Frilu sits on the western boundary of Markham in the community of Thornhill. The tasting menu concept by executive chef/owner John-Vincent Troiano and wife Sandra has become one of the more remarkable dining experiences in the GTA in the past three years. With Troiano’s culinary creds (stages at Noma in Copenhagen and Benu in San Francisco; apprenticing under chef Masaki Hashimoto, the don of Japanese cooking in Toronto), it’s no surprise his seasonal tasting menu fuses Scandi sensibilities with Japanese flavors and distinctly Canadian ingredients. There are appearances from Ontario plums, B.C. uni, even Quebec horse tenderloin, as well as ingredients procured from Willowolf Farm. Troiano has also attracted buzz for his savory take on an Oreo: Black quinoa and blueberry cookies house a creamy center of whipped pork fat spiced with star anise. [$$$$]

It’s telling that this import’s first foray outside of Iran is in Markham — but it’s hardly surprising. The Persian/Iranian community in Markham and Richmond Hill has exploded over the past few years, and many flock to this humble little eatery for a true taste of home. The specialty here, of course, are tahchins, or baked rice cakes. Iranians have a serious love affair with these bulbous, saffron-hued pucks, whose crunchy outer shells come stuffed with your choice of ghormeh sabzi (a herbaceous beef stew), bademjan (an eggplant stew with beef and dried lemon), boneless veal, or chicken. They all come garnished with tart-sweet barberries. There’s even a macaroni tahdig: pasta, ground beef, and tomato sauce baked into a crispy puck of pan-fried potato. The sparkling saffron drink with lime and rose flower is a fave among regulars. [$]

Providential 9 nails higher-end Cantonese-style dim sum, impeccably crafting standards and plating them as feasts for the eyes (and IG posts). Diners come for the signature red rice rolls filled with crispy shrimp, but they stay for an array of items that’ll make your head spin like a Lazy Susan — crispy cuttlefish, deep-fried pumpkin and okra in egg yolk, and spareribs with taro and olive, to name a few. Sweet selections like the unreal Cantonese sponge cake and sesame balls in salty egg yolk only add to the experience. [$$ - $$$]

Zen is a go-to destination for hardcore omakase aficionados to taste sushi maestro Seiichi Kashiwabara’s stellar slices of seafood procured from Japan, Canada, and beyond. Aside from those boffo multicoursers, Zen also offers pristine cuts of seafood in an a la carte format, including otoro (from farmed bluefin), filefish, sea robin, and more. From the non-sushi bill of fare, don’t pass on the roasted duck, grilled miso cod, or the gorgeous simmered beef tongue. For beef eaters, there’s plenty of A4 wagyu and A5 Hida wagyu from Gifu prefecture. A traditional kaiseki with tea ceremony is also offered. [$$$$]

A warm bowl of congee is perfect any time of day, and no one does it better than this institution of savory rice porridge. Wong Sam founded Sam’s in Hong Kong in 1966 before emigrating with his family to Canada in the 1990s. They set up shop near the Pacific Mall, but in 2018, the family moved the restaurant to its current location, where luscious, silky bowls of comfort are served inside a casual space awash in teal. If you’re unsure about what to order, just go with one of the classics: shredded pork with preserved egg; minced beef with pork’s pudding; or an assortment of minced beef, squid, and pork rind. Do get dough sticks to enjoy with the soup, and absolutely order one of Sam’s first-class handmade rice rolls. [$]

This is not your average high-end restaurant specializing in traditional Mughlai/northern Indian dishes. Yes, it offers a variety of tandoori meats that are impeccably fired, as well as curries and Hakka fare, but the portion of its menu dedicated to the namesake dum pukht cooking is what’s generating buzz among Markham’s food cognoscente. Chicken, mutton, biryani, or vegetables are slow-cooked over low heat in clay or copper vessels sealed with dough, resulting in a flavor and fragrance bomb. The lush restaurant also has an inviting bar, where nondrinkers can try the house-made nimbu pani, a refreshing lemon-infused soda with black salt and Indian spices. [$$]

