one way or another!
Most locals are drawn here because of their Saganaki made with fried kasseri cheese, which is best known as an appetizer. Start off easily with Dolmadakia, or also called grape leaves stuffed with rice, fresh herbs, and pine nut filling. A unique dish with a very distinctive flavour!
Keep going with Penne Carbonara with smoked bacon, green onions, and garlic prepared in cream sauce. Or the Bifteki, a staple dish in every Greek household made from seasoned minced meat, filled with a layer of crumbled feta. The minced meat is then shaped into a burger and grilled
What to order: Saganaki, Dolmadakia, Penne Carbonara, Bifteki, Chicabab, Grecos Delight
Address: 167 Princess St, Kingston, ON K7L 5R2
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2. Tango Nuevo
Tango Nuevo is the place to embrace the Spanish tradition with a globally-inspired experience. Pay a visit and immerse yourself in their elegant dining room while enjoying a wide variety of cold and hot tapas, prepared with locally sourced ingredients and complemented by carefully selected wines.
Some highlights you must not miss when coming to Tango Nuevo are Su Pastry, Spicy Sambal Shrimp, Grilled Octopus Pintxo, and Persian BBQ Lamb Tacos. They are going to surprise your palate and please your night!
The Su Pastry comes with house-made Turkish “börek” pastry, feta, cheddar, parsley, and olive tapenade. Something even more flavorful? The Spicy Sambal Shrimp is not going to disappoint you when the shrimps are cooked in white wine, cilantro-lime butter sauce, and served with a grilled baguette. Finish it up with the hearty, saucy Persian BBQ Lamb Tacos.
What to order: Su Pastry, Spicy Sambal Shrimp, Grilled Octopus Pintxo, Persian BBQ Lamb Tacos
Address: 331 King St E, Kingston, ON K7L 3B5
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3. Royal Angkor Restaurant
Thai & Cambodian cuisine is best known for its spicy and flavoursome taste profile. If that’s what you’re needing, then Royal Angkor Restaurant is the place! The restaurant itself is pretty small and unassuming in decor, but is warm and inviting.
This phenomenal place is home to the best Thai curry in the city, top-notch ones are Golden Chicken and Spicy Coriander.
While the Golden Chicken has such a rich flavour and tender pieces of chicken thigh cooked in a hot and sour red curry sauce, topped with green chili. And Spicy Coriander is impressive at the first bite with the perfect level of spice.
Some dishes to cool down the heat are Cambodian Spring Rolls, crispy rolls with chicken, pork, vermicelli, mushroom, and onions served with a Thai dipping sauce.
Or the signature House Pad Thai with stir-fried rice noodles with chicken and shrimp in a sweet tamarind sauce, garnished with fresh bean sprouts, green onion, and roasted peanuts.
What to order: Cambodian Spring Rolls, Hot & Sour Bamboo Soup, House Pad Thai, Golden Chicken
Address: 523 Princess St, Kingston, ON K7L 1C6
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4. Wooden Heads Gourmet Pizza
It’s time for some pizza, shall we? Located in historic downtown Kingston, Wooden Heads is your go-to place for delicious and unique wood-fired pizza.
Make the most of your time, drop by and enjoy your meal with their stunning starters, pizzas, salads, entree, and desserts. No doubt that you’ll leave feeling so happy for coming!
For the appetizer, order the highly touted Voodoo Shrimp, which are spiced beer and coconut fried black tiger shrimp with Vietnamese sauce on the side. They are just right enough to wake up your palate. Next, pizza! Go ahead with the Arrabbia, Nonna Mela, or Lumpia Diavolo.
While the Arrabbiata is packed with flavors when consisting of Pomodoro sauce, mozzarella, spicy salami, and banana peppers; the Nonna Mela has a sweet and savory taste with blackened chicken, apple butter, roast garlic, cheddar, and caramelized onions, None of them can make you down!
What to order: Arrabbiata, Nonna Mela, Lumpia Diavolo, Voodoo Shrimp, Kai Mekong
Address: 192 Ontario St, Kingston, ON K7L 2Y8
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5. Sima Sushi
Located on Princess Street in the heart of downtown Kingston, Sima Sushi is one of the best places that serve an assortment of Japanese dishes out of their cozy ambiance.
Quality ingredients, exciting dishes, and fair prices. Need us to say more? It can get pretty busy during peak dinner hours and the restaurant doesn’t take reservations, so it’s best to go early or plan on a bit of a wait.
Sima Sushi has a wide selection of specialty rolls as well as a selection of more classic maki and nigiri. Plus, they do also have great choices of vegetarian and vegan-friendly options.
Stars of the menu include Red Dragon Roll, Green Field Roll, Butter Fish, Ikura, and Deluxe Sushi. Let’s just start with them!
While Green Field roll is a combination of avocado, seaweed salad, mushrooms, and lettuce; Red Dragon is filled with crab mix, shrimp tempura, and cucumber and topped with spicy tuna mix and thinly sliced scallions. And the Deluxe Sushi is fresh, bouncing texture, and is full of umami taste!
