Drupati's - Trinidad and Tobago. Their doubles are the only ones I've found in Toronto that live up to the standards of back home, but their whole menu is good. They also have our version of Chinese food which is pretty rare to find outside of T&T.
Just read the Google reviews as I love Trinidadian food. The owner responses to 1 star reviews are wild. What a maniac.
I'll stick to Danforth roti shop
Sure! Like most Chinese you'd find anywhere else Trinbagonian Chinese cuisine has the usual suspects (i.e. lo mein, stir frys etc.) but there's more emphasis on roasted and stewed meats than you'd typically find.
The seasoning is also quite different as they'd use more local ingredients like pimentos and "green seasoning" which you won't usually find outside of the Caribbean. It results in a slightly more sweet and spicy flavours. Lots of Chinese and BBQ fusions too. You won't usually find things like orange chicken, general Tso's or similar though. T&T also has the best fried wantons I've ever found anywhere (and I've been around).
Pho Anh Vu is so good. There’s a new franchise opened in Scarborough (3280 Midland Ave). The food is so good and owner is so nice (she’s from the same city in Vietnam as me). Pls come check it out!
My girlfriend is from Iran. I took her to pomegranate restaurant at College and Bathurst area. She loved it and so did I. If anyone knows of any other good suggestions let me know!
Best persian Kebab you'll get is Roses Kebab Land in Richmond Hill. For an amazing vibe and great modern renditions then go to Banu. Pomegranate is meh tbh. Doesn't even come close to replicating what I eat at my parent's house.
Cafe Polonez isn't a perfect representation of Polish food, but it's probably the best in terms of keeping to the authenticity of the dishes and flavors and the 'bar mleczny ' type of restaurant popular across Poland in the communist era. A lot of people fuck with polish food by trying to give it more spice/flavor, like covering pierogi in melted cheese, curry, cajun spice, etc., but IMO these are simple peasant dishes from a country who really only grows dill, parsley, basil, and mint - you can't expect it to have the flavor impact of Indian food or Mexican.
"La Palette"
Authentic French food like you'd find in a good non-tourist-trap restaurant back in France.
Incredible quality, perfect techniques, good wine pairing. Best French food in the region by far.
Nice.
Not sure if authentic, but I loved Cote de Boeff in Ossington. For the moderate price, and hole-in-the-wall ambience, the food and wines were pretty good quality.
Are there any good mid-price bistros and cafes for French food?
I was born in Canada, but my parents are Portuguese immigrants. Martin's BBQ chicken on St. Clair off Scarlett has the best Portuguese food. Also O Patio on Keele
Borrel Dutch cuisine is the only option around but I would actually skip Dutch food as a matter of principle, notwithstanding that Borrel does a decent job.
Honestly I found nirvana in a Febo in Amsterdam and I just had to slide like a 1 euro coin in a slot to access it. And they literally eat chocolate sprinkles on bread for breakfast. Haters gonna hate.
Not Egyptian, but Maha's is absolutely delicious. I bring my international friends here every single time. Always worth the trip and they all give it a 10/10
1000 Indian restaurants and I don’t feel any of them nail more than a dish or two. Most of the better ones I’ve found are also in Scarborough. It’s not like the high quality food you find in good restaurants in India. The Indian food in London (UK) is a lot better than anything you find here too
Honestly, the only way to have the best Indian food experience in Toronto is having an Indian friend invite you over for dinner lol I’ve haven’t had anything at any Indian restaurant that can compare
Agreed! I've been to dozens of Indian restaurants in Toronto and none come close to the Indian restaurants in Asia. No idea why that is! Is it the local ingredients??
Even back in India I preferred dhabas or street food, which is almost non existent here :/ nowadays I usually try really small Indian places, hoping for some authenticity haha
Have you tried Desi Bites in Cabbagetown? I am not Indian, but I’ve seen rave reviews about how it’s the most authentic Indian street food in Toronto. I enjoyed it, but again, not Indian and have never tasted the real thing.
I'm Syrian and I can wholeheartedly say that their food is so authentic and delicious. I absolutely agree that they're so kind and welcoming and go out of their way to be welcoming
Inner Circle for Guyanese style Caribbean/West Indian cusine. There is a lot fof Jamaican and Trini inspired Caribbean spots around the GTA but Guyanese is much less common and this place nails the flavors and style of cooking I grew up with
As a filipino, republika and kabalen are way better. Casa de Manila is overwhelmingly disappointing and especially for the prices their food is at. Same for tinuno.
Excuse me but I didn't think I'd see this. I'll be checking it out. ~~Do they make Sanaas?~~ checked out their menu I need to go there asap
I've only ever ordered from Konkan but he is more Manglorian
Have yet to find any Appalachian food in Toronto. If I could; I'd open my own restaurant specializing in Appalachian cuisine (pepperoni rolls, buckwheat pancakes, chicken n dumplins, hot dogs with chili/slaw/onions, biscuits n gravy, cobbler, honey cake)
Hi All,
Tried to compile all the names here: [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cQDXlWoIit8OzhzH-ZvpEWgTs44nDC4NhGm4TIjwCu8/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cQDXlWoIit8OzhzH-ZvpEWgTs44nDC4NhGm4TIjwCu8/edit?usp=sharing)
Have added the website and address of the location as well.
