DELI GOES DECADENT
Nouveau-chic Sara, with its sleek marble table tops and delicate small plates, throws its wagyu Reuben ($18) into the ring. The house-cured wagyu beef literally melts in your mouth. Well-buttered ciabatta toast is accented with a red cabbage caraway-infused sauerkraut and an aged Gruyère cheese. Presented like a little finger sandwich, this contender is meant to be a small plate, but the meat is so decadent, two triangles is more than enough. The sandwich comes alongside a house-made truffle mayo that offers a welcome horseradish zip. All in all, this one is well worth the splurge.
98 Portland St.
THAT FUNKY TWIST
