Please inform us of any allergies. We will do our utmost to accommodate, though we are unable to guarantee an allergen-free kitchen. Need a jolt of booze and caffeine? This cocktail will pull double duty, waking you up AND keeping you toasty warm all winter long. Join us on Wednesday through Saturday from 4pm for $1 oysters, available with the purchase of a bottle of wine.
We ask that you please review our dining protocols before joining us to ensure a seamless experience for you and your party. Per provincial regulations, proof of full vaccination will be required for in-restaurant dining starting on Sept. 22. Until an enhanced vaccine certificate with a QR code is available, guests are encouraged to download their vaccine receipt as proof of their vaccine status.
We ask that you please review our dining protocols before joining us to ensure a seamless experience for you and your party. Per provincial regulations, proof of full vaccination will be required for in-restaurant dining starting on Sept. 22. Until an enhanced vaccine certificate with a QR code is available, guests are encouraged to download their vaccine receipt as proof of their vaccine status.
Services
A Chef Anthony Walsh creation, Lea pays homage to his Argentinian mother-in-law, Elena, from whom he has drawn great culinary inspiration, and embodies what he experiences in her kitchen - a passionate food philosophy that brings people together. Imaginative yet rooted in tradition, Lea's cuisine showcases the vibrant essence of South American cooking, with unique Spanish and Italian influences.
Reviews (20)
Jagdish N.
Dec 18, 2021
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We went as a group for our company Christmas dinner and had a private dining experience with cocktails, Canapés, preset menu and some nice red and white wine. With a well known chef and their signature South American cuisine, I had high hopes and the place did not disappoint. The service and food were top notch and the whole experience from booking the event, the seating, the ambiance and the dining were all just great and all of us left the place well satisfied after partaking of great food and even greater camaraderie and fun.
Other than the Canapés the group had broken avocado salad, sweet
Other than the Canapés the group had broken avocado salad, sweet
Mel L.
Nov 28, 2021
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I went with a group of 6 on a weekend for someone's birthday. We ordered a lot of starters to share: yuca fries, mushroom skewers, empanadas and sourdough focacia. I was surprised by how much flavour the mushroom skewers had. I also liked the crust of the empanadas quite a bit. We also ordered a bottle of wine, which gave us a deal of getting oysters for $1 each (good deal!)
For my main food, I ordered the shrimp ceviche as I had a bit of a late lunch earlier in the day. I must say that, although it had a unique flavour and texture to it, I was quite disappointed by the amount that they gave
For my main food, I ordered the shrimp ceviche as I had a bit of a late lunch earlier in the day. I must say that, although it had a unique flavour and texture to it, I was quite disappointed by the amount that they gave
Sarah S.
Nov 26, 2021
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Dilys C.
Nov 18, 2021
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Great food, ambience and service.
We ordered the ribeye chop to share, empanadas and their special of the day escargot with gnocchi. Ribeye eye chop comes with veggies and sides, could definitely feed 3 people. Steak was cooked perfectly and their chimichurri sauce goes well with everything. Empanadas were great to share. The escargot and gnocchi had great flavours, however the gnocchi was too soft/mushy for our liking.
Others have ordered the trout, lamb, chicken and buttered steak and said everything was great.
We came here for a birthday. Great for occasions, but our wallet hurts a little
We ordered the ribeye chop to share, empanadas and their special of the day escargot with gnocchi. Ribeye eye chop comes with veggies and sides, could definitely feed 3 people. Steak was cooked perfectly and their chimichurri sauce goes well with everything. Empanadas were great to share. The escargot and gnocchi had great flavours, however the gnocchi was too soft/mushy for our liking.
Others have ordered the trout, lamb, chicken and buttered steak and said everything was great.
We came here for a birthday. Great for occasions, but our wallet hurts a little
Jamie G.
Nov 06, 2021
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Jessica G.
Sep 21, 2021
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I've been meaning to try Leña for quite some time, and it was a good experience but I wasn't necessarily blown away. For appetizers, we had the Stracciatella Burrata Salad, Grilled Mushroom Skewers, and Pan de Miga. I think I'd go back just for the Pan de Miga - basically a ham & provolone grilled cheese but so savoury and delicious. For my main, I got the Spaghetti with creamed burrata and it was also really yummy. For my drink, I got the Leña Paleta which was veryyyy sweet! It was yummy but tasted like juice. Overall, solid experience. I'd go back for the grilled cheese
Min C.
