Attention! Calling all foodies!

If you’re like me, you love to eat and you love to eat even more when you’re on vacay. I feel you. To me, travel isn’t complete until you throw food in the mix. Food is a great way to see the different culinary talents cities have.

Toronto is a mecca of food. The city’s diverse culture brings some serious eats to the city. There is so much good food in Toronto that I’ll continue updating this post with the best food selections for your next trip to the 6ix. 

I recently wrote a post about what I did in Toronto, you can find that here. 

Okay, enough of me rambling… let’s get to the good stuff (in no particular order):

PAI TORONTO:

My favorite meal of life. I’ve been to Pai three times and will continue to add on to that. When researching, this place seemed to be a hidden gem. It had traction but not the traction I know it should be getting. Pai, a Thai kitchen that hails the delicious KHAO SOI. The Khao Soi is their most popular dish, and now I know why. The soup is creamy and spicy, the noodles are not too thin or too thick, and the beef is packed with flavor and literally melts in your mouth. They top it off with crunchy noodles which add to the texture of the dish. If heaven had a flavor, Pai would be it. I give it a 10/10.

*beware* the wait for this place is super long (so don’t come when you’re super hungry). Make a reservation or stand in line with the rest of us.

RUDY RESTO:

In my younger years, burgers used to be my favorite food. I mean you can’t deny a good burger when you eat one. I knew that I wanted to eat a good burger on this trip so I came here. Rudy is a small and intimate place with minimal seating and they only take cash, super mom & pop. I couldn’t help but be reminded of a Shake Shack burger but with much more flavor. The patty is cooked to perfection and charred on the edges to give it that delicious grill taste. I went the easy route and got the regular burger. They also have sides like fries and poutine (their poutine was also delicious). Overall, I would give them a 8/10.

SCHOOL:

Yes, you read that right: School. One of my favorite stops from the trip. Buzzin’ brunch spot that serves the classics. The wait is long but the wait is definitely worth it. The bacon was probably my favorite part – sweet, salty, and crunchy! Pancakes are huge and fluffy so make sure to come on an EMPTY stomach. Not to mention their decor is on point and totally makes you feel like you’re in “school.” I give it a 9/10. 

Poutini’s House of Poutine: 

Your go to spot for good ol’ Poutine. If you don’t know what Poutine is, it’s a Canadian delicacy. The dish is made up of french fries, cheese curds, and gravy. I know, it doesn’t look appealing but I promise you its SO good. 

Fun Fact: Poutine comes from the Canadian province of Quebec. Rating is a 8/10. 

NomNomNom Poutine: 

More poutine, yes please! NomNomNom has been coined the Best Poutine in Toronto by BlogTo – and now I know why. This was my first speciality poutine, which included pulled pork. I don’t know why I waited so long to try a different kind of poutine because now I don’t think I’ll ever go back to the basics. This poutine was literal perfection – fries were crisp, cheese curds were squeaky, and gravy is hearty. Rating is 10/10. 

Mildred’s Temple Kitchen: 

Brunch is always a good idea. Pro tip: arrive as soon as they open because the wait is crazy long. We tried to stop in one day and the wait was longer than 2 hours – insane. So I of course, go the next day super early and got sat without an issue. I ended up getting Veda’s Choice (which is their most popular dish), and the blueberry pancakes. I LOVED Veda’s Choice, the croissant was crunchy, the salmon was cooked just right, and the egg was juicy and runny. The pancakes were on another level. Fluffy, thick, and melt in your mouth. 

Rating is 10/10. 

Maha’s Egyptian Brunch: 

I legit waited 6+ months to check this place out as it was in my “honorary mentions” below. Wow. That’s all I can say. Maha’s blew it out of the park. The line can get pretty crazy outside so arrive at a reasonable time, I would recommend before 10AM. We ordered the Pharaoh’s Po Boy (which is much better when it’s made the Egyptian way – trust me), Hummus/Salad (both yummy), and the Maha’s Mind-Blowing Chicken (and yes, it was mind-blowing). We also ordered baklava for dessert. 

For sure visit Maha’s on a super empty stomach. I can’t wait to come back here everytime I visit Toronto! Rating 10/10. 

Planta Queen:

Don’t worry, I have a little something for everyone on this list. Planta is a vegan restaurant with locations in Toronto and Miami. We visited Planta Queen and the food + service was above and beyond. This is more of a date night kind of spot or a special outing place. Bit pricier than the rest of the options on this list but totally worth it! Plus, with every bite you’ll keep asking yourself “is this really vegan?”

Pro tip: Get the Dumplings + Cocktails – these can’t be missed. Rating 9/10. 

 

Pancho’s Bakery:

Technically not a restaurant but a must stop for the best churros I’ve had in life, NO LIE. I’m drooling just writing this and thinking about those churros. They have different flavors for the fillings but if you’re a chocolate lover go with that. Dulce de Leche is more of a typical flavor and I’m sure it’s good but the chocolate is heaven. Also, Pancho’s is located in Kesington Market and it’s a cool and hip area in town full of shops and restaurants. 

The churros are crispy, chewy, and flavorful all in one bite. Don’t miss Pancho’s when you’re in Toronto! Rating 12/10. 

Other honorary restaurants I think I should mention because I didn’t have time to visit them. Trust me, I did a lot of research to make sure these are worthy of a visit too: 

1. Boemo: Known for their gnocchi (super sad I couldn’t try this). 
2. Dandylion: For date night or a nice night out. 
3. Maker Pizza: My friends got a chance to go and they’re pizza junkies, and loved this place! 

If you ever plan a trip to Toronto, these restaurants should 100% be on your list. 

xoxo, 

Wynee 

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