Mozy’s Charcoal, located at 114 Atlantic Avenue in Liberty Village, is one of Toronto’s hottest new casual dining spots. It opened in January 2026 by Chef Barbode Soudi, whose résumé is nothing short of impressive. He has cooked in some of the world’s finest kitchens, including The French Laundry, Quince, Actinolite, The Black Hoof and most recently Alo. The man certainly knows his way around a kitchen.
Rather than opening another fine dining restaurant, Soudi chose to honour his late father by naming the restaurant after him. The concept is refreshingly simple: exceptionally well-executed charcoal chicken served with a handful of carefully prepared accompaniments. Judging by the crowds, he has a hit on his hands.
We arrived on a World Cup game night and still found ourselves waiting in line for 45 minutes. The restaurant has only a handful of stools, so we ended up taking our food home. Parking nearby can also be a challenge.
The menu is intentionally small and focused. You can order a quarter, half or whole chicken, along with a few thoughtfully chosen sides. The chicken is brined, air-dried for several days, then cooked over a Portuguese charcoal grill, giving it juicy meat and beautifully crisp, smoky skin. On a busy night they must have gone through close to a thousand birds.
The accompanying dishes include fragrant basmati rice with toasted vermicelli, thick-cut hand-cut fries dusted with chicken salt, warm pita, a fresh salad, smoked labneh, charred eggplant dip and several house-made sauces. Of the sauces, I found the roasted red pepper version to be the standout. Dessert is limited to one choice, a sweet-and-salty tahini cookie with a wonderfully chewy texture.
Everything was prepared with the precision you would expect from a chef with Michelin-level experience. There is no unnecessary fuss, just quality ingredients cooked exceptionally well.
My verdict? The food was good, and I can certainly appreciate why Mozy’s has developed such a loyal following. However, for me, standing in line for nearly an hour, with very limited seating and difficult parking, wasn’t worth the hype. If you don’t mind the wait, you’ll likely enjoy it. You be the judge.
Happy dining,
Shanea
06/26/2026
