Ricky + Olivia

What is Ricky + Olivia? Anchoring the eastern stretch of Leslieville at 996 Queen Street East, Ricky + Olivia is an energetic, hyper-local restaurant and wine bar from chef-partners Ricky Casipe and Olivia Simpson alongside partner Adrian Proszowski. Taking over the former Wayla space, the deep storefront moves through distinct zones: a front bottle shop and tasting counter, a moody mid-room lounge, an active back dining room facing an open kitchen, and a sunny back patio. Graphic pop-art murals, colourful painted chairs, and hanging macramé planters give the entire room a spirited, house-party atmosphere that bypasses traditional white-tablecloth stuffiness.

Ricky + Olivia Menu & What to Order The kitchen applies serious technique to playful Canadian comfort classics and '90s nostalgia, sourcing almost exclusively from Ontario growers, butchers, and winemakers. The menu standout is the Big Mac-inspired Steak Tartare, built with hand-cut hanger steak, crisp iceberg, house-made Brighton cheddar "cheese whiz," and sous-vide egg yolk scooped onto deep-fried saltines. Round out the table with the crispy Cookstown Radishes smothered in spicy mayo, the rich Chicken Liver Mousse accompanied by sour cream bundt doughnuts and VQA red wine gummies, and the double-stack R+O Burger on a sweet pandesal challah bun. The beverage program is strictly local, pairing plates with Ontario low-intervention wines, regional craft beers, and the Southbrook cassis-spiked house Kalimotxo.

Know Before You Go Reservations on Tock are strongly recommended for weekend dining room slots between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., though earlier walk-ins can usually grab a perch in the lounge or at the tasting bar. A casual afternoon happy hour runs Tuesday through Saturday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. with discounted Ontario pours and small snacks before dinner service fires up at 5:00 p.m. Hop on the 501 Queen streetcar and get off between Carlaw and Boston Avenue, and make time on your way out to browse the front bottle shop for rare provincial vintages.