QJD has been in business since 1864, and after one bite of its signature Peking duck, it’s easy to see why. Eating inside the first outpost of the Chinese chain in North America can be a bit of an indulgence, evidenced by the cooks who carve duck tableside — and the bill. But the price is worth it for the premium duck peony set: 24 pieces of duck plated into the shape of a peony blossom and served alongside steamed pancakes, baked hollow sesame seed buns, sweetened soybean dipping sauce, cucumber strips, scallion strips, and white sugar to enjoy with crispy duck skin. [$$ - $$$]

Yes, it’s a knockoff of the uber-popular Taiwanese chain Din Tai Fung, but this restaurant’s steaming-hot, handmade xiao long bao are superb nonetheless. You can even watch the cooks make the soup dumplings through a window at the back of the restaurant. Plus, its Shanghai-style dim sum menu has a mind-boggling array of items — pan-fried pork buns, wontons in chile sauce, pork pie with turnip — but vegetarians can have a field day here as well with king mushrooms over stir-fried bean leaves and, yep, veggie steamed dumplings. DTF is inside the First Markham Place shopping complex (see separate listing). [$$]

The largest Japanese shopping mall in the GTA has been indulging the appetites of Japanophiles for nearly a quarter century. Its restaurants and stores offer a medley of delights, from Heisei Mart’s bevy of grocery goods and grab-and-go items to food purveyors like Tanuki, a restaurant serving yoshoku-style cuisine (Japanese versions of Western dishes). There’s a butcher, two amazing bakers (Nakamura and Sasaki Fine Pastry), though no candlestick maker, at least not yet. There is a seafood market, however, that carries sushi-grade selections. Other operations on site include Izakaya Ju, ramen restaurant Niwatei & Green Tea Lounge, and Cafe Green Tea. [$ - $$]

When two-Michelin-star chef Masaki Saito — chef/owner of his eponymous sushi temple on Avenue Road — is a regular at your restaurant, you must be doing something right. Ivan Lee has accomplished just that with his omakase concept at Liberty Square, which brings a bit of refinement and simple elegance to this strip mall monstrosity. At $138 for 17 courses — 10 of which are nigiri sushi — it’s a decent value. Naturally, the ingredients are based on seasonality, but Lee sources much of his seafood from Japan. Takeout is also available, so you can order foie gras, otoro, and Hokkaido uni for an absolute baller to-go bag. [$$$$]

Another chain from China making its foray into the GTA, Hutaoli serves Sichuan-leaning cuisine in an eclectic space accompanied by a live musical hit parade from the Chinese mainland. It’s an intense experience, but it’s the food you’ll remember later: 36-hour sake sous vide beef tongue, signature roast chicken marinated for 12 hours, and, of course, durian pizza. If a cocktail is in order, go all out with the Flaming Lips — a blend of vodka, raspberry, lemon, and black currant served in a glass coated with crystal sugar and rose petals. [$$]

Since 2009, folks have come to Eddie Yeung’s wee noodle shop to gorge on plump dumplings — in wonton soup, atop of a bed of lo mein, or on their own. Most popular is the traditional wonton noodle soup, in which a quartet of wontons are filled with shrimp, pork, chives, shiitake, and black fungus for a little crunch. If you want greens, get some choy sum (Chinese mustard greens) tossed in; a splash of red vinegar and chile oil will do some good, too. Beyond wontons, tender, juicy beef brisket can be enjoyed with vegetables, lo mein, or as an add-on to wonton soup. The restaurant recently launched its own brand of Hong Kong-style milk tea and house-brewed lemon tea as well. [$]

Specializing in the cuisine of Xinjiang, where Muslim Uyghurs make up most of the population, this humble restaurant serves a bevy of halal Chinese fare. Lamb takes the spotlight, and an order of barbecued lamb skewers covered in cumin and chile is de rigueur. You can also get the protein tossed in silky, springy hand-pulled noodles or in a soup of lamb, yam, and Chinese herbs for a true taste of Xinjiang. Or go for stir-fried beef with onion and lotus leaf-shaped buns, which encompasses the simple yet comforting flavors characteristic of northwestern Chinese cuisine. There are even a few dim sum items, like beef and chive pancakes and lamb and onion steamed dumplings. [$-$$]

