Food Guide in Toronto

Must-Try Foods & Dining Tips

Iconic Toronto Foods

Peameal Bacon Sandwich: Toronto's signature dish - Canadian back bacon rolled in cornmeal, grilled, served on kaiser roll. Best at Carousel Bakery (St. Lawrence Market). Quintessential Toronto experience.

Poutine: Canadian classic - french fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. Variations everywhere from traditional to gourmet (pulled pork, lobster). Try Smoke's Poutinerie or upscale versions at restaurants.

Butter Tarts: Sweet pastry with butter, sugar, egg filling. Optional raisins or pecans. Quintessentially Canadian dessert. Find at bakeries throughout city.

BeaverTails: Fried dough pastry shaped like beaver tail, topped with cinnamon sugar, Nutella, or other toppings. Available at Harbourfront and various locations.

Montreal-Style Smoked Meat: While from Montreal, excellent versions available in Toronto. Caplansky's Delicatessen serves outstanding sandwiches.

International Cuisine

Toronto's strength is multicultural dining - authentic cuisine from 200+ ethnicities:

• Chinese: Dim sum in Chinatown or Markham. Try Rol San or Crown Princess
• Italian: Little Italy (College Street) - pasta, pizza, espresso
• Korean: Koreatown (Bloor & Christie) - BBQ, bibimbap, fried chicken
• Indian: Gerrard Street East (Little India) - curries, tandoori, street food
• Portuguese: Dundas West - grilled chicken, seafood, custard tarts
• Caribbean: Roti, jerk chicken, patties - numerous locations
• Middle Eastern: Shawarma, falafel, kebabs - throughout downtown
• Ethiopian: Bloor West - injera, wat (stews), vegetarian options

Dining Neighborhoods

King West: Upscale restaurants, celebrity chef venues, trendy cocktail bars

Ossington Strip: Hip dining scene, creative menus, craft cocktails

Danforth (Greektown): Greek restaurants, souvlaki, seafood, baklava

Queen Street East: Diverse options, brunch spots, international fusion

Dining Tips

• Tipping: 15-20% standard (pre-tax). 18% for good service, 20% for excellent
• Tax: 13% HST added to bill (not included in menu prices)
• Reservations: Recommended for popular restaurants, essential for weekends
• Brunch culture: Weekend brunch extremely popular - expect waits at trendy spots
• Patio season: Summer dining on patios highly valued - book ahead
• Food halls: Assembly Chef's Hall, The Food District - multiple vendors, one location
• BYOB: Some restaurants allow bringing wine (corkage fee typically $15-25)
• Dietary restrictions: Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free widely available. Always inform servers of allergies

Food Markets: St. Lawrence Market (world's best), Kensington Market (international), Evergreen Brick Works (organic farmers' market)