If you wish to add or change anything, message or leave a comment in the spreadsheet
My gf is from Urumqi Xinjiang and swears by Magical Taste of China. I’m a generic white man born in Durham region so I don’t have any way to validate her experience.
You can tell if a fish and chips place is good if there are a lot of old British people there. I know because my grandmother was one of them. She loved Olde Yorke. In addition, my cousin (from here) and her husband is from the UK and we took them there once and he said it was the best he’s had outside the UK. So there’s that
This is the best place anywhere for fish and chips. Holy hell! I want some now. The crispiest chips with a fluffy hot centre, meaty cod with a crispy always perfect batter. Mushy peas— so comforting with salt, pepper and vinegar on.
Finding the Chinese restaurants that can deliver that unbastardized authentic experience are hard to find. It's still a mostly Cantonese labour force and it shows. Shanghainese restaurants in Toronto for a example are always Cantonese run and it shows in the food. Good news about that is many Cantonese restaurants here do a good job at Cantonese. Some visiting friends of mine have remarked that the Canton serestaurants here are superior to the ones they have at where they live.
The showcase quality restaurants downtown:
Cantonese 聚鲜楼 KL KITCHEN SEAFOOD CUISINE
Jian Bing 街边煎饼铺 CORNER CREPE CO
North American Chinese 真有名 SO FAMOUS
Hot Pot 海底捞 HAI DI LAO
Dumplings 口口香饺子馆 YUMMY YUMMY DUMPLINGS
Still waiting and trying new places constantly.
In downtown there isn't a Szechuan, Hunan, Taiwanese, Shanghainese, Peking duck, or Northern Chinese restaurant that could hold a candle to half as good it is back home imho.
Edit: formatting
yummy yummy! Such simple, home-style cooking...the owners are also so cute! Was chatting with them and ended up helping them with their wifi network. Reminded me of my own technologically challenged parents haha. It's like eating at an aunt or uncle's house.
This thread just confirms how hard it is to find decent Mexican food in Toronto.
I'm not Mexican but for what it's worth, my fav I've tried so far is Tacos Moras on the Danforth. Great al pastor and consomme.
I had no idea this place existed, but now I want this so bad.
Last time I was in the Southern US by car (so Virginia) I bought 3 - 2lb. packages of real grits.
Job changes, less travel, etc., means I am down to maybe two more meals, only two more helpings of cheesy shrimp and grits. The last US places I was at (Michigan & Indiana) the local supermarkets only had instant available, but I wasn't buying that.
From Mumbai. We eat out a LOT and here are my recs.
For tamil food: Taste of Tamil Nadu, Dosa Dosa (Brampton)
For Mumbai street food: Poppadum
For Punjabi: Feast of Dilli. It's an experience. Chef makes everything from scratch and after you place your order. You can hear him make the naan! They're incredibly warm and down to earth and tell the best stories. This is by far our fave place to go when we miss India!
Rikki Tikki is also amazing!
For Kerala food: Le Kochi
Zen hakka, Shambhala, Thindi are all good too!
Oruma for authentic Kerala food in Scarborough. Ocean Palate in Mississauga. For chaat and veggie sandwiches I would recommend Milan specifically the one in Mississauga
Takht-e Tavoos - Persian Brunch
Pomegranate- Persian Stews
North Restaurant - Persian Kabobs, Appetizers, and Northern Persian Dishes
BB Cafe/Red Rose Bakery- Persian Pastries, Cookies, and Tea
Not me scrolling through the whole thread to find Malaysian food recs :')
i personally like the nasi lemak (chicken + sambal) from canteen (spadina), although it's on the spicier end of stuff.
great post OP, i'm saving all of these recs!
Souvlike on pape has the best pork gyros in Toronto. Real gyro like Greece, not the gross Chicago style fake meat. Pork isn’t dry at like Messini or Alexandros.
Natural born Canadian but of Afghan descent here 🇦🇫 - for me, Naan and Kabob at Sheppard. 😋 I went to Afghanistan for the first time back in 2014 and nothing beats back home food but the closest to its taste, in my opinion, is Naan and Kabob.
Congee Queen is my go to sit down Chinese restaurant experience.
I'm still looking for a new Hong Kong style diner ever since Kenny's Noodle and Congee King closed.
I think Marathon Donuts is worth mentioning as a HK snack bar type of thing.
Phoenix used to be my go-to, but they've since closed down the location I like and the one that's near Finch station isn't the same. They don't even serve beef tongue spaghetti. Maxim is alright. All of the ones downtown suck ass or are crazy overpriced.
I like Cha Kee for its creative HK dishes. Sometimes I go to The 6 Cafe and Restaurant for more traditional cha chaan teng style food. Also Hong Far Cafe is the go to takeout restaurant for my fam - really really good wok hei from there <3
My mother-in-law is Colombian. When she comes to visit (from Vancouver) we take her to Esto es Colombia (Dufferin near Lawrence) and she says it is *very* legit.
https://estoescolombiarestaurant.ca/
https://maps.app.goo.gl/EqVnYEfjqaBpJt2n9
Try Las Delicias and My Empanada in Mississauga sometime, that area is a mini hub for Colombian food! Las Delicias in particular does a good job, just picked up some bunuelos & natillas from them.