Pâtisserie Fleur is, in a word, gorgeous. If that’s not enough to persuade you to visit this cute pastry shop, here are three more: matcha crepe cake. The shop fuses French technique and Asian flavors, and like everything else here, the crepe cake is a wonder of aesthetics and baking. So are the eclairs, flawlessly crafted in flavors like rose lychee and pistachio strawberry. Even prettier is the cake made in the shape of a rose flower — it puts the “fleur” in Pâtisserie Fleur. While the sesame noir cake lacks the look of its peers, don’t let it deter you; the filling of sesame and Madagascar vanilla bean mousse, sesame paste, and sesame cookie will make your eyes roll to the back of your head. [$]

Housed inside the historic Hagerman Corner School built in 1888, this longtime fine dining destination isn’t short on white tablecloths or attentive servers in suits. (It is short on Insta-friendly lighting, but most of the clientele don’t care.) The fine dining classics include rack of lamb, chateaubriand, escargot bourguignon, and the like. The outdoor patio is lovely on those days when you feel like a fancy al fresco feast. [$$$ - $$$$]

Uyghurs originated chuan’r, the Chinese equivalent of yakitori and kushiyaki, consisting of morsels of cumin-spiced lamb skewered and roasted over an open flame. It’s since become a popular street item, not just in Xinjiang but all over China and especially in Beijing. Chat Bar claims to be the first restaurant in the GTA to offer it, and the Markham outpost does so in an organically woodsy and inviting space. Think local izakaya but with an emphasis on lamb skewers, including lamb ribs, kidneys, and tripe. There are a number of other proteins, too, including beef heart, chicken skin, pork knuckle, and grilled Fanny Bay oysters with garlic. And fear not vegetarians: There are more than 20 options from which to choose, most notably the meaty-looking grilled cabbage. [$]

In 2021, the destination mall celebrated 25 years, but also suffered a fire that forced it to close temporarily, leaving food court aficionados in the lurch. After two weeks of lamenting, customers were back lining up for fresh-made, hand-pulled noodles at Sun’s Kitchen and indulging in kanazawa curries and beef bowls at Gyugyuya. There are so many food options inside this enormous mall, it would take numerous visits to make a serious dent, so prioritize the lamb skewers at the legendary Prairie Lamb Kabob and the spicy octopus pancakes at Mr. Pancake. Need more? How about a slurp from Potato Noodle Soup of Bai (which specializes in northwestern Chinese fare), coffee from Dak Lak (which sources imported Vietnamese coffee beans), or Filipino-style hotcakes at Pinoy Waffles. Pick up some candy and snacks — like uji hojicha-flavored Kit Kat — from Ding Dong Exotic Sweet on your way out. [$ - $$]

This sister restaurant to Chiang Mai in Etobicoke brings the same sort of elevated and gorgeously plated Siamese dishes to Markham. It doesn’t necessarily push the envelope, but it presents the standards in fine form. The tom yum pad thai fuses two classics into one, while the khao soi is more than just photo-friendly. The space is also quite fetching. [$$]

Pivoting to become one of the largest outdoor dim sum dining spots in the GTA certainly helped this bastion of high-end dining during the pandemic, but its success is really due to the legions of dim summers who come back again and again for 88’s classy renditions of standards. Honestly, you won’t find a clunker on the menu, so go ahead and try a dish you haven’t had before: braised duck feet and wings with chestnuts, spicy deep-fried chicken knuckle, or pumpkin and sweet corn congee (get the youtiao to enjoy with it). Best of all, its dim sum is available in frozen format for takeout, including shrimp har gow and chiu chow chicken dumplings. Beyond dim sum, you can indulge at dinner with a menu of live seafood. Hong Kong-style crab, anyone? [$$ - $$$]

Bigger is sometimes better — like the ladles of soup at this Langham Square (see separate listing) hot spot, which are big on flavor and big on wontons. The noodles are consistently springy, too, and the broth is always served piping hot. You should also go big when ordering with the “three kinds of toppings noodle in soup,” which includes shrimp wontons, dumplings, and brisket. A heaping plate of crackling fried fish skin offers a dose of texture on the side. Soups come with options of egg noodles, rice noodles, and vermicelli. Warning: The hot sauce is infernal. [$]