Sep 17, 2021
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The food here is SO bad! While the decor is super cute and the bar is beautiful it really doesn't make up for the food.
We had the CHARRED CALAMARI (garlic, jalapeño, leña spice) and it was bland and small portioned for $16. Barely charred! The LEÑA SOURDOUGH FOCACCIA (tomato spread, housemade olive mix), while delicious was $8 for 4 small pieces. Again overpriced but I find that restaurants these days are charging about $2 for each piece of bread.
For my main I had the GRILLED TROUT (shiitake mushrooms, caramelized sunchokes, borlotti beans, sweet wine emulsion). The fish was not
We had the CHARRED CALAMARI (garlic, jalapeño, leña spice) and it was bland and small portioned for $16. Barely charred! The LEÑA SOURDOUGH FOCACCIA (tomato spread, housemade olive mix), while delicious was $8 for 4 small pieces. Again overpriced but I find that restaurants these days are charging about $2 for each piece of bread.
For my main I had the GRILLED TROUT (shiitake mushrooms, caramelized sunchokes, borlotti beans, sweet wine emulsion). The fish was not
Maya L.
Mar 14, 2020
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I've been looking forward to dining at this restaurant for a long time because of their beautiful interior and unique style. Came here with a friend for lunch, and I have the say the food is really falls short and is not worth how much they charge. I got the TUBETTI PASTA and my friend got the STEAK FRITES. I found the sauce too greasy and salty. The saltiness overpowered other favours in the sauce. The pasta itself was also not fully cooked? The fries and steak were quite average as well.
The waiters were very polite, however took a long time to take our orders and give us our bills even
The waiters were very polite, however took a long time to take our orders and give us our bills even
Jay L.
Mar 02, 2020
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A very beautifully designed interior space with a really marquee bar area that I always notice when I walk by.
This time I had a reason to go in, per-show dinner before off to see the Hamilton musical.
This place is connected to the Saks Fifth Avenue/The Bay building. There is an upstairs that has additional seating and also where the kitchen is too. The upstairs is just as nice as the downstairs and a little more intimate away from the bustle of the bar area.
The food provided so much delight and the dishes I tried were an absolute joy. They are also able to make you something off-menu if needed
This time I had a reason to go in, per-show dinner before off to see the Hamilton musical.
This place is connected to the Saks Fifth Avenue/The Bay building. There is an upstairs that has additional seating and also where the kitchen is too. The upstairs is just as nice as the downstairs and a little more intimate away from the bustle of the bar area.
The food provided so much delight and the dishes I tried were an absolute joy. They are also able to make you something off-menu if needed
Susan T.
Feb 05, 2020
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Every year my group of friends like to try different restaurants for summerlicious and winterlicious. This year, we decided to give Lena a try. I ordered the chorizo app, Atlantic salmon for my main and baked Apple for dessert. I also had one of their whiskey cocktail special but don't remember the name of it. Cocktail was good but the food was just okay. I think usually when they produce in Mass quantities for event like these, the quality goes down. I'll come again to try their food from their regular menu.
Joy H.
Jan 14, 2020
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Cute restaurant with very eclectic decor. We came here for the Summerlicious 2019 menu.
We got the mushroom empanada, albacore tuna tartare, Lena chopped salad, Atlantic salmon, flourless chocolate cake, and medialuna.
The empanadas were actually a little dry overall, but still delicious. The tuna tartare was quite lovely. I'm a huge fan of raw seafood and taro chips--and this dish had both!
The salad was a little lackluster, as we expected the salad part to be at least not iceberg lettuce. The salmon was perfectly cooked though, and the salad pairing was great too.
The flourless chocolate
We got the mushroom empanada, albacore tuna tartare, Lena chopped salad, Atlantic salmon, flourless chocolate cake, and medialuna.
The empanadas were actually a little dry overall, but still delicious. The tuna tartare was quite lovely. I'm a huge fan of raw seafood and taro chips--and this dish had both!
The salad was a little lackluster, as we expected the salad part to be at least not iceberg lettuce. The salmon was perfectly cooked though, and the salad pairing was great too.