What to order: Red Dragon, Green Field Roll, Oshinko Roll, Butter Fish, Ikura, Deluxe Sushi
Address: 66 Princess St, Kingston, ON K7L 1A5
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6. Harper’s Burger Bar
Features handcrafted burger patties made with beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, and wild salmon as well as a number of delicious sides, Harper’s Burger Bar is the place for you to try out some of the most unique and stunning burgers in town.
This Kingston’s local burger joint also serves up a wide selection of local craft beers, spiked shakes, and beer floats!
There are too many dishes to choose from but we suggest you go for the Smokehouse Burger with double-smoked cheddar, molasses-cracked pepper bacon, hickory sticks, and Kansas BBQ city. Cheesy, flavoursome, and saucy!
Keep it going with the spicy, meaty The Waiver with two grilled-cheese sandwiches, beef burger, double bacon, double cheddar, and house sauce. Or the basic-but-classic Pulled Pork Tacos with goat cheese, tangy slaw, chipotle-lime mayo, and cilantro.
What to order: Pulled Pork Tacos, Smokehouse, The Waiver, La La Land, Brickworks 1905 Cider
Address: 93 Princess St, Kingston, ON K7L 1A6
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7. GO Italian Restaurant
GO Italian Restaurant is the one and only spot in town that can transfer you directly to Italy just by their food. As you walk into the space, you’ll be welcomed by the cozy, casual atmosphere, along with deliciously authentic and fresh Italian food.
From individual, family-sized and larger dishes, to more party-sized “take-n-bake” pasta dishes, GO Italian Restaurant has it all!
At GO Italian, the biggest risk is your eyes being bigger than your stomach. For a safe play, settle down with Rigatoni Parmesan, Braised Beef Ravioli, and Lobster Stuffed Ravioli. Rigatoni Parmesan is a hearty meatless meal, while the Braised Beef Ravioli is rich and cheesy with Parmesan cheese.
Have some side dishes or salad to keep you going through, especially the Pear & Gorgonzola with salad greens, pears, avocado, red onion, candied walnuts, and gorgonzola cheese. Fresh and tasty!
What to order: Rigatoni Parmesan, Braised Beef Ravioli, Lobster Stuffed Ravioli, Pear & Gorgonzola
Address: 2815 Princess St, Kingston, ON K7P 2X2
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8. Chez Piggy Restaurant & Bar
No idea what cuisine to go for? Then Chez Piggy Restaurant & Bar is your next go-to! Here at Chez Piggy, the menu is inspired by the flavours of the world’s travels, which means that you can find a bit of everything and bring it to your table.
With a vibrant atmosphere, decadent choices of food, and afternoon cocktails on the courtyard patio, this place is either a perfect spot for a family celebration, a night out with friends, or a romantic dinner
For an Asian fusion, go for Thai Trout Salad, Cha Gio, and Kim Chi Tofu Noodle Bowl. Cha Gio is Vietnamese crispy egg rolls made with pork and nicely balanced out with veggies, mung bean thread, and mushrooms. The typical way to eat these is wrapped with green leaf lettuce, and herbs and dipped into fish dipping sauce of course!
Or you can go for some Creamy Mushroom Gnocchi or Charcuterie. The creamy mushroom gnocchi pairs a mouthwatering sauce made of brown cremini mushrooms and fresh rosemary with light, pillowy potato gnocchi. While Charcuterie comes with dressed meats and meat dishes, so don’t hesitate to settle down with a bottle of nice wine!
What to order: Thai Trout Salad, Creamy Mushroom Gnocchi, Cha Gio, Charcuterie, Kimchi & Tofu Noodle Bowl
Address: 68 Princess St, Kingston, ON K7L 1A5
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9. Score Pizza
Wanna create your own pizza? Come to Score Pizza and get seduced! You can start off by choosing your crust, original or gluten-free. From there, pick the sauces and add the finishing touches.
Plus, they also have an extensive variety of cheese, fresh veggies, and meats to choose from. Seasonal toppings are available as well!
In case you have no idea what to create, then just settle down with their signature: Hot & Spicy, Clubhouse, Bar-B-Q Chicken, and The Hipster. Hot & Spicy stays true to its name with spicy red sauce, mozzarella, Italian sausage, bacon, Chorizo sausage, mushrooms, hot peppers, and drizzled with honey. While Clubhouse is tasty and packed with flavours when consisting of smoked bacon, chicken, and mozzarella.
If fries are too basic, try Fired Garlic Sticks as a side dish, with garlic butter, mozzarella, parmesan, crushed garlic, and Italian seasoning, served with a side of red sauce. Finger-licking good!
What to order: Hot & Spicy, Clubhouse, The Hipster, Fired Garlic Sticks, Bar-B-Q Chicken
Address: 91 Princess St, Kingston, ON K7L 1A6
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10. Mesa Fresca Kingston
Offering Latin and Mexican-inspired fare with twists, Mesa Fresca Kingston welcomes you with its modern, casual, and fun setting. From classics like homemade masa flour tortilla tacos and hand-rolled flautas to dishes like coconut shrimp, braised short rib burritos, chicken enchiladas, and much more; you can find anything at Mesa Fresca Kingston!