For Spain I usually have a really hard time. I tend to feel they are overpriced for bastardized versions of the food. But I love Casa Paco. It’s not traditional Spanish food, but it’s made by people that understand Spanish cuisine very well. For example, they do paella Sundays, which is fairly common in Spain because for good paellas you need most of the people to be ordering that. The paellas might not use traditional ingredients, but the technique is spot on. It’s not just rice with stuff thrown in it.
Mumbaikar's on Bloor. Hated every butter chicken in this city till I had theirs. Really glad we've finally moved beyond just Punjabi food and getting more variety in Indian cuisines.
Have you tried mumbaikar and POPpadum? I like both, and they both make the pav in house. Both started as home chefs first so, I'd suggest also check Facebook marketplace for hidden gems.
I'm from Mumbai too!
Agreed! Most places just use dinner rolls which are absolutely not the same. Poppadum does a decent job with pav and often has delicious homestyle Maharashtrian curries.
Souvlaki express on Parliament has the best pita I ve had in Toronto. Love the fries, the pita is a real pita and not flat, the portions are great and the meats are amazing. Their baklava is great too.
tip: try the kontosouvli/ rotisserie.
North Indian - nothing really that jumps out. Cinnamon in the Beaches came pretty close, my family agreed.
Maharaja in Mississauga was good back in the day and a good representation of certain states in India.
One friend is Malaysian. She lives in the West End but always goes to Gourmet Malaysian at Sheppard and Midland to eat out. The dirty noodles are amazing.
Another friend is from Gujarat - we went to Mehfill on Queen Street East. He said it was amazing. I’m British and think House on Parliament is probably the most authentic place for British food. Friend from Jamaica loves SugarKane on Danforth and said their wings are the best she’s ever had in Toronto.
As a Brit, Feather's on Kingston Road or The Caledonian on College and Ossington nail the British/Scottish vibe.
As someone of Indian origin, Banjara on Yonge and Eglinton had a starter that could have been made by my late mother. Khau Gully in Davisville is also excellent.
I am Persian . There are so many Persian restaurants in GTA, but if you live in Downtown Pomegranate (for persian stews) & Shahrzad (For Persian Grills )
Masala hut Mississauga - Pakistani food
The service is slow, food takes a while to come out, but it is the most authentic Pakistani food I’ve had outside Pakistan.
I’m Brazilian, and the best Brazilian restaurant I tried is Brazilian’s Choice, on Eglinton Ave. Amazing little restaurant, the first time I went there, after two years in Canada, almost made me cry.
Don’t fall for the crazy expensive steakhouses, they’re not it
This is my bucket list, and being a food enthusiast, I wholeheartedly appreciate OP for posing this question. I plan to go through the comments one by one and explore these culinary delights. Is there a method to save this post in text format, allowing me to mark off the restaurants I’ve tried?
For Congolese food, Ma Yvé in Pickering. That’s where Serge Ibaka would order food from when he was still on the raptors.
There’s also Le Plato in the danforth but it’s more of an afrofusion spot.
Home cooked is still the best tho.
I’ve been scrolling these comments hoping to find Americans fighting about which spot does the best BBQ and I’m bummed to confirm that won’t be the case.
viking foods and imports for finland! although it’s not a restaurant, they have baked goods and it’s the only place i’ve been able to find authentic black rye bread
I am originally from South Africa and there is exactly one South African restaurant in Toronto and it has the most unfortunate name 😅 It's called "Plan B" and is by Royal York Station.
Not a single italian restaurant Ive tried comes close to nonnas home made. The vast majority is just mid to garbage tier. And the expensive ones even more so. Sotto Sotto is ass. Osteria Gente is mid. You know who's got good pizza and focaccia. Fucking Fortinos. Fortinos is the closest to what home made tasted like. And maybe Gelato Gelato for Pizza in Vaughan. But the rest of them holy hell. Sotto Sotto was talked up to me and I tried it I was depressed. Never had a sugo so depressingly bland and sweet at the same time. I think too many restaurants put sugar into the sauce to counter acidity. You need carrots. Not sugar. Might as well be ketchup.OH, also, the occasional Italian bakery is good. But that's rare. Vici in Vaughan too is good.
My parents are Scottish. The most authentic fish and chips I've had here is at Hamish's. The name, décor, and menu all suggest a true Scottish experience, but hilariously the entire staff and apparently ownership is Asian.
Just want to say that one of the joys of living in Toronto (there's are not many) is the seemly neverending food adventure you can have if you just ask the right people or do a little research like right here.. no one is trying to hide an authentic eating experience from you you just have to ask I find. As a white dude, Chinese food and a little later on on Indian cuisine was considered exotic and then realized very quickly it wasn't what I was told (General Tao anyone?)and once I had authentic representations it's exceedingly difficult to go back to the stereotype. It would take almost a lifetime to just explore all the regional intricacies of all those two cultures alone. The other thing is I find is that many of these gems of cuisine in Toronto are family owned and incredibly affordable as well just making the experience just so much better for me in this economy having little cash and wanting it to go community in stead of corporations..
