The team behind Paris Paris has finally opened the doors to one of Toronto’s most anticipated restaurant openings of 2025 — a debut Nelly Furtado hinted at over a year ago.
Turns out, Taberna Lx was actually close to 15 years in the making for Kelly Amaral who has opened the modern Portuguese restaurant alongside partners, Gani Shquier and executive chef Jonathan Poon. Now open in the original Paris Paris location at 1161 Dundas Street West, Taberna Lx is transporting diners to the streets of Lisbon with intricate, traditional details, Azorean volcanic wines and a menu that explores the cuisine beyond the clichés.
“If you’ve traveled to Portugal in the last little bit, you see that it has evolved — so much of their design has evolved, and their entertainment has evolved,” says Amaral. “It’s really about creating a space that is not just about aesthetic and it’s not just about food — it’s all those things encompassing.”
The restaurant is located in the neighbourhood Amaral grew up in and where her parents first emigrated to from Portugal in the 1950s. By the 1960s, they owned the first Portuguese grocery store in the neighbourhood, a catalyst that led to the neighbourhood later being called Little Portugal.
While it offers a “full circle” moment for Amaral to open Taberna Lx, she was also motivated by her love affair with Portugal — both the Azores where her parents are from and the mainland.
“I’ve spent a lot of time there and travelling back and forth and really watching the food scene and how it’s evolved. One of the things that I felt was something that I wanted to do is just be able to represent and show people that Portugal is so much more than BBQ chicken and Piri Piri chicken,” she says. “Our cuisine is so much more and really our design is so much more, so we wanted to bring all those elements together.”
That’s why every last detail at the two-storey Taberna Lx was plotted over many trips back to Portugal and crafted by the internationally renowned Lisbon-based designer and architect Joana Astolfi. Taberna Lx also boasts the largest rooftop patio in the city’s West End, which welcomes guests with a 26-foot-tall mural depicting the iconic Lisbon archway and picturesque Douro River.
The bars and bathrooms are decorated with hand-painted tiles from the legendary Viúva Lamego tile store in Portugal, which, according to Amaral, is one of few companies around the world that still make every tile by hand. Mosaics evoking the essence of tiled restaurants around Lisbon and dishware imported from the country make the space come to life with the details of Europe.
Chef Poon has crafted a menu that stays true to the flavours and ingredients of Portugal while spotlighting the influence the nation had on other countries around the globe. Poon’s Hong Kong roots are apparent with some Asian twists and technical execution while African and Indian influences can also be seen across the innovative dishes.
While the decadent Francesinha sandwich and croquettes are Portuguese staples, you might be surprised to find tempura on the menu. Though often associated with Japan, the technique was introduced by Portuguese missionaries centuries ago. A cold octopus salad, duck rice, and a range of seafood dishes — including cod and tuna — round out the elevated menu.
The beverage menu features classic cocktails with a Portuguese twist and signature liqueurs—including Ginjinha Espinheira, an iconic cherry liqueur rarely seen outside Portugal. The exclusive wine list showcases regions across the country, and the restaurant now boasts Toronto’s largest selection of volcanic wines from Pico, a remote island in the Azorean archipelago and the birthplace of Amaral’s parents.
“Whether it’s in the kitchen or whether it’s with the cocktails, we’re staying very true to being Portuguese and we’re taking people on a journey with us and doing a bit of education for people who have never been to Portugal,” says Amaral.
With so much intention put into each aspect of the restaurant, it’s no surprise that Taberna Lx is one of the most anticipated openings in Toronto this yea — one that has caught the attention of celebrities. Nearly two years, Nelly Furtado gave the restaurant a shout out and her stamp of approval.
“She’s also known about this project for a long time,” says Amaral, noting she and Furtado are close family friends. “We’ve talked about it a lot and I’ve bounced a lot of ideas off of her. Both our families are from the Azores so that was very much a bonding point for us when we first met years ago. She had the inside scoop.”
