From comfort food for the soul like pho and ramen to Toronto classics like chili chicken and shawarma plates, find out where the industry experts get their fill and, more importantly, exactly what they order.
Take a look—you might discover a new hidden gem or be inspired to try a new dish.
Yueh Tung Restaurant
Price: 💸–💸💸
Cuisine: Hakka/Chinese
Address: 126 Elizabeth St, Toronto, ON
What You Need To Get: Chili chicken on rice ($18)
This family-run Hakka-Chinese restaurant has been in business since 1986, and chef Lonie Murdock of Miss Likklemore's is a fan of their classic chili chicken on rice.
"They're the first Hakka-Chinese restaurant in Toronto, and it's run by the daughters of the original owners. The chili chicken is the best in town!" she told us.
Credited with introducing the city to Hakka cuisine, Yueh Tung's chili chicken was the first Hakka dish on the menu, and it became an instant hit with the locals. After 38 years, it's still a crowd favourite.
Yueh Tung menu
El Trompo
Price: 💸–💸💸
Cuisine: Mexican
Address: 277 Augusta Ave, Toronto, ON
What You Need To Get: Chicken tings tacos con queso ($14.50 for five pieces)
El Trompo's patio in Kensington is usually buzzing in the summer, with diners chowing down on delicious al pastor tacos and guava margs. Thanos Tripi, owner of Mamakas Taverna and Bar Koukla, orders the chicken tinga tacos con queso with guacamole on the side.
"My wife and I order once a week-ish. Simple but so damn satisfying on a corn tortilla with those red and green sauces. There's nothing more more-ish for us."
There are plenty of taco spots in Kensington, but this is where you go for a no-frills, homey space with a lot of character and good vibes. And five tacos for $15? Who can beat that?
El Trompo menu
Simit and Chai
Price: 💸–💸💸
Cuisine: Turkish
Address: 19 Duncan St, Toronto, ON
What You Need To Get: Shakshuka ($15.75)
Chef Nuit Regular from celeb-fave Pai has been loving the newly-opened Simit and Chai, which is located right across from the Thai hotspot's downtown location. It's convenient for her to grab a quick lunch or brunch before she starts her day at work.
"Their shakshuka is a standout for me—the balance of flavours is just perfect, with the rich tomato sauce, perfectly poached eggs and warm spices. It's such a comforting and satisfying dish that feels like a hug in a bowl."
When she's in a hurry, she'll grab one of their Simit sandwiches to go—usually the Poseidon smoked salmon sandwich ($13.25) and a cup of coffee.
Simit and Chai is the only local chain that produces Simit bagels dipped in molasses and rolled in sesame seeds. Their homemade shakshuka is a natural accompaniment.
Simit and Chai menu
Ikkousha Ramen
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Japanese
Address: 249 Queen St W, Toronto, ON
What You Need to Get: Gyokai tonkotsu ($16)
Chef Hermawan Lay from the newly opened Jade Yorkville gets his ramen fill at Ikkousha Ramen on Queen Street.
"They have two restaurants nearby. One with chicken-based soup and the other with pork-based soup. Make sure to go to the location with pork-based soup and order the gyokai tonkotsu."
What's in this bowl, you ask? It's a unique combination of pork, chicken, and fish broth served with thick noodles to soak up all the broth and a piece of pork cha-shu, bamboo shoots, seaweed, and spring onions for $16.
Ikkousha Ramen menu
Gaucho Pie Co.
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Argentinian
Address: 346 Westmoreland Ave N Unit 105 C, Toronto, ON
What You Need To Get: Any empanada that peaks your interest ($3.75)
Gaucho Pie Co. is a family-run spot by Susan Arevalo and her brother, Claudio Arevalo, along with their children.
As a wholesale bakery specializing in Argentinian empanadas and alfajores (a sandwich cookie filled with dulce de leche imported from Argentina, coated in coconut flakes), the storefront only opens up for walk-ins a few days a week, from Thursday to Saturday, 11 p.m. to 5 p.m.
When it's open, Scale Hospitality's corporate executive chef, Ted Corrado, will be picking up a few pies. Choose from a plethora of fillings—from spicy pork kimchi and chicken shawarma to Big Mac empanadas and aloo gobi. You might never be able to pick a favourite because the flavours are always rotating.