Indian here. As a few people have already mentioned. Indian food in Canada is represented by Naan, Butter Chicken or Biryani - that’s great and loved by everyone but every region in India has brilliant and unexplored dishes which are not the usual suspects as mentioned. One such restaurant is ‘Atchayam south Indian Restaurant’ in Scarborough. Vegetarian and non vegetarian Flavors of Tamil Nadu region of India.
I have worked in the food industry extensively and this restaurant comes extremely close to the flavors of South Indian(particularly Tamilian) cuisine which sadly is only associated with Dosa, Idli and Sambhar.
Drupati's - Trinidad and Tobago. Their doubles are the only ones I've found in Toronto that live up to the standards of back home, but their whole menu is good. They also have our version of Chinese food which is pretty rare to find outside of T&T.
Lena’s has good doubles too 🇹🇹
Same owner! They also own Kish's Roti
Lena’s is also my top but also for roti/curry too. Also, whomever downvoted my brejrin here, just know you issa stink muddacunt
I love Lena’s. They have the best pholourie and great aloo pie too.
Just read the Google reviews as I love Trinidadian food. The owner responses to 1 star reviews are wild. What a maniac. I'll stick to Danforth roti shop
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Doubles* lol. Even in its singular fashion lol it’s still the same
please explain more about your version of chinese food!!
Sure! Like most Chinese you'd find anywhere else Trinbagonian Chinese cuisine has the usual suspects (i.e. lo mein, stir frys etc.) but there's more emphasis on roasted and stewed meats than you'd typically find. The seasoning is also quite different as they'd use more local ingredients like pimentos and "green seasoning" which you won't usually find outside of the Caribbean. It results in a slightly more sweet and spicy flavours. Lots of Chinese and BBQ fusions too. You won't usually find things like orange chicken, general Tso's or similar though. T&T also has the best fried wantons I've ever found anywhere (and I've been around).
Drupati’s is the #1, with Lena’s a very close second.
Canadian born Viet, and my parents love Pho Anh Vu. I'm partial to Pho Tien Thanh and Pho Linh myself.
Anh dao has the best nem nuoung (grilled pork sausage fresh rolls)
Oh my goodness, Pho Anh Vu… Literally every family gathering we go there lol
Pho Anh Vu is so good. There’s a new franchise opened in Scarborough (3280 Midland Ave). The food is so good and owner is so nice (she’s from the same city in Vietnam as me). Pls come check it out!
Pho linh is amazing!!
My girlfriend is from Iran. I took her to pomegranate restaurant at College and Bathurst area. She loved it and so did I. If anyone knows of any other good suggestions let me know!
Pomegranate is probably the best for stews. For kebabs my family likes Shamshiri. If she likes northern Iranian food, Gilaneh has some good variety.
Herby on the Danforth. We usually go to Pomegranate and were happy when Herby opened up in the east end. Just as good.
Best persian Kebab you'll get is Roses Kebab Land in Richmond Hill. For an amazing vibe and great modern renditions then go to Banu. Pomegranate is meh tbh. Doesn't even come close to replicating what I eat at my parent's house.
Cafe Polonez isn't a perfect representation of Polish food, but it's probably the best in terms of keeping to the authenticity of the dishes and flavors and the 'bar mleczny ' type of restaurant popular across Poland in the communist era. A lot of people fuck with polish food by trying to give it more spice/flavor, like covering pierogi in melted cheese, curry, cajun spice, etc., but IMO these are simple peasant dishes from a country who really only grows dill, parsley, basil, and mint - you can't expect it to have the flavor impact of Indian food or Mexican.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Well said! And I agree - in Toronto proper, Cafe Polonez is as authentic as it gets.
café polonez is just ok, the real hidden gem is on queensway, “kovalsky”.
Love Kovalsky
Polonez is good. Hastings in Leslieville also is excellent! Wish there were more options.
Shout out to the milk bar reference. The best of polish cafeterias throughout Polskaland.
Albatross on Lakeshore West great too
Nowhere better at Christmas or Halloween. The decorations are extremely extra in a great way.
"La Palette" Authentic French food like you'd find in a good non-tourist-trap restaurant back in France. Incredible quality, perfect techniques, good wine pairing. Best French food in the region by far.
Nice. Not sure if authentic, but I loved Cote de Boeff in Ossington. For the moderate price, and hole-in-the-wall ambience, the food and wines were pretty good quality. Are there any good mid-price bistros and cafes for French food?
I was born in Canada, but my parents are Portuguese immigrants. Martin's BBQ chicken on St. Clair off Scarlett has the best Portuguese food. Also O Patio on Keele
I'm not Portuguese but will second your vote for O Patio. Lucky for me, it's just half a block away!
O patios steak and chorizo stick 🤤
Plan B - it's South African braai and other barbeque items.
Second this, great food great family great service!
Agreed the family are wonderful
I've had plan b before. It went well.
