Is it just me or are there more seafood-centric restaurants popping up across the city? From fast food to fine dining, fish and other seafood options seem to be taking more of a prominence on new restaurant menus, and rightfully so. With countless varieties of fish and shellfish, this trendy protein is wonderfully varied on its own, and multiplying these abundant choices come new menu ideas and applications suited for all types of establishments. Will seafood be the next big trend? Let’s take a look…

Lobster is the New Fish
Rock Lobster, Smoked and Cracked
For diners on a budget it’s all about affordability without sacrificing flavour. New restaurants Smoked and Cracked and Rock Lobster have both introduced ways to ensure that we can enjoy the mighty crustacean at a casual and friendly setting. With offerings such as lobster rolls, lobster poutine and lobster mac ‘n cheese, Average Joes can now comfortably access and indulge in this precious commodity without breaking the bank.

Quick Fish
The One That Got Away, The Happy Hooker
Though fish is usually thought of as premium fare found at nice sit-down restaurants, it’s making an excellent showing at moderately priced, quick grab-and-go spots. Salads with grilled fish and fish wraps at The One That Got Away, and fish sandwiches and tacos at The Happy Hooker are ideal for those 15-minute, in-between-meetings lunch breaks.

Mighty Mediterranean
Kritamos, Carmen
Latin and Asian influences are often seen on the seafood menu but we are also seeing increased interest in more Mediterranean flavours and ingredients. The Spanish restaurant Carmen serves a variety of traditional and modern seafood tapas as well as a 30-centimetre lobster paella for two. Kritamos, a Greek fish house, flies in fresh seafood daily and offers dishes such as kefalograviera cheese-and-spinach stuffed cherry stone clams and grilled fish options.

Oysters Are Back
Cool City Oyster Yard, The Chase & The Chase Fish and Oyster
By all accounts, an intense love affair with oysters has Torontonians bewitched. These succulent bivalves in all their glorious varieties are being slurped in hot spots all over town from this summer’s seafood shack Cool City Oyster Yard to the stylish and posh The Chase and The Chase Fish and Oyster. Whether it’s sustainability that has helped inspire the oyster trend or simply the icy, briny, cold, and deliciousness of it all, oysters are certainly back on the gastronomic block.