Don’t hesitate to have yourself some Flautas con Papas come with creamy mashed potatoes, a little butter, some onion, some seasoning, rolled up in corn tortillas, and fried. Or the Poblanos Raja, a dish that combines roasted poblano peppers with onions, Mexican cream, house tostadas, and melted cheese.
If you still have some room, then fill it up with Chimichanga con Carnitas with pulled pork, house rice, cream sauce, and shredded lettuce tossed in a fried tortilla. Finish your meal with an Apple Chimichanga made with Mexican flour tortillas filled with apple pie filling, deep fried, and rolled into cinnamon crumble. They can never go wrong!
What to order: Flautas con Papas, Poblanos Raja, Chimichanga Con Carnitas, Birria De Res Tacos, Apple Chimichanga
Address: 1347 Gardiners Rd, Kingston, ON K7P 0L8
11. Toast & Jam
Looking for some homemade bread, baked goods, and a stunning brunch? Search no more because Toast & Jam has got your back! At Toast & Jam, they feature a menu full of local favourites, along with an open-concept space, natural wood, mismatched chairs, trendy community tables, and a fireplace to create a very cozy atmosphere.
Toast & Jam menu is quite straightforward with 10 main breakfast and brunch offerings. On the breakfast side, find yourself dishes like Bacon and Eggs, Porridge, Granola, and of course, Toast and Jam! And you have to check out the Breakfast At Aunt Sophie’s, which consists of 3 eggs scrambled with cheddar cheese, fried kielbasa, potatoes, and sweet chili sauce. This is a pure legend!
The lunch side is also a home run with typical items such as sandwiches, pizza, soup, and salad. Try the Berry French Toast if you have a sweet tooth or Ceci’s Chicken Sandwich for a more savory and flavourful taste!
What to order: Breakfast At Aunt Sophie’s, Jordan’s Breakfast, Berry French Toast, Ceci’s Chicken Sandwich
Address: 1530 Bath Rd, Kingston, ON K7M 4X6
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12. Miss Bāo Restaurant + Cocktail Bar
Just down from The Hub and headed towards Sydenham Street, a quiet little revolution is underway in the guise of a remarkable new restaurant – Miss Bāo Restaurant + Cocktail Bar. This place brings something new to Kingston with its fusion of cultures and being 100% zero waste operation! Visit Miss Bāo to enjoy some of the best-steamed buns in town and a host of Asian food!
They have all types of buns that you can ever imagine, from the most traditionally filled fragrant steamed pork and just a hint of scallion to some very unique fillings like Peking Duck, and Vegan Szechuan Pork, and Satay Chicken. Especially the Vegan Szechuan Pork, which is made from banana skins, is definitely a must-try!
You can also try other dishes like Crispy Shiitake Wontons filled with tofu, shiitake mushroom, and seasonal vegetables, served with sweet & sour sauce; or Nộm, a Vietnamese-inspired fine-julienne seasonal root mix topped with pickled vegetables, fresh mint dressing, and served with rice paper crisp.
What to order: Crispy Shiitake Wontons, Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Bao, Satay Chicken Bao, Nộm, Tom Yam Siam
Address: 286 Princess St, Kingston, ON K7L 1B5
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13. Akira Restaurant
And if you’re in the mood for more sushi, then Akira Restaurant is your next go-to! Presenting one of the best sushi bars with an authentic setting in Kingston, Akira Restaurant is going to win your heart once you set foot in.
Feast on their Calamari Tempura, Sushi Pizza, and Hotategai Sashimi! You can’t go wrong with these items. The Calamari Tempura is lightly battered and deep-fried until perfection, Akira serves them with chiles and seaweed to add extra flavours. And the Sushi Pizza comes with panko-crusted, crispy, sushi rice cake, topped with sriracha aioli, fresh avocado, cucumber, and your favorite sashimi fish.
Something bursts with flavours? Salmon Teriyaki is absolutely on the list with grilled salmon drizzled with teriyaki sauce! Or The Snowman Roll, a bite of deep-fried salmon, asparagus, avocado, and crab meat wrapped with cream cheese combined will drive you crazy!
What to order: Calamari Tempura, Sushi Pizza, Hotategai Sashimi, Salmon Teriyaki, Albacore Tuna Sashimi, Snowman Roll, Seafood Udon Noodles
Address: 83 Aberfoyle Rd, Kingston, ON K7M 7T2
We hope you have chosen your favorite ones for your next trip to Kingston, and if Toronto is the next stop on the map, then get yourself updated with our best restaurants in Toronto to dine at!
How We Create Our “Best” Lists
All Noms Magazine’s “best” lists are created using multiple factors and signals to help readers find the best restaurants, things to do, and places to stay at. Some of these factors and signs include personal experiences, correspondence with locals, and compiling experiences from review sites.
Each list is also created to be balanced (in terms of price, cuisine type, ambiance, and more) as possible. This means that the lists are not specifically created in ranking order. You should be comfortable picking from any of the spots on the list and generally have a good time. But of course, YMMV (your mileage may vary) and everyone may have different experiences/palates.