(More of) Our Favourite Restaurants and What to Wear
We continue to highlight some of our most-admired restaurants and eateries across Canada, plus advice on what to wear while you’re there.
By: Harry Rosen Staff
Dressing for dinner today is less about following traditional dress codes and more about appreciating an experience. Whether that means relaxed tailoring or elevated off-duty pieces, the best looks balance personal style, ease, and a sense of occasion.
And every great restaurant deserves a great outfit — so we’re back with three more must-visit dining destinations across Canada to get you excited about dressing up for dinner again.
Consider us your sommelier of style, and this, your second helping: three more restaurants, three more reasons to put together a fresh outfit.
Prime Seafood Palace — Toronto, ON
Including “palace” in the name of a new restaurant invites scrutiny, especially for a steakhouse in one of Toronto’s trendiest neighbourhoods with a beloved celebrity owner.
Prime Seafood Palace has more than justified that inclusion since its very first service in 2022.
Founded by chef and author Matty Matheson, with Top Chef Canada winner Coulson Armstrong leading the kitchen, exceptional talent steers the ship at Prime Seafood Palace — and it shows. The restaurant is listed on the Michelin guide and appears annually on Canada’s Top 100 list.
One of the first things you’ll notice is the striking aesthetic, earning PSP multiple design awards to match its many culinary recognitions. The ambient, wood-clad interior pays homage to traditional maritime architecture, creating a uniquely intimate dining experience that feels far removed from the hustle and bustle of Queen Street West — consistently voted among the world’s coolest neighbourhoods.
But most importantly, the food is sensational. Live-fire cooking inspired by classic steakhouse techniques, combined with fresh seafood and seasonal farm-to-table produce courtesy of Matheson’s own Blue Goose Farms, results in a menu that is elegantly indulgent.
Can’t-miss menu items include Sicilian crudo, lobster spaghetti, palace potatoes with aioli, dry-aged beef cuts, and prime rib. Bring an appetite — you’ll want to try everything.
Prime Seafood Palace is fine dining — warm and unpretentious, but an occasion worth dressing for. You’re in for one of your best meals of the year, so why not make it one of your best looks, too?
- The suit: Lean into tailoring, but leave the business suit at the office. Choose a fabric with a bit of personality — an unusual tone with a touch of lustre always does the trick.
- Underneath: Forgo the shirt and tie for a fine-gauge tonal turtleneck — quietly refined, and right for the room.
- The finishing touch: A pocket square to accent the look with a pleasing pop of colour.
Ten Foot Henry — Calgary, AB
Ten Foot Henry is a vegetable-forward, family-style restaurant in Calgary’s Beltline neighbourhood that makes a compelling case for produce as the star of the table.
The quality and freshness of the ingredients speak for themselves, with menu favourites including warm tomatoes with creamy whipped feta on charred sourdough, cauliflower gochujang, and kale and pistachio pesto Gigli pasta. Delicately delicious and easy on the conscience, not that we don’t enjoy the occasional indulgence.
The shareable plating concept applies to most dishes throughout the menu, and although vegetables inspire most of them, there’s a strong selection for meat and fish eaters as well. After all, how can a restaurant in Alberta not have a steak on the menu?
Ten Foot Henry is named after a long-time Calgary icon and 1930s comic book character, whose story lives on through his 10-foot-tall plywood cutout adorning one of the interior walls.
Local tip: Get a reservation or expect to wait in line — the restaurant is almost always packed, but always well worth the wait.
Ten Foot Henry’s interior echoes its menu — light, bright, and all about the materials. Dress accordingly, whether you’re in for brunch, lunch, or dinner: easygoing yet elevated.
- For texture: Suede is the ideal choice here — its luxurious hand-feel plays off the richness of a raised nap.
- Layer it with: Woollen flannels and supple cashmere, which pair naturally with suede’s soft texture.
- The accent: A scarf in an eye-catching colour — cerulean or royal blue — ties everything together and keeps your neutrals from fading into the background.
Retro Gusto — Ottawa, ON
Retro Gusto is a retro-inspired Italian trattoria and pizzeria located in Ottawa’s Little Italy neighbourhood that combines casual Roman classics with a distinctly ’70s rec-room aesthetic.
The pizza — Retro Gusto’s main menu category — is inspired by Roman “pizza tonda,” a round, ultra-thin crust pizza with a light-yet-crunchy bite (thanks to a 20-hour room-temperature dough proof) and edge-to-edge toppings.
Favourites include Margherita con bufala, mushroom, and salami — though you can never go wrong ordering any pizza on the menu here.
Retro Gusto is co-owned by Nina and Cesare Agostini, who also own Farinella — a series of Ottawa restaurants specializing in Roman-style square pizza, Italian pastries, and gelato. Both Farinella and Retro Gusto are celebrated for their authentic cuisine, with Cesare having spent several years studying under Rome’s best at Roscioli before returning home to open his own establishment inspired by the famed Roman restaurant empire.
The cozy, dimly lit dining room feels like a time portal back to the ’70s — wood panelling, warm orange and brown tones, and era-appropriate tunes included.
Open seven days a week from 5 – 10:30 p.m., Retro Gusto is the ideal place to spend aperitivo hour or enjoy a full dinner. While walk-ins are welcome, we strongly recommend booking a reservation — the 40-seat dining room fills up quickly.
Retro Gusto’s easy, ’70s-trattoria vibe means a more relaxed dress code — but relaxed can still be considered. Let its comforting-classics spirit shape the outfit.
- The trouser: Dark denim in a relaxed fit — indigo or black — with enough room to sit comfortably over boots.
- On your feet: Leather boots; Chelsea boots suit the ’70s mood best.
- Up top: A flannel button-up layered over a tonal tee.
- The layer: A cropped, bomber-style wool jacket worn open to reveal the layering beneath — the perfect mix of elevated and understated, just like Retro Gusto.
Expert Advice, Tailored to Your Taste
Just like your restaurant preferences, your style is all about personal tastes, too; something nobody knows better than our team of expert Style Advisors.
For one-to-one style advice and personal wardrobe consultation, with a Style Advisor at your nearest Harry Rosen location today.
Secret Ingredients
