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$ | Kensington Market |
These award-winning cakey brioche donuts are fried fresh in the wee hours of the morning, dipped, and then ready to fly off the shelves by the time the converted storefront opens at 8:30 am. From the milky London Fog with an Earl Grey glaze to mini salted caramel Boston Creme bombs, you just can't go wrong.
161 Baldwin St., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1L9, Canada
Known For
- Organic ingredients sourced from Kensington Market shops
- Vegan options
- Strong coffee from local Propeller Specialty Roasters
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$ | Kensington Market |
Japanese perfectionism merges with French tradition at this minimalist coffee and pastry shop. The owners are always dreaming up new croissant creations like a flaky croissant cube (that needs to be seen to be believed), and the croffle, a—you guessed it—croissant/waffle hybrid prepared in a half-dozen ways, from churro-caramel sweet to ham-and-pesto savory.
160 Baldwin St., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3K7, Canada
Known For
- "happy hour" coffee specials from local De Mello Roastery
- Ceremonial-grade matcha imported from Japan
- Gooey mochi (sticky rice dough) stuffed with chocolate and strawberries
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$ | Old Town |
Fulfill your dessert fantasies by picking up a sweet treat from Roselle, one of the city’s finest dessert shops. Stephanie Duong and Bruce Lee opened Roselle in 2015; since then, they’ve fed the sweet cravings of Torontonians with their playful take on classic flavors using French techniques. Offering curbside pickup only, the seasonality of Roselle’s offerings sets them apart and contributes to their enduring popularity: their pavlova toppings change several times a year; their summer soft-serve ice cream is creamy and refreshing; and their rotating cake cup flavors are perfectly portioned treats. Staples such as the banana éclair and Earl Grey cake slices are available year-round, and the shop also specializes in cookies and caramels.
362 King St. E, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 1K9, Canada
Known For
- Seasonal pavlova using fresh fruit
- Creating playful desserts using French techniques
- Rotating cake cup flavors
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Thurs., Debit and credit cards only
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$ | Kensington Market |
With only 10 seats, this taco joint almost always has long lines, but it's worth the wait. The menu brings the best of SoCal and Tijuana seafood together, featuring taco options like the gobernador (smoked marlin and shrimp), and a vegetarian option with corn fungus (trust us, it tastes better than it sounds).
69 Kensington Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2K1, Canada
Known For
- Delicious shrimp-and-cheese tacos
- Range of fiery hot sauces
- Gluten-free tortillas available
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$ | Chinatown |
Downtown Toronto's quintessential dim sum eatery overlooks all of Chinatown from its secret rooftop perch at the Dragon City Mall. Carts with towers of bamboo steamed baskets containing shrimp dumplings or black-bean-sauce chicken feet ("phoenix claws" in Chinese), banquet-size platters of noodles, and traditional delicacies like black or yellow curried cuttlefish are pushed around the hall by gregarious servers who tick off boxes from your order list as they are served. There's also an extensive à la carte menu.
280 Spadina Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1H2, Canada
Known For
- Surprisingly expansive views through the huge windows
- Traditional Cantonese dim sum service
- Savory chive-and-shrimp dumplings
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$ | Queen West |
It takes its name from the city’s most popular area code, so it’s no surprise that 416—a dim, boisterous bar that echoes the general vibe of West Queen West—draws inspiration from the city around it. The menu of inexpensive small plates, best enjoyed with a cocktail or two, is a fun mishmash of cultures, from Jamaican to Chinese to Peruvian, that serves as a one-stop culinary crash course to this city of immigrants.
181 Bathurst St., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2R7, Canada
Known For
- Sometimes controversial no-cutlery policy
- Fun spot for a first date
- Buzzy atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Thurs.
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$ | Danforth |
On the edge of a small plaza—a gathering spot for Danforth locals—sits this venerable hole-in-the-wall spot, known for serving hot, fresh gyros and souvlaki into the wee hours.
484 Danforth Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4K1P6, Canada
Known For
- Quick, tasty takeout gyros
- Retro interior
- Late-night service
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$ | Danforth |
Pick up a frosty treat—and some truffles or chocolate bars to take home—at this ice cream shop and chocolatier just off the main Danforth drag.
176 Hampton Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4K 2Z1, Canada
Known For
- Ice cream made in-house
- Vegan gelato options
- Wide array of beautiful truffles
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$ | Ossington |
The lines might be long at this ice cream shop specializing in artisanal options like Cinnamon Toast and London Fog—but oh is it worth the wait. The flavors are good on their own, but the queues form for their incredible ice cream sandwiches made with freshly baked cookies, Hong Kong waffles, carrot cake, and cinnamon buns.
93A Ossington Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M6J 2Z2, Canada
Known For
- Quirky ice cream flavors that change daily
- Ice cream sandwiches with freshly baked cookies
- Homemade cinnamon buns and waffles
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$ | Chinatown |
Imagine yourself lost at a Saigon night market at this trendy sandwich and snack bar that specializes in banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches). Not satisfied with the traditional crusty white bread, Banh Haus offers whole-wheat and fried banh tieu (Vietnamese donut) buns as a vessel for fillings like grilled lemongrass chicken, five-spice sweet pork sausage, or deep-fried tiger shrimp. Other modernized street food classics include rice-paper-wrapped summer rolls and green mango salad.