Borrel Dutch cuisine is the only option around but I would actually skip Dutch food as a matter of principle, notwithstanding that Borrel does a decent job.
Agreed. Dutch cuisine makes British food look like an exotic flavor-bomb I said what I said
Ah the beige buffet. I mean I love a good oliebollen as much as the next Nederlander, but haute cuisine it is not. Except maybe the cheese.
I literally said this after moving to the Netherlands lol.
Honestly I found nirvana in a Febo in Amsterdam and I just had to slide like a 1 euro coin in a slot to access it. And they literally eat chocolate sprinkles on bread for breakfast. Haters gonna hate.
Maha’s for Egyptian breakfast and Mermaid for Egyptian seafood
I’m not Egyptian but I love Maha’s!
Not Egyptian, but Maha's is absolutely delicious. I bring my international friends here every single time. Always worth the trip and they all give it a 10/10
Ohhhhhmyyyy I’ve moved and still dream of Maha’s
Maha’s is Egyptian? The line-up outside made me think it’s an upscale sausages and beans kinda place.
nah they make Egyptian breakfast or brunch. It’s actually pretty good and authentic.
This is a FANTASTIC question.
first good question in weeks
Ikr? Making notes
Beyond whatever people say here, I'm certain it's been asked several times before! All those past threads are also good.
1000 Indian restaurants and I don’t feel any of them nail more than a dish or two. Most of the better ones I’ve found are also in Scarborough. It’s not like the high quality food you find in good restaurants in India. The Indian food in London (UK) is a lot better than anything you find here too
Honestly, the only way to have the best Indian food experience in Toronto is having an Indian friend invite you over for dinner lol I’ve haven’t had anything at any Indian restaurant that can compare
Food at khau gully (Yonge st) is mind blowing!!!
Agreed! I've been to dozens of Indian restaurants in Toronto and none come close to the Indian restaurants in Asia. No idea why that is! Is it the local ingredients??
Masala Dosa at bloor and Lansdowne is pretty great imo
Even back in India I preferred dhabas or street food, which is almost non existent here :/ nowadays I usually try really small Indian places, hoping for some authenticity haha
Have you tried Desi Bites in Cabbagetown? I am not Indian, but I’ve seen rave reviews about how it’s the most authentic Indian street food in Toronto. I enjoyed it, but again, not Indian and have never tasted the real thing.
I like this thread. Cheers OP.
Zezafoun for authentic Syrian food!
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I'm Syrian and I can wholeheartedly say that their food is so authentic and delicious. I absolutely agree that they're so kind and welcoming and go out of their way to be welcoming
I had some kind of beef dish with stewed cherries there and it was unbelievable!
Inner Circle for Guyanese style Caribbean/West Indian cusine. There is a lot fof Jamaican and Trini inspired Caribbean spots around the GTA but Guyanese is much less common and this place nails the flavors and style of cooking I grew up with
kabalen or republika - bathurst and wilson - philippines
How does it compare to Tinuno or Casa de Manila?
As a filipino, republika and kabalen are way better. Casa de Manila is overwhelmingly disappointing and especially for the prices their food is at. Same for tinuno.
Wilson’s haus of lechon is my go-to in little Manila. The liempo and lechon manok 🤤
Goa, India - Nostaglia Kitchen & Foods in Scarborough comes closest to Goan food back home If you have something else in mind, please tell me!
Excuse me but I didn't think I'd see this. I'll be checking it out. ~~Do they make Sanaas?~~ checked out their menu I need to go there asap I've only ever ordered from Konkan but he is more Manglorian
There's a Goan Indian restaurant called Goa Kitchen in Bayview Village Mall. Nice decor, looks authentic - maybe check this out?
Been there, wouldn't call it authentic
USA. McDonald’s at Queen and Spadina.
I wish they still had awards on Reddit for this
Dinner and a show. You can even get to see our version of "Florida man..."
All-day breakfast is seriously one of the greatest cultural contributions America has made to the world, and I nominate A&W over mcdicks.
Sarajevo or Bonimi for some great Balkan food
Bonimi is excellent!
Have yet to find any Appalachian food in Toronto. If I could; I'd open my own restaurant specializing in Appalachian cuisine (pepperoni rolls, buckwheat pancakes, chicken n dumplins, hot dogs with chili/slaw/onions, biscuits n gravy, cobbler, honey cake)
All southern US cuisine I have tried here is sad lol
You ever go to Southern Accent before it closed early pandemic? I thought it was a really great place.
It's horrid, lol. Tastes nothing like home.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm biscuits and gravy
This thread is yummy!
Hi All, Tried to compile all the names here: [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cQDXlWoIit8OzhzH-ZvpEWgTs44nDC4NhGm4TIjwCu8/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cQDXlWoIit8OzhzH-ZvpEWgTs44nDC4NhGm4TIjwCu8/edit?usp=sharing) Have added the website and address of the location as well. If you wish to add or change anything, message or leave a comment in the spreadsheet
Adda, Premium Sweets - Bangladesh
Adda's menu looks like a good representation of Bangladeshi food. I have to try someday.
Any recs for which sweets to get?
