# AKin (restaurant)
**aKin** is a one-Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant at 51 Colborne Street in Toronto that serves a blind tasting menu of modern [Asian cuisine](https://www.edgepedia.org/asian-cuisine) in its dining room, founded by chef [Alvin Leung](https://www.edgepedia.org/alvin-leung) and chef Eric Chong in November 2024.[1](https://guide.michelin.com/en/ontario/toronto/restaurant/akin-1212180) • [2](https://www.foodserviceandhospitality.com/now-open-akin/) It is positioned in the luxury price tier: the ten-course menu costs $245 per guest in the dining room and $320 at the chef's counter, with beverages, tax, and gratuity additional.[3](https://www.akintoronto.com/reservations) In 2026, its reservation platform showed aKin booking through April 30, 2026.[4](https://www.exploretock.com/akin-toronto)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location and hours | 51 Colborne St, Toronto (St. Lawrence Market area); Tuesday to Saturday, 5 pm to midnight[5](https://www.akintoronto.com/about) |
| Format | Ten-course blind tasting menu in the dining room, with no à la carte menu there; roughly 2.5 to 3 hours[3](https://www.akintoronto.com/reservations) • [6](https://tastingmenu.ca/restaurants/toronto/st-lawrence-market/akin) |
| Price | $245 dining room / $320 chef's counter (official site); $275 at opening; a seven-course menu ran at $195 in December 2024[3](https://www.akintoronto.com/reservations) • [2](https://www.foodserviceandhospitality.com/now-open-akin/) |
| Founders | Alvin Leung, three-Michelin-starred chef of Bo Innovation in Hong Kong, and Eric Chong, first winner of MasterChef Canada[5](https://www.akintoronto.com/about) |
| Michelin | One star in the 2025 Toronto guide, the only new Ontario restaurant starred that year, joining 16 one-star restaurants in the province[5](https://www.akintoronto.com/about) |
| Seating | 28-seat dining room, four-seat chef's counter, eight-guest private dining room[7](https://torontolife.com/food/whats-on-the-menu-at-akin-eric-chong-tasting-menu/) |
| Sibling restaurant | R&D, opened 2015, Bib Gourmand every year since the Toronto guide launched[5](https://www.akintoronto.com/about) |
## History and founding
aKin was announced in October 2024 and opened in November 2024 at 51 Colborne Street.[8](https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2024/10/chefs-akin-toronto-restaurant/) • [2](https://www.foodserviceandhospitality.com/now-open-akin/) The opening had been planned for March and slipped to November; along the way bartender Jamison Cass left and Josh Mellet took over as bar manager.[7](https://torontolife.com/food/whats-on-the-menu-at-akin-eric-chong-tasting-menu/) The timing mattered for awards: Chong noted the restaurant opened about a month too late to be eligible for a 2024 Michelin star.[9](https://streetsoftoronto.com/food/masterchef-dream-teams-bold-new-restaurant-akin-is-weeks-away-from-opening/)
The two founders met on Season 1 of [MasterChef Canada](https://www.edgepedia.org/masterchef-canada).[10](http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/akin-toronto/) Eric Chong won that competition at age 21 and then refined his craft at Leung's three-Michelin-starred Bo Innovation in Hong Kong.[5](https://www.akintoronto.com/about) Leung, who is Hong Kong-based, is a co-owner but described as more hands-off, providing mentorship and inspiration remotely.[7](https://torontolife.com/food/whats-on-the-menu-at-akin-eric-chong-tasting-menu/)
## Concept and menu
aKin presents itself as a fine-dining, tasting-menu-only Asian restaurant, a void Chong said existed in the city.[8](https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2024/10/chefs-akin-toronto-restaurant/) • [11](http://www.tastetoronto.com/spots/akin) • [15](https://www.tastetoronto.com/spots/aburi-hana) The menu draws on the cuisines of Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Japan, and runs about three hours over ten courses.[7](https://torontolife.com/food/whats-on-the-menu-at-akin-eric-chong-tasting-menu/) Leung described the collaboration as blending "daring, avant-garde parts of my cuisine with Eric's firm, flavour-driven approach," and framed the restaurant as bringing together "Canada, which we call home, and Asia, where our roots and heritage lie."[8](https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2024/10/chefs-akin-toronto-restaurant/) • [11](http://www.tastetoronto.com/spots/akin)