Gaucho Pie Co. website
Shawarma Empire
Price: 💸–💸💸
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Address: 1823 Lawrence Ave E, Toronto, ON
What You Need To Get: A mixed shawarma plate ($15)
Master chef and restaurateur chef Hemant Bhagwani, creator of some of the city's most successful Indian eateries (Goa Farm Kitchen, Bar Goa), knows flavour well. That's why he opts for Shawarma Empire. "I love having their mixed shawarma plate," he recommended.
Chef Seb, from Taline, seconds this, but he goes for the wrap because of the pocket-shaped fresh pita and even distribution of ingredients, ensuring you get a little bit of everything in every bite.
There are a number of old-faithful Shawarma joints on Lawrence, and Shawarma Empire is always on the list. With the mixed plate, you don't have to pick between chicken or beef. A generous portion of each meat comes with your choice of toppings: rice, hummus, tahini, and garlic sauce. And just because it's not a wrap doesn't mean you'll lose the pita—it comes on the side.
UFO Restaurant
Price: 💸–💸💸
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Address: 241 Niagara St, Toronto, ON
What You Need To Get: Pork Spring Roll Vermicelli ($17)
Ryan Lister, executive chef at top city spots like The Rabbit Hole and The Dorset, usually has a lot on his plate. But he still makes time to find affordable eats in the city.
"Whenever I get a day to pop out for eats, one of my favourite spots is a little Vietnamese restaurant called UFO located on Niagara Street. My go-to is the pork spring roll vermicelli—it's a massive portion of delicious food! I highly recommend."
The tiny diner near Trinity-Bellwoods is tucked inside a convenience store but has a huge menu. It serves bacon cheeseburgers, Vietnamese iced cappuccinos, and a selection of sandwiches for under $10. It really is a one-stop shop for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to go.
UFO Restaurant Instagram
Ugly Delicious
Price: 💸–💸💸
Cuisine: American
Address: 199 Baldwin St, Toronto, ON
What You Need To Get: Double "Onions We Crazy" burger ($20)
Chef Sebouh Yacoubian hails from Taline and, previously, Mamakas Taverna. When he's not making elevated renditions of his mom's home cooking at his kitchen in Rosedale, he's likely heading over to Kensington's Ugly Delicious for a luscious patty.
"It's probably the most underrated burger joint in the city. They use wagyu as part of their burger blend and the onion smash is really, really good," Yacoubian told Narcity.
Indeed, the Ugly Delicious burgers are made with a signature blend of Halal-slaughtered Australian wagyu and premium AAA beef cut. You can opt for a single, double or triple, but maybe the most notable menu item is their namesake, "The Ugly Delicious," a whopping seven patties with American cheese, "ugly" sauce, lettuce, tomato and pickles.
Ugly Delicious menu
Sushi on Bloor
Price: 💸–💸💸
Cuisine: Japanese
Address: 525 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON
What You Need To Get: Beef teriyaki roll ($7.90 for eight pieces) and rainbow roll ($11.40 for eight pieces)
Sushi on Bloor is a local favourite in the Annex. For Ceci Bar's chef de cuisine, Juan Alvarez, a must-try Sushi on Bloor menu item is the beef teriyaki roll, rainbow roll, and ginger ale, which cost a grand total of $23.
The restaurant has been feeding the neighbourhood for years, and repeat customers still rave about the fresh sashimi and fast service.
Sushi on Bloor menu
Raku
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Japanese
Address: 456 Queen St W, Toronto, ON
What You Need To Get: Ebiten udon ($18)
Celebrity chef Antonio Park, head of several upscale restaurants in Toronto, Montreal and Seoul, certainly has his hands full. But when he's in town and has some downtime, he prefers a bowl of ebiten udon (shrimp tempura and umeboshi) from his favourite low-cost eatery, Raku.
The agedashi tofu and Yakima nasu apps are also repeat orders for Park. Originally from New York, the location on Queen is Raku's only outpost outside the Big Apple's state lines.
They're known for their wide variety of Japanese udon dishes (hot and cold) and comfort foods like chicken tatsuta-age (fried chicken) and donburi dishes.
Raku menu
A 9x9 'Wayne Gretsky' in a Tim Hortons cup.Tomás Keating | Narcity
McCain Happy Frydays Café.Courtesy of McCain Canada
The PSL Lover.Courtesy of McCain Canada