The flourless chocolate
Arvid Y.
Oct 31, 2019
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Good but not great.
My mom's a big fan of the restaurant, so she finally took me and my fiancée to Leña for brunch.
Modern cuisine with a South American flare is the theme of the restaurant. The restaurant is connected to Saks Fifth Ave shopping mall. It's a small physical space, but it's nicely decorated with an upscale Art Deco theme making it feel quite cozy.
One-third of their brunch menu is their cocktail list. Many customers were sipping on their Aperol Spritzers and they looked good. Coming of an international flight, I stuck with coffee.
There are a lot of heavier
My mom's a big fan of the restaurant, so she finally took me and my fiancée to Leña for brunch.
Modern cuisine with a South American flare is the theme of the restaurant. The restaurant is connected to Saks Fifth Ave shopping mall. It's a small physical space, but it's nicely decorated with an upscale Art Deco theme making it feel quite cozy.
One-third of their brunch menu is their cocktail list. Many customers were sipping on their Aperol Spritzers and they looked good. Coming of an international flight, I stuck with coffee.
There are a lot of heavier
Sophie T.
Jul 13, 2019
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I like the decor and atmosphere of this restaurant. The main floor (also bar area) feels very warm, inviting and classy. Great spot for brunch or coffee while watching the passerby on Yonge street.
This restaurant is fairly large as there are additional seatings in the upper and lower floor.
As for the food, every dish was beautifully presented. Loved their platings! I had the salmon entree from the Summerlicious menu, and the salmon was cooked perfectly. The MediaLuna dessert is pretty much just a croissant topped with ice cream and a compote.
Food - 3 stars
Atmosphere - 4 stars
Rounding
This restaurant is fairly large as there are additional seatings in the upper and lower floor.
As for the food, every dish was beautifully presented. Loved their platings! I had the salmon entree from the Summerlicious menu, and the salmon was cooked perfectly. The MediaLuna dessert is pretty much just a croissant topped with ice cream and a compote.
Food - 3 stars
Atmosphere - 4 stars
Rounding
Shuang W.
Jul 13, 2019
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Went there for summerlicious, the decor the atmosphere were all very impressive. I felt cold when I sat down and they adjusted the Ac for me right after which is very nice of them.
Let's talk about food:
Appetizer: I got the avocado cucumber soup. It has shrimp and bacon bits(?) in the soup, it is sour but pretty good as an appetizer for hot hot summer. If u don't like sour stuff or ice cold soup, don't order this. My friends ordered the tuna appetizer and they all enjoyed it
Entree: shaved lamb sandwich . THE FRIES was very good, flavorful and crispy. the taste of lamb is very
Let's talk about food:
Appetizer: I got the avocado cucumber soup. It has shrimp and bacon bits(?) in the soup, it is sour but pretty good as an appetizer for hot hot summer. If u don't like sour stuff or ice cold soup, don't order this. My friends ordered the tuna appetizer and they all enjoyed it
Entree: shaved lamb sandwich . THE FRIES was very good, flavorful and crispy. the taste of lamb is very
Yeshi X.
Jul 11, 2019
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Came here before seeing Come From Away and was able to grab an Opentable reservation.
We ordered off the Summerlicious seasonal menu and got the prix fix dinner menu ($43). For the appetizers we got the tuna tartare and the mushroom empanadas. The tuna was not great fresh at all but the empanadas had good flavor and crunch. For the entrees we got the veal loin milanesa, which was a little dry and flavorless and the pappardelle pasta with creamed corn and ricotta. While the dish had a lot of favor, it was too sweet for my taste. The food was not the best I've had but the desserts were really
We ordered off the Summerlicious seasonal menu and got the prix fix dinner menu ($43). For the appetizers we got the tuna tartare and the mushroom empanadas. The tuna was not great fresh at all but the empanadas had good flavor and crunch. For the entrees we got the veal loin milanesa, which was a little dry and flavorless and the pappardelle pasta with creamed corn and ricotta. While the dish had a lot of favor, it was too sweet for my taste. The food was not the best I've had but the desserts were really
Jennifer K.
Jun 18, 2019
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We were here with an Opentable reservation for lunch on a long weekend Monday and have a great experience.
