What to Eat in Toronto: A Food Guide

What to eat in Toronto

• Peameal bacon sandwich at Carousel Bakery

  St Lawrence Market — Toronto's signature sandwich, CA$8.

• Dim sum at Rol San / Lai Wah Heen

  Chinatown weekend classic, or Lai Wah Heen for upscale.

• Tacos + tortas at El Trompo

  Kensington Market — LA-quality al pastor.

• Poutine at Smoke's Poutinerie

  Canadian classic — Adelaide/Queen West locations.

What to drink

Tap water excellent — from Lake Ontario, filtered. Craft beer scene strong (Steam Whistle, Bellwoods, Amsterdam). Cocktail scene (BarChef, Civil Liberties) rivals NYC. Tim Hortons coffee is the Canadian classic.

Dining etiquette and practicalities

• Tipping 15–20% at restaurants; CA$1–2/drink at bars.

• 13% HST tax added at register (not included in menu prices).

• No jaywalking — police enforce; use crosswalks with pedestrian signals.

Where to eat in Toronto

• Downtown / Entertainment District

  CN Tower, Rogers Centre, Ripley's Aquarium, lakefront hotels — first-timer default.

• Yorkville

  Luxury boutique hotels (Four Seasons, Park Hyatt, Windsor Arms), designer shopping.

• Queen West / West Queen West

  Independent hotels (Drake, Gladstone), galleries, coffee, indie fashion.

• Distillery District

  Cobblestone Victorian streets, artisan shops, Christmas Market — no cars.