A slice of vacation, anytime
Let the sunshine of the Florida Keys wash over you in a swirl of citrusy custard and frothy whipped cream. Chef Mark McEwan tested his sweet tooth on seven of the city’s finest takes on this southern U.S.A. classic.
Toronto’s Best Key Lime Pies
House of Chan gets its pies from Joe Stone Crab in Miami. It won McEwan over. “There’s zest in it, which makes it nice and bright,” he says. “The pastry’s really tender. This one had the best taste, the best mouthfeel.”
514 Eglinton Ave. W., $70/pie, $8/slice
McEwan digs the texture of this house-made pie. “To me, it has the right density and colour,” he says. “It has a nice cut to it when you go through it with your fork.”
96 Laird Dr., $40/pie, $6.50/slice
“This one is the sloppiest one,” says McEwan. “But that can be good, too.” Indeed, he thinks that, overall, the taste of this less precise pie holds up.
176 Wicksteed Ave., $24/pie
“The look of it is really good,” says McEwan. “I think it’s a real crowd-pleaser. It’s mild on the citrus side, but if it were served on its own, it’d be fine. It’s well constructed.”
287 Augusta Ave., $7.05/slice, $13–$46/pie.
“It’s intense,” he says of this heavier rendition. “Big citrus. Right-in-your-face citrus.” For fans of not overly sweet pies, this one would be a good pick.
1970 Avenue Rd., $25/pie
The crust is on the dense side, but McEwan thinks it’s a solid pie. “The flavour is good; the custard is good,” he says. “It’s got good colour.”
516 Eglinton Ave. W., $7.25/slice, $40/pie