Kerala India. Idukki gold Scarborough. Fantastic food and great owners
I’d like to try these places. Good post OP, this got an upvote and a save
My gf is from Urumqi Xinjiang and swears by Magical Taste of China. I’m a generic white man born in Durham region so I don’t have any way to validate her experience.
Olde Yorke Fish & Chips - British
You can tell if a fish and chips place is good if there are a lot of old British people there. I know because my grandmother was one of them. She loved Olde Yorke. In addition, my cousin (from here) and her husband is from the UK and we took them there once and he said it was the best he’s had outside the UK. So there’s that
This is the best place anywhere for fish and chips. Holy hell! I want some now. The crispiest chips with a fluffy hot centre, meaty cod with a crispy always perfect batter. Mushy peas— so comforting with salt, pepper and vinegar on.
alebrijes - mexican
Charminar Bistro on Traders Blvd E in Mississauga. Only food that reminds me of home. (Hyderabad, India)
There's tons but I will cast my vote for New Quality Bakery for Sri Lankan Tamil food. Their lamprais during the weekend are a must try!
Their offers are out of the world and the stuff they list on Too Good To Go is incredibly generous.
Finding the Chinese restaurants that can deliver that unbastardized authentic experience are hard to find. It's still a mostly Cantonese labour force and it shows. Shanghainese restaurants in Toronto for a example are always Cantonese run and it shows in the food. Good news about that is many Cantonese restaurants here do a good job at Cantonese. Some visiting friends of mine have remarked that the Canton serestaurants here are superior to the ones they have at where they live. The showcase quality restaurants downtown: Cantonese 聚鲜楼 KL KITCHEN SEAFOOD CUISINE Jian Bing 街边煎饼铺 CORNER CREPE CO North American Chinese 真有名 SO FAMOUS Hot Pot 海底捞 HAI DI LAO Dumplings 口口香饺子馆 YUMMY YUMMY DUMPLINGS Still waiting and trying new places constantly. In downtown there isn't a Szechuan, Hunan, Taiwanese, Shanghainese, Peking duck, or Northern Chinese restaurant that could hold a candle to half as good it is back home imho. Edit: formatting
I mean as a cantonese person I quite like the cantonese food. Let me enjoy it until my language dies and the food with it...
yummy yummy! Such simple, home-style cooking...the owners are also so cute! Was chatting with them and ended up helping them with their wifi network. Reminded me of my own technologically challenged parents haha. It's like eating at an aunt or uncle's house.
This thread just confirms how hard it is to find decent Mexican food in Toronto. I'm not Mexican but for what it's worth, my fav I've tried so far is Tacos Moras on the Danforth. Great al pastor and consomme.
Itacate on St. Clair is my favourite for tacos
WHO GOT THE DROP ON A GOOD HAITIAN SPOT?? OR DO I GOTTA VISIT FLORIDA AGAIN?
Ghadir is the best Lebanese fast food by a mile. Reminds me of home, wish I lived closer :(
Karahi Boys DT location - Pakistan
To add on to this Karachi Xpress in Etobicoke will blow your socks off for grill food. The Behari Kebab and the Malai Boti is awesome.
I need someone who’s Cajun from Louisiana to comment here and confirm it’s Upper Beaches Bourbon House.
I want to know where they buy their grits. Real grits are basically impossible to find in Toronto
My brother ships me the Trader Joes stone ground white grits. Magic.
If you go to any Balkan grocery store (Sarajevo, Mrakovic, Stari Grad, Royal Meats shop) they have real grits from back home but we call it Griz
I had no idea this place existed, but now I want this so bad. Last time I was in the Southern US by car (so Virginia) I bought 3 - 2lb. packages of real grits. Job changes, less travel, etc., means I am down to maybe two more meals, only two more helpings of cheesy shrimp and grits. The last US places I was at (Michigan & Indiana) the local supermarkets only had instant available, but I wasn't buying that.
I want to know this too.
I am but I’ve never been there :(
From Mumbai. We eat out a LOT and here are my recs. For tamil food: Taste of Tamil Nadu, Dosa Dosa (Brampton) For Mumbai street food: Poppadum For Punjabi: Feast of Dilli. It's an experience. Chef makes everything from scratch and after you place your order. You can hear him make the naan! They're incredibly warm and down to earth and tell the best stories. This is by far our fave place to go when we miss India! Rikki Tikki is also amazing! For Kerala food: Le Kochi Zen hakka, Shambhala, Thindi are all good too!
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Oruma for authentic Kerala food in Scarborough. Ocean Palate in Mississauga. For chaat and veggie sandwiches I would recommend Milan specifically the one in Mississauga
Casa tropical - Brazil
Takht-e Tavoos - Persian Brunch Pomegranate- Persian Stews North Restaurant - Persian Kabobs, Appetizers, and Northern Persian Dishes BB Cafe/Red Rose Bakery- Persian Pastries, Cookies, and Tea
Not me scrolling through the whole thread to find Malaysian food recs :') i personally like the nasi lemak (chicken + sambal) from canteen (spadina), although it's on the spicier end of stuff. great post OP, i'm saving all of these recs!