The restaurant is just gorgeous. So much interesting details. The downstairs bar area has this old school night club vibe and I would love to have a drink there anytime!
But how was the food?? We ordered a few items to shared and they were all nicely plated and have a twist of subtle South American flare.
Salt Cod Fritters w/caper & dill crema ($13)
12 Vegetable Salad w/milk mayonnaise, charred & raw vegetables, tomatillo & coriander dressing ($15)
7 oz Grass-Fed Butler&apos
The restaurant is just gorgeous. So much interesting details. The downstairs bar area has this old school night club vibe and I would love to have a drink there anytime!
But how was the food?? We ordered a few items to shared and they were all nicely plated and have a twist of subtle South American flare.
Salt Cod Fritters w/caper & dill crema ($13)
12 Vegetable Salad w/milk mayonnaise, charred & raw vegetables, tomatillo & coriander dressing ($15)
7 oz Grass-Fed Butler&apos
Savanna M.
May 23, 2019
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In town for a bachelorette party, and one of the bridesmaids nicely made us out-of-towners a brunch reservation here. From what I understand brunch reservations are hard to come by in Toronto now? so we were happy to have a plan made for us.
I was some what surprised at how small the upper part of the restaurant is. The bar takes up most of the room, but the layout still worked and it was nice to be able to people watch out the window as well.
Our server was great and didn't rush as, as we wanted to order some small bites to start and then consider larger dishes.
Since the Cesar had
I was some what surprised at how small the upper part of the restaurant is. The bar takes up most of the room, but the layout still worked and it was nice to be able to people watch out the window as well.
Our server was great and didn't rush as, as we wanted to order some small bites to start and then consider larger dishes.
Since the Cesar had
Vuvi T.
May 17, 2019
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Such a gorgeous restaurant right in the heart of downtown Toronto, with an excellent lunch menu and service that will not disappoint you. The decor looks very 30's inspired, so elegant and picturesque!
I got the beef empanadas that came with a poached egg, and they had the cutest drink menu.
If you're in the area I would definitely recommend Leña's for a little brunch stop!
I got the beef empanadas that came with a poached egg, and they had the cutest drink menu.
If you're in the area I would definitely recommend Leña's for a little brunch stop!
Jeslyn X.
Jan 26, 2019
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Came here for Winterlicious. The dishes were amazing.
Shrimp & Artichoke Pate - Very tasty. They added paprika mixed oil into the creamy dipping sauce, with the crispy, thin and big taro chips, yummy.
Chicken Brochette - Chicken was juicy and tender, would have been better if they were marinated, but luckily got covered by the broth. The mushrooms and fries soaked with broth tasted really nice.
Dulce de Leche Torte - The shortbread, coffee syrup and lemon hollandaise were such great combo, although was a bit too sweet to me.
Chocolate Cake - You gotta have it if you love the bitterness
Shrimp & Artichoke Pate - Very tasty. They added paprika mixed oil into the creamy dipping sauce, with the crispy, thin and big taro chips, yummy.
Chicken Brochette - Chicken was juicy and tender, would have been better if they were marinated, but luckily got covered by the broth. The mushrooms and fries soaked with broth tasted really nice.
Dulce de Leche Torte - The shortbread, coffee syrup and lemon hollandaise were such great combo, although was a bit too sweet to me.
Chocolate Cake - You gotta have it if you love the bitterness
I.-Lin L.
Nov 08, 2018
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Lovely restaurant with a lovely atmosphere. We randomly walked in here for dinner after a long day of work, and thankfully they had a table for the 5 of us.
The food is quite nice and kind of reminds me of a French style. I got the braised organic chicken and Pinot Grigio.
The chicken was good and the mashed potatoes were very good and buttery. The mushrooms were fine, but there were pieces of very hard boiled egg whites that were a bit strange. They were cooked to death and really firm and hard. Never had eggs like that before. Maybe it's a cuisine I'm not familiar with?
The food is quite nice and kind of reminds me of a French style. I got the braised organic chicken and Pinot Grigio.
The chicken was good and the mashed potatoes were very good and buttery. The mushrooms were fine, but there were pieces of very hard boiled egg whites that were a bit strange. They were cooked to death and really firm and hard. Never had eggs like that before. Maybe it's a cuisine I'm not familiar with?
