Elm Street Italian Deli has officially landed on Toronto’s east side. Deli lovers can now enjoy the restaurant’s stacked Italian sandwiches on Queen St E., in the former Tom & Sawyer space in Leslieville.
It’s the latest project from Lawrence La Pianta, the chef and owner behind Cherry St. Bar-B-Que, the Port Lands smokehouse that’s been recognized with a Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2022.
If you care about sandwiches in this city, the deli is likely already on your radar. The original downtown shop, nestled just off Yonge-Dundas at 15 Elm, built its following on tasty Italian subs overstuffed with cold cuts and slow-cooked house-prepared meats. Since then, the chain has expanded, enchanting the mall crowd with a stall inside Queen’s Cross Food Hall at the Eaton Centre, and now this third home in Leslieville is expected to become a new cult-deli fave.
Elm St Leslieville has partnered with Back Alley Moto Café and now serves espresso-based coffee, breakfast sandwiches and Italian-style sandwiches with house-made sausages. So, you can grab a double espresso and a breakfast sandwich on your way to the streetcar, instead of waiting for the lunchtime crowd!
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Fans of the OG shop can expect the Leslieville kitchen to turn out the deli’s greatest hits at the front counter. Try their daily special ‘Sangweeches,’ like the Don of Elm St (imagine mortadella, Genoa salami, beef salami and provolone with veggies layered between a classic roll) or the Bobby ‘B’ beef and pork meatballs in sugo with rapini, caramelized onion, Parmigiano and giardiniera aioli.
Elm Street Deli Leslieville is located at 1247 Queen St E, which shares the space with Back Alley Moto Café. It’s open seven days a week from 7 am to 6 pm, making it the only location currently serving from the early morning onward.