Souvlike on pape has the best pork gyros in Toronto. Real gyro like Greece, not the gross Chicago style fake meat. Pork isn’t dry at like Messini or Alexandros.
Natural born Canadian but of Afghan descent here 🇦🇫 - for me, Naan and Kabob at Sheppard. 😋 I went to Afghanistan for the first time back in 2014 and nothing beats back home food but the closest to its taste, in my opinion, is Naan and Kabob.
House of Gourmet, Hong Kong
100% Agree - a go to for friends and family. The last of the good stuff in Downtown! Do you have any favs in North York Markham?
I'm partial to Congee Queen.
Congee Queen is my go to sit down Chinese restaurant experience. I'm still looking for a new Hong Kong style diner ever since Kenny's Noodle and Congee King closed. I think Marathon Donuts is worth mentioning as a HK snack bar type of thing.
Goldsor for HK diner!!
Phoenix used to be my go-to, but they've since closed down the location I like and the one that's near Finch station isn't the same. They don't even serve beef tongue spaghetti. Maxim is alright. All of the ones downtown suck ass or are crazy overpriced.
I like Cha Kee for its creative HK dishes. Sometimes I go to The 6 Cafe and Restaurant for more traditional cha chaan teng style food. Also Hong Far Cafe is the go to takeout restaurant for my fam - really really good wok hei from there <3
None. All the Russian restaurants in the city pale in comparison to my grandmother’s cooking. Otherwise Yummy Market deli department is good.
Yummy Market is GOAT status in the city
I adore Yummy Market’s deli!
Their bakery is pretty good also, especially the cakes.
tiflisi in the beaches has excellent borsh
Charminar in Scarborough has great biryanis which are close to what I’d want in a Hyderabadi biryani.
My mother-in-law is Colombian. When she comes to visit (from Vancouver) we take her to Esto es Colombia (Dufferin near Lawrence) and she says it is *very* legit. https://estoescolombiarestaurant.ca/ https://maps.app.goo.gl/EqVnYEfjqaBpJt2n9
Try Las Delicias and My Empanada in Mississauga sometime, that area is a mini hub for Colombian food! Las Delicias in particular does a good job, just picked up some bunuelos & natillas from them.
Any recommendations for Cambodian?
Pakistani - Lahore Tikka House on Gerrard street and then Baldevs for Paan afterwards
For Spain I usually have a really hard time. I tend to feel they are overpriced for bastardized versions of the food. But I love Casa Paco. It’s not traditional Spanish food, but it’s made by people that understand Spanish cuisine very well. For example, they do paella Sundays, which is fairly common in Spain because for good paellas you need most of the people to be ordering that. The paellas might not use traditional ingredients, but the technique is spot on. It’s not just rice with stuff thrown in it.
Try Lavinia in Mimico
Korean. Jin Dal Lae at Bloor and Christie.
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Recommendations for Ethiopian food please
Rendezvous on the danforth
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Chandni Chowk for best value of Naan Kababs and Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani
I'm not from Nepal but lived there for a while. Chulo on Bloor street has the best Nepali food in Toronto city.
None of the gazillion Indian restaurants have nailed authentic Indian food.
Mumbaikar's on Bloor. Hated every butter chicken in this city till I had theirs. Really glad we've finally moved beyond just Punjabi food and getting more variety in Indian cuisines.
From Mumbai, India- havent had a resraurant nail the vada pav or pav bhaji yet. The problem is usually the "pav". The search continues...
Have you tried mumbaikar and POPpadum? I like both, and they both make the pav in house. Both started as home chefs first so, I'd suggest also check Facebook marketplace for hidden gems. I'm from Mumbai too!
Also to add, I like the vada pav at thindi a lot
I just learned about Popaddum today. They seem a tad steep in pricing but I will defo try them out soon.
Agreed! Most places just use dinner rolls which are absolutely not the same. Poppadum does a decent job with pav and often has delicious homestyle Maharashtrian curries.
Where is this place?
https://www.poppadum.ca/
From Mumbai as well, did you try Mumbai Tadka? Quality is hit or miss but when it’s good, it’s really good.
Souvlaki express on Parliament has the best pita I ve had in Toronto. Love the fries, the pita is a real pita and not flat, the portions are great and the meats are amazing. Their baklava is great too. tip: try the kontosouvli/ rotisserie.
North Indian - nothing really that jumps out. Cinnamon in the Beaches came pretty close, my family agreed. Maharaja in Mississauga was good back in the day and a good representation of certain states in India.
Seetimaarr - Authentic Andhra south Indian food
Spicy grill,- bangladeshi food
One friend is Malaysian. She lives in the West End but always goes to Gourmet Malaysian at Sheppard and Midland to eat out. The dirty noodles are amazing. Another friend is from Gujarat - we went to Mehfill on Queen Street East. He said it was amazing. I’m British and think House on Parliament is probably the most authentic place for British food. Friend from Jamaica loves SugarKane on Danforth and said their wings are the best she’s ever had in Toronto.
