Avant Gout

What is Avant Gout? Anchoring the boutique corridor at 1108 Yonge Street near Rosedale and Summerhill, Avant Gout is an intimate, long-running neighbourhood bistro steered by chef-proprietor Kamal Hami. The compact dining room exudes old-world European charm with exposed brick, rich wood paneling, and warm candlelight across close-set tables and a snug dining counter. It remains a low-profile evening retreat favoured by locals who appreciate unpretentious, classic hospitality.

Avant Gout Menu & What to Order The kitchen bridges classic French bistro staples with subtle North African spices and Italian-leaning pastas. The Moroccan-spiced slow-braised lamb shank is the undisputed standout, yielding ultra-tender meat infused with warming aromatics. Begin with the escargot sautéed with wild mushrooms, Pernod, and brandy in rich lemon butter, or opt for the seafood linguini tossed with shrimp and shiitake mushrooms in a fragrant white wine garlic broth. A curated selection of Old World red and white wines rounds out the comforting dinner spread.

Know Before You Go Avant Gout operates exclusively for dinner service, opening nightly at 5:30 p.m. With limited indoor tables, booking ahead by phone or via their website is strongly advised for peak weekend seatings, though walk-ins can often snag early weekday tables. The dining room sits a short three-minute walk north of Rosedale subway station, with metered street parking available along Yonge Street.