Little Italy, Chinatown, Little Portugal, Greektown, Scarborough — Toronto's best food neighbourhoods and what to specifically eat in each one.
Toronto has a legitimate claim to being the most diverse food city in North America. The UN has cited it as the world's most ethnically diverse city. What that means in practice: you can eat authentic food from 200+ cuisines without it feeling like a tourist experience. Here's where to go by neighbourhood.
The original Chinatown on Spadina Avenue between Dundas and College is one of North America's most active. Dim sum at Rol San (open until 4am), Vietnamese at Pho Saigon (try the oxtail), and a dozen Hong Kong-style bakeries selling $2 egg tarts. Walk north into Kensington Market for a completely different vibe — Latin American, Middle Eastern, and vintage clothing all mixed together.
College Street between Euclid and Bathurst is Toronto's Little Italy — sidewalk patios, wood-fired pizza, and long lunches that turn into aperitivo hours. Bar Raval for the best pintxos-style bar food in the city. Lamesa Filipino Kitchen is one block off and worth the detour. For coffee, Café Diplomatico has been doing it since 1968.
The Danforth between Pape and Jones is the largest Greek community outside of Athens. Lamb souvlaki, spanakopita, and loukoumades (honey donuts). Try Mezes for a proper mezze spread, or Avli for the taverna experience. The Taste of the Danforth festival in August turns the whole strip into a massive outdoor food party.
Dundas Street West between Ossington and Dovercourt has evolved into one of the city's most interesting food corridors. Adega for Portuguese, Strangers with Coffee for excellent breakfast, and some of the city's best new restaurants opening here yearly. Croissant and coffee at Chantecler before moving on is mandatory.
The most underrated food destination in Toronto. Scarborough has the best Sri Lankan food in North America (try Hopper Hut or Jaffna Hoppers), excellent Hakka Chinese (Hakka Palace), some of the city's best Caribbean food, and the densest concentration of South Indian restaurants outside of Chennai. It's a 30-minute transit ride from downtown and worth every minute.
Not so much a single cuisine as a food philosophy — diverse, independent, slightly chaotic. Rasta Pasta, Cheese Magic, the fishmongers, the spice stores, and Sanaga for incredible Cameroonian food. The best approach is to wander and eat small things from multiple spots.
This is where Toronto's big-ticket restaurants are. Momofuku, Nobu, Baro, Patria — all excellent. It's the neighborhood for special occasions, corporate dining, and tourists who want the premium experience. Prices are high, quality is generally consistent with that.
Toronto Eats Guide → — Find the best restaurants in Toronto
The market itself on Saturdays (Farmers' Market) is one of the city's great food experiences. Grab a peameal bacon sandwich (it's a Toronto thing) from Carousel Bakery — there's always a line and it's always worth it. The surrounding streets have excellent brunch options and one of the city's best Vietnamese sandwiches at Banh Mi Boys.
Toronto Eats Guide → — Plan your Toronto food tour
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