This 500,000-square-foot commercial and residential complex offers an absolute wealth of dining options (more than 40), including some of the best wontons in the GTA at Big Trio Wonton Noodle (see separate listing). Toast Delight is known for its Hong Kong-style egg waffles, Kore Chicken fries up some crispy fowl, and Northwestern Chinese Cuisine serves a variety of dishes, including lamb ramen and homemade spicy rabbit head. There are eateries dedicated to dumplings and sushi and those specializing in Taiwanese and Sichuan fare. Plus, the complex includes a T&T Supermarket, the largest Asian grocery store chain in Canada, which carries a bevy of hot foods to sample, a top-notch bakery, and fresh mango and durian mochi. [$ - $$]

When owner Evan Lu moved his noodle shop out of the Yonge/Finch corridor, it was North York’s loss and Markham’s gain. Lu has a knack for making perfectly chewy Lanzhou-style hand-pulled noodles, which he employs, flat or round, in his popular beef bowls. Go for the classic braised brisket and beef with pickled mustard and a side of crispy-bottomed Shanghai-style bao (beware the spurt from the first bite). The cumin lamb skewers, spicy corn with cheese, and cold spiced chicken drizzled with chile oil are also must-orders. [$]

The former chef and manager of the legendary Lahore Tikka House on Gerrard Street opened this spinoff, now a legend of its own. In addition to sizzling platters of beef kebabs and ghee-slicked naan, there are eight varieties of biryani. Oh, and always ask for a side of tandoori chilies — don’t worry, there’s plenty of lassi to go around to quell the burn. It’d be a mistake to leave without sampling the frothy Bangladeshi-style khandani chai, too. [$]

Throwback dining experiences are becoming increasingly rare in Markham, but this steakhouse is still going strong since its founding in 1978. Much of a meal can happen tableside, from the tossing of the Caesar salad and carving of the chateaubriand to the tableside flambe of cherries jubilee and a tableside pour of Spanish coffee. It’s all posh and a bit kitschy but thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless. Plus, the 45-day-aged USDA Prime steaks can’t be beat. And dress nice — you wouldn’t want to disappoint grandpa. [$$$ - $$$$]

It’s all about the snacks at this humble little eatery in the northeastern reaches of Markham. Papa Chang’s showcases the range of Taiwanese cookery with a menu of such classics as chile popcorn chicken, Taiwanese sausage, and braised minced pork over rice with soy-marinated egg and pickled mustard greens. There are items that fall into the Japanese-Taiwanese category, including takoyaki and the okonomiyaki-like Japanese tako pancake with squid. Bento boxes are popular during lunchtime, but if you’re grabbing takeout, get the fish skewers with teriyaki, wasabi, mayo, and shredded fish. [$]

Live your cooking show fantasy at this contemporary Chinese restaurant that offers “Iron Chef dinners.” Choose an ingredient — any ingredient — and the talented chefs will present you with an imaginative, five-course tasting menu based on it. (Some caveats: They’ll need 10 days advance notice, and interested patrons need to have a conversation with kitchen staff prior to booking the $150 per person meal.) Short of that, there’s plenty that dazzles on the regular menu, including rich and fragrant truffle fried rice, two-day marinated buttermilk fried chicken with kimchi, and mantou (Chinese buns; try the braised ox tongue). Proper yakitori (using binchotan charcoal, of course) is also on the menu, and there are some interesting cocktail options, too. [$$$ - $$$$]

You can’t have a conversation about the best kebabs in the city without mentioning this shrine to Afghan gastronomy. Bamiyan has grown into a local chain with seven shops around the GTA, all firing up assorted kebab platters. Check out the choppan (lamb chops), barg (filet mignon), and chaplee — two spiced ground beef patties pockmarked with pomegranate seeds and served with some of the most glorious rice you’ll find anywhere in the city. Dinners come with a salad and Afghan naan, but consider upgrading to kabilee rice cooked with raisins, carrots, and almonds. [$]

This stalwart Hakka restaurant has been at it for 20-plus years, serving splendid Indian-Chinese hits like perennial favorite chile chicken, kan shue green beans, and sublimely wokky Manchurian chow mein. Its takeout game is strong, too. Note: The restaurant only serves halal meat, so if you’re craving proteins of the porcine sort, you’d best look elsewhere. [$]