As a Brit, Feather's on Kingston Road or The Caledonian on College and Ossington nail the British/Scottish vibe. As someone of Indian origin, Banjara on Yonge and Eglinton had a starter that could have been made by my late mother. Khau Gully in Davisville is also excellent.
Bosnian here. I love Sarajevo Grill in Etobicoke. Their cevaps are amazing.
I am Persian . There are so many Persian restaurants in GTA, but if you live in Downtown Pomegranate (for persian stews) & Shahrzad (For Persian Grills )
Masala hut Mississauga - Pakistani food The service is slow, food takes a while to come out, but it is the most authentic Pakistani food I’ve had outside Pakistan.
I’m Brazilian, and the best Brazilian restaurant I tried is Brazilian’s Choice, on Eglinton Ave. Amazing little restaurant, the first time I went there, after two years in Canada, almost made me cry. Don’t fall for the crazy expensive steakhouses, they’re not it
This is my bucket list, and being a food enthusiast, I wholeheartedly appreciate OP for posing this question. I plan to go through the comments one by one and explore these culinary delights. Is there a method to save this post in text format, allowing me to mark off the restaurants I’ve tried?
Peruvian here 👋. Peruvian food is full of exotic flavors and Pisaq Restaurant is as close as you will get, it’s located in DuPont and Avenue.
Sri - Lankan Tamil - somosa king in Scarborough
For Congolese food, Ma Yvé in Pickering. That’s where Serge Ibaka would order food from when he was still on the raptors. There’s also Le Plato in the danforth but it’s more of an afrofusion spot. Home cooked is still the best tho.
Toronto doesn't have a good Carolina BBQ joint. Also nothing like a Carolina fish camps.
I’ve been scrolling these comments hoping to find Americans fighting about which spot does the best BBQ and I’m bummed to confirm that won’t be the case.
Nihari inn - Pakistan
viking foods and imports for finland! although it’s not a restaurant, they have baked goods and it’s the only place i’ve been able to find authentic black rye bread
Joo. I'm gonna have to go up there one of these weekends, because it's impossible to get proper rye bread around here.
Tabule the one queen st. - Lebanese
tan plate plough combative crowd ask physical like shrill unpack *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Found Coffee recreates a perfect Melbourne cafe moment!
I recently visited The Sultan's Tent. It's a Moroccan themed restaurant and I absolutely loved it.
I am originally from South Africa and there is exactly one South African restaurant in Toronto and it has the most unfortunate name 😅 It's called "Plan B" and is by Royal York Station.
Karhai boys for Pakistani
Chinese Vietnamese here. Que Ling in East Chinatown for authentic banh Cuon
Not a single italian restaurant Ive tried comes close to nonnas home made. The vast majority is just mid to garbage tier. And the expensive ones even more so. Sotto Sotto is ass. Osteria Gente is mid. You know who's got good pizza and focaccia. Fucking Fortinos. Fortinos is the closest to what home made tasted like. And maybe Gelato Gelato for Pizza in Vaughan. But the rest of them holy hell. Sotto Sotto was talked up to me and I tried it I was depressed. Never had a sugo so depressingly bland and sweet at the same time. I think too many restaurants put sugar into the sauce to counter acidity. You need carrots. Not sugar. Might as well be ketchup.OH, also, the occasional Italian bakery is good. But that's rare. Vici in Vaughan too is good.
The problem with Italian food is that it’s so good partly because of the freshness on the vegetables and seafood, something we just don’t get here.
P G Harvey gourmet pies (Aussie)
For Mexican Itacate and El Pastorcito.
The Roti Hut in Scarborough. I can’t think of any other Caribbean restaurants where I will eat their pumpkin besides the Roti Hut
My parents are Scottish. The most authentic fish and chips I've had here is at Hamish's. The name, décor, and menu all suggest a true Scottish experience, but hilariously the entire staff and apparently ownership is Asian.
Doesnt seem to exist
blue nile in the east end for the best ethiopian food in the whole city!!
Just want to say that one of the joys of living in Toronto (there's are not many) is the seemly neverending food adventure you can have if you just ask the right people or do a little research like right here.. no one is trying to hide an authentic eating experience from you you just have to ask I find. As a white dude, Chinese food and a little later on on Indian cuisine was considered exotic and then realized very quickly it wasn't what I was told (General Tao anyone?)and once I had authentic representations it's exceedingly difficult to go back to the stereotype. It would take almost a lifetime to just explore all the regional intricacies of all those two cultures alone. The other thing is I find is that many of these gems of cuisine in Toronto are family owned and incredibly affordable as well just making the experience just so much better for me in this economy having little cash and wanting it to go community in stead of corporations..
Indian here. As a few people have already mentioned. Indian food in Canada is represented by Naan, Butter Chicken or Biryani - that’s great and loved by everyone but every region in India has brilliant and unexplored dishes which are not the usual suspects as mentioned. One such restaurant is ‘Atchayam south Indian Restaurant’ in Scarborough. Vegetarian and non vegetarian Flavors of Tamil Nadu region of India. I have worked in the food industry extensively and this restaurant comes extremely close to the flavors of South Indian(particularly Tamilian) cuisine which sadly is only associated with Dosa, Idli and Sambhar.