This spring, Toronto’s SARA is entering a new chapter, relaunching with a tasting-menu-only format that puts shared dining and storytelling at the forefront.
Since opening its doors in 2018, SARA has earned a reputation for globally inspired dishes and welcoming hospitality.
Known as a four-time Michelin Guide–recommended destination, SARA will now offer a single curated experience called “The Journey,” which spotlights a seven-course menu priced at $115 per guest. Guests may also choose a curated wine pairing ($60 per person), thoughtfully designed to enhance each course. The selection highlights sustainable, organic, and low-intervention wines, with a focus on small producers and a strong sense of place and seasonality. Progressing from sparkling to white, rosé, and two distinct reds before concluding with a dessert wine, the pairing reflects the spirit of “The Journey.”
Led by owner Adrian Niman, alongside executive chef Lia Caufin and head chef Graham Gibbs, the menu draws heavily from Toronto’s diverse culinary landscape. As a result, SARA aims to strike a balance between elevated and approachable, in which this tasting format is designed to encourage guests to relax, connect, and engage–with both the food and each other.
We sat down with the team behind SARA to dig into the thinking behind their tasting-menu-only approach, the philosophy shaping “The Journey,” and how they’re crafting an experience that feels both globally inspired and distinctly Toronto.
Adam Minster
What inspired the shift to a tasting-menu-only format at SARA?
-Adam Minster, Co-Founder of Food Dudes Restaurant Group & SARA/RASA Managing Partner
The shift felt less like a pivot and more like a natural evolution. Over time, we noticed that the majority of our guests were already choosing the tasting menu, not just choosing it, but fully leaning into the experience, often with wine pairings. They were looking for a more intentional evening.
That told us something important. Guests weren’t just coming to dine, they were coming for the experience.
By focusing exclusively on the tasting menu, we’re able to refine every touchpoint. It allows us to be more thoughtful, more precise, and more consistent in how we deliver that experience. Nothing is competing for attention, it’s all working together toward one cohesive journey.
How did you approach building the seven-course progression for “The Journey”?
-Adrian Niman, Co-Founder of Food Dudes & SARA, Chef
Seasonality, high-quality ingredients, and technique all play a big role, but ultimately everything is guided by one philosophy: flavour above all. We wanted every course to feel intentional and flow together, with each dish setting up the next. We approached it like storytelling.
Each course has a role to play. There’s a rhythm to it, it starts by sparking curiosity, builds through layers of flavour and texture, hits moments of depth and richness, and then gently resets the palate before finishing on something memorable.
How do you balance global influences with a sense of Toronto identity on the plate?
-Adrian Niman, Co-Founder of Food Dudes & SARA, Chef
Toronto is inherently global. It’s one of the most diverse cities in the world, and that diversity naturally shows up in the way we cook. We’re not trying to represent any single cuisine. Instead, we draw inspiration from cities around the world, using different techniques, ingredients, and flavour profiles, and apply our own lens.
The Toronto identity comes from that openness. It’s about being unrestrained, curious, and respectful of different influences, while still creating something that feels cohesive and personal to us.
Adrian Niman
How did the collaboration between Lia Caufin and Graham Gibbs shape the final menu?
-Adrian Niman, Co-Founder of Food Dudes & SARA, Chef
The collaboration worked as a true creative partnership. Lia and Graham led the day-to-day development of the menu, testing dishes, refining flavours, and building out the progression of the experience. I came in with a slightly more removed perspective and challenged everything.
With our flavour-above-all mentality, I would push the team to simplify or dial up impact where needed, making sure every dish delivered that immediate sense of satisfaction.
It was a very iterative process. Dishes went through multiple rounds, tweaked, stripped back, rebuilt, until they not only stood on their own, but also fit seamlessly into the full journey.
How do you keep the experience elevated yet approachable?
-Adam Minster, Co-Founder of Food Dudes Restaurant Group & SARA/RASA and Managing Partner
For us, “elevated” doesn’t mean formal or intimidating, it means thoughtful. We focus on delivering a high level of care in everything we do, from the food to the service to the pacing of the meal. At the same time, we want guests to feel completely at ease.
The room should feel warm. The service should feel natural, not scripted. And the food, while refined, should above all else be deeply satisfying and memorable. At the end of the day, we want people to walk away feeling like they experienced something special.
As SARA steps into this next phase, “The Journey” reflects not just a shift in format but a deeper commitment to intentional dining. It’s an experience shaped by flavour, collaboration, and the kind of storytelling that lingers long after the final course.
For more details, check out SARA here.
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Published by HOLR Magazine
Image Credits: Kristina Ruddick & Sebastian Gil