**Sourcing** is international by necessity. The kitchen uses A5 wagyu from Miyazaki, Japan, because no Canadian A5 wagyu exists; uni from Hokkaido; lobster from [Nova Scotia](https://www.edgepedia.org/nova-scotia); [Peking duck](https://www.edgepedia.org/peking-duck) from Feathered Acres in Fergus, Ontario; and geoduck from Vancouver.[7](https://torontolife.com/food/whats-on-the-menu-at-akin-eric-chong-tasting-menu/) Michelin's guide record describes top-shelf ingredients sourced from Nova Scotia to [British Columbia](https://www.edgepedia.org/british-columbia).[1](https://guide.michelin.com/en/ontario/toronto/restaurant/akin-1212180)
**The blind menu rotates by theme** every couple of months rather than offering a fixed list: past themes have included dim sum, street food, Asian barbecue, [Lunar New Year](https://www.edgepedia.org/lunar-new-year), and Asian takeout.[12](https://thearcadiaonline.com/inside-akins-celebration-menu-marking-a-year-and-a-michelin-star-in-toronto/) • [1](https://guide.michelin.com/en/ontario/toronto/restaurant/akin-1212180) [Signature](https://www.edgepedia.org/signature) dishes include a clear youtiao topped with congee purée, fermented olive-leaf aïoli, and pork powder; a raw PEI oyster with rice wine vinegar foam; jellyfish with buttermilk horseradish sauce; and madai over house-made sauerkraut with mala-spiced broth.[7](https://torontolife.com/food/whats-on-the-menu-at-akin-eric-chong-tasting-menu/) • [1](https://guide.michelin.com/en/ontario/toronto/restaurant/akin-1212180) Familiar formats are reworked as fine dining: takes on bo lo bao, hot pot, laksa, and congee.[11](http://www.tastetoronto.com/spots/akin)
## Reception and accolades
In 2025, less than a year after opening, aKin received one Michelin star, becoming the only new restaurant in Ontario to be starred that year.[5](https://www.akintoronto.com/about) Michelin praises the room's gold-leaf finishes and intimate four-seat chef's counter for "refined excellence."[1](https://guide.michelin.com/en/ontario/toronto/restaurant/akin-1212180) Chong also won the MICHELIN Guide Toronto & Region 2025 Young Chef Award.[5](https://www.akintoronto.com/about) Air Canada enRoute placed aKin in its 2025 Best New Restaurants top 10, crediting Chong with blending Chinese roots and contemporary technique.[13](https://enroute.aircanada.com/best-new-restaurants/top10-features/2025-akin/)
## By the numbers
The pricing record shows frequent repricing. At opening the ten-course menu was $275 per person, with a seven-course version at $195 from December 10 to 30, 2024.[2](https://www.foodserviceandhospitality.com/now-open-akin/) The official reservations page now lists $245 in the dining room and $320 at the chef's counter, the counter costing $75 more per guest and adding A5 wagyu with open-kitchen access.[3](https://www.akintoronto.com/reservations) Third-party listings show $225 and $300 for the same two seats.[4](https://www.exploretock.com/akin-toronto) • [6](https://tastingmenu.ca/restaurants/toronto/st-lawrence-market/akin) blogTO reported curated cocktail or wine pairings for an additional $135.[10](http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/akin-toronto/)
The room holds 28 diners plus a four-seat chef's counter and an eight-guest private dining room downstairs with a glass wall overlooking the wine display.[7](https://torontolife.com/food/whats-on-the-menu-at-akin-eric-chong-tasting-menu/) • [3](https://www.akintoronto.com/reservations) Reservations for the following month are released on the first day of the previous month; cancellations within 72 hours are non-refundable but transferable, guests must be over 12, and tables are held for 15 minutes.[3](https://www.akintoronto.com/reservations)
## The group: aKin, R&D, and Leung
aKin is the fine-dining flagship of a two-restaurant Toronto partnership between Chong and Leung. Their first joint venture, R&D, opened in 2015 and has received a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide Toronto every year since the guide's launch; Chong was named Asian Restaurateur of the Year in 2019.[5](https://www.akintoronto.com/about) • [8](https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2024/10/chefs-akin-toronto-restaurant/) The two restaurants occupy opposite ends of the price spectrum: R&D is a Bib Gourmand casual spot, while aKin is a $245-plus tasting-menu room, and the space was designed by Commute Design Studio.[8](https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2024/10/chefs-akin-toronto-restaurant/)
## Recent developments
The restaurant's entire public life postdates 2023, and its first year was eventful:
- **November 2024**: opening at 51 Colborne Street after a delay from March.[2](https://www.foodserviceandhospitality.com/now-open-akin/) • [7](https://torontolife.com/food/whats-on-the-menu-at-akin-eric-chong-tasting-menu/)
- **April 2025**: a dim sum-inspired ten-course menu launched April 8 with tea-infused cocktail pairings, honoring Chong's grandfather's dim sum legacy, and the Bar at aKin opened with items such as A5 wagyu tart, [lobster rolls](https://www.edgepedia.org/lobster-roll), and laksa lemak with Nova Scotia lobster; an eight-course dim sum tasting ran [Mother's Day](https://www.edgepedia.org/mothers-day) weekend, May 10 to 11.[14](https://viewthevibe.com/heres-whats-new-on-the-menu-at-akin/)
- **2025**: one Michelin star and Chong's Young Chef Award, followed by the enRoute top 10 placement.[5](https://www.akintoronto.com/about) • [13](https://enroute.aircanada.com/best-new-restaurants/top10-features/2025-akin/)
- **Late 2025**: a "Celebration" tasting menu marked the first anniversary and the Michelin star.[12](https://thearcadiaonline.com/inside-akins-celebration-menu-marking-a-year-and-a-michelin-star-in-toronto/)
- **Into 2026**: the reservation platform showed bookings through April 30, 2026, with a seasonal ten-course menu listed at $225.[4](https://www.exploretock.com/akin-toronto)
## References
1. [aKin – Toronto, a MICHELIN Guide Restaurant](https://guide.michelin.com/en/ontario/toronto/restaurant/akin-1212180)
2. [Now Open: aKin, Foodservice and Hospitality Magazine](https://www.foodserviceandhospitality.com/now-open-akin/)
3. [Reservations, Akin Toronto (official site)](https://www.akintoronto.com/reservations)
4. [aKin – Toronto, ON, Tock](https://www.exploretock.com/akin-toronto)
5. [About, Akin Toronto (official site)](https://www.akintoronto.com/about)
6. [aKin, St. Lawrence Market – Tasting Menu Toronto](https://tastingmenu.ca/restaurants/toronto/st-lawrence-market/akin)
7. [What's on the menu at Akin, Toronto Life](https://torontolife.com/food/whats-on-the-menu-at-akin-eric-chong-tasting-menu/)
8. [Award-winning chefs are opening a Toronto restaurant that will be the first of its kind, blogTO](https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2024/10/chefs-akin-toronto-restaurant/)
9. [MasterChef dream team's bold new restaurant aKin is weeks away from opening, Streets of Toronto](https://streetsoftoronto.com/food/masterchef-dream-teams-bold-new-restaurant-akin-is-weeks-away-from-opening/)
10. [aKin, blogTO listing](http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/akin-toronto/)
11. [aKin, TasteToronto](http://www.tastetoronto.com/spots/akin)
12. [Inside aKin's Celebration Menu, The Arcadia Online](https://thearcadiaonline.com/inside-akins-celebration-menu-marking-a-year-and-a-michelin-star-in-toronto/)
13. [aKin – Air Canada's Best New Restaurants](https://enroute.aircanada.com/best-new-restaurants/top10-features/2025-akin/)
14. [Here's what's on the new tasting menu at aKin, View the Vibe](https://viewthevibe.com/heres-whats-new-on-the-menu-at-akin/)
15. [Aburi Hana, TasteToronto](https://www.tastetoronto.com/spots/aburi-hana)
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*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 10, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 10, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Oct 10, 2026*
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