Ailsa's, Richmond Hill

At lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunches, the culinary team at Ailsa's Restaurant & Bar presents an upscale spin on classic American cuisine. They top fried-green tomatoes with deep-fried gouda, slather an Angus beef burgers in red-pepper mayo, and baste lamb chops in a peach-bourbon glaze, using numerous ingredients sourced from local farmers. Like its food, Alisa's interior draws from elements of both fine and casual dining, with elegant light fixtures dangling from exposed wooden beams and paintings adorning the wood-paneled bar.

When night falls, Alisa's models a bistro pub atmosphere. Live entertainment enthralls guests on Friday and Saturday nights, and competitors gather every Thursday night from 10 p.m. to midnight for trivia, or as some know it, a way to study for the LSATs while drinking.