81 Huron St., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2A8, Canada
Known For
- Exotic fruit smoothies
- Vietnamese coffee drinks
- Vietnamese-style patio with micro-stool seating
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$ | Queen West |
Brothers David, Philip, and Peter Chau have banh mi in their blood—their parents opened one of the original Vietnamese sandwich shops in Chinatown—but they've taken the classic and decked it out with top-notch ingredients such as melt-in-your-mouth pork belly, duck confit, and kalbi beef. Other offerings include Asian-inspired tacos and steamed bao.
392 Queen St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2A9, Canada
Known For
- A modern take on a classic eatery
- Crunchy kimchi fries
- Five-spice pork belly
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$ | Kensington Market |
Hearty sandwiches stuffed with toppings like mortadella, grilled veggies, and spreads made in-house are accompanied by selections of traditional brioche buns, and creative palm-size Viennoiseries at the local legendary boulangerie. It helps to get there earlier in the day to take score of other baked delights like tomato danishes and quirky chocolate corks.
172 Baldwin St., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1L8, Canada
Known For
- Organic grains
- Crusty sourdough loaves
- Providing baked goods for restaurants around the city
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$ | Leslieville |
Known for making Pinterest-perfect cakes for some of the city's splashiest fetes, this charming bakery also offers bite-sized baked goods for a spot of on-the-go luxury.
1121 Queen St. E, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Known For
- Macarons in a rainbow of flavors
- Extravagantly decorated cupcakes
- Locally roasted espresso
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$ | Rosedale |
The original location of the artisan coffee shop/wine-and-spirit bar mini-chain that now has eclectic locations throughout the city, this Summerhill spot is a relaxed but lively spot from morning to evening. Located in a two-story Victorian home (and former dry cleaner), Boxcar Social has a bustling bar, a quiet and sophisticated upstairs lounge, a nice back patio, and a next-door bottle shop for those who prefer takeout.
1208 Yonge St., Toronto, Ontario, M4T 1W1, Canada
Known For
- Well-made espresso drinks and cold brew
- An impressive list of whiskeys, wines, and craft beers
- Beers and wines to go from the bottle shop
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed at night Sun.--Tues.
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$ | Distillery District |
If the smell of fresh bread and buttery croissants doesn't draw you into this charming bakery, the decadent sweets on display—like cinnamon buns, butter tarts, or scones—certainly will. For heartier appetites there are items like pulled pork sandwiches and steak-and-stout pie.
27 Trinity St., Toronto, Ontario, M5A 3C4, Canada
Known For
- No indoor seating and minimal outdoor seating, most people take their meals to go
- Handcrafted sandwiches and soups
- Freshest bread in the neighborhood
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$ | Kensington Market |
There's no better place for a quick espresso or another pick-me-up than at the poured-concrete walls of this uber-hip meeting spot, complete with front and back patios. Show up by night for a full-length bar menu of local and imported craft beers and an apothecary of spirits.
307 Augusta St., Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2M2, Canada
Known For
- Extensive gin list
- Persian-influenced drinks
- Frequent evening musical programming
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$ | Church–Wellesley |
Actor-turned-baker Craig Pike started this local chain of cookie shops as a small pop-up, but they've since gone viral and then turned ubiquitous throughout the city. The signature is a simple but addictive chocolate chip cookie with a little bit of salt to balance out the sweet, though there are many, many more options in this Church Street location's glass display case. The chocolate chip base becomes a vessel for all sorts of fillings like peanut butter cups, Pop-Tarts, Rice Krispies, chocolate bars like Twix and Toblerone, and, for a cookie-within-a-cookie, Oreo.
483 Church St., Toronto, Ontario, M4Y 2C6, Canada
Known For
- Always changing cookie flavors
- Ice cream sandwiches made with freshly baked cookies
- Craft coffee drinks and "shots" of organic milk for a dollar
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$ | Ossington |
On an Ossington strip with plenty of restaurants but not many bakeries, Dear Grain is a veritable mecca of sourdough. The first standalone shop (or "Sourdough Studio") for the bread brand that built a cult following during the pandemic, this shop has a big wall of fresh daily loaves plus pastries, wines, tinned fish, local condiments and spreads, and even picnic boxes with meats and cheeses you can take over to nearby Trinity Bellwoods.
48 Ossington Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M6J 2Y7, Canada
Known For
- Fresh sourdough breads
- Full coffee bar
- Local gourmet wines, spreads, condiments, and snacks
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$ | The Beach |
This neighborhood scoop joint, featuring a long list of house-made flavors, is a hot spot for locals and families in the summer months. A second location serves Leslieville at 920 Queen Street East.
2224 Queen St. E, Toronto, Ontario, M4E 1E9, Canada
Known For
- Signature flavors like burnt marshmallow
- Mix of ice cream, gelato, and sorbet options
- House-made waffle cones
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$ | |
Egg Club’s breakfast sandwiches are hailed as some of the best in the city because of their expertly folded eggs, which are housed in a sweet and soft Japanese milk bread called shokupan. Sandwiches are made in an open kitchen before your eyes and sauces are also created in-house. Add the hash brown to your order to experience a sweet and savory, heavenly potato creation.
88 Dundas St. E, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1C9, Canada
Known For
- One of the best breakfast sandwiches in the city
- Sandwiches made from Japanese milk bread
- Hash brown made from a secret potato mixture
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Cash not accepted
