For years, cauliflower and kale were the only vegetables that mattered. It was everywhere— mashed into rice, charred into steaks, even posing as pizza crust. But in 2026, the spotlight has finally shifted to cabbage. It’s cheap, it’s remarkably good for your gut, and it actually holds its own under a high-heat grill. Here are some Toronto restaurants that are showing cabbage-based dishes a little extra love.
1. Café Polonez
Café Polonez is a warm, understated space that serves homestyle Polish dishes and Eastern European fare. Try the minced pork-and-rice cabbage rolls, complemented with tomato sauce, or opt for the meatless route with the mushroom-and-rice version, served with a cream sauce. Either way, you’re getting tender cabbage wrapped around something rich and deeply satisfying! On the side, indulge in the Polish Bouquet Salad for a combination of beets, coleslaw, dill pickle and fried cabbage with pork. 195 Roncesvalles Ave.
2. Eloise
At Eloise, Graham and Dan Hnatiw, the brothers behind The Old Spaghetti Factory, trade kitsch for a more polished approach at their refined new Esplanade restaurant. The menu leans seasonal and ingredient-driven — including a standout grilled quarter cabbage stuffed with a vegetarian XO sauce made from shiitake and maitake trimmings, brushed with koji butter and baked until deeply caramelized, then finished with chives. 42 The Esplanade.
3. Haifa Room
Head to The Haifa Room for its signature Charred Cabbage: it hits that sweet spot between smoky and bright, served with bulgar, shallots, olive, parsley, lemon, olive oil and taro chips for crunch! 224 Ossington Ave.
4. Chantecler
Chantecler’s menu pairs a seared cabbage and mussel: the cabbage is brined and pan-roasted, and topped with marinated salt springs mussels (escabeche style), chunks of bone marrow, cashew aioli and fermented pepper powder! 798 Bloor St W.
5. The Hamptons Restaurant
Head to The Hamptons (in Toronto, not Long Island!) for exclusive dining in a setting that feels like home, but with a touch of sophistication. The Duck Leg Schnitzel is one of the restaurant’s main dishes, and it’s complemented with ramp & cabbage sauerkraut and pickled mustard seed. 53 Clinton St.
6. Stop Restaurant
Stop Restaurant’s menu makes cabbage feel chic and snackable! Depending on the season, you might find it layered with hazelnut-spinach pâté, pickled purple daikon, and roasted hazelnuts, or see a charred version dressed with Celtic blue and a lemony-honey dressing. 397 Roncesvalles Ave.
7. Nina’s Brunch Restaurant
For the perfect brunch flex, Nina’s serves Benedict that goes all-in on sautéed cabbage. The Bacon & Cabbage Benedict consists of two soft poached eggs on sautéed cabbage, peameal bacon, and an English muffin, with hollandaise on the side, as well as potato and salad to round it out. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, try the roasted cabbage risotto with Roquefort cheese! 238 Augusta Ave.
8. Bao House
If cabbage is taking over 2026 menus, then dumplings are part of the reason why! Head to Bao House for Boiled Pork & Cabbage Dumplings (16 pcs). The dumplings are boiled until tender, with a chewy texture and a savoury filling. Multiple locations: 592 Yonge St, 171 Dundas St W, 5336 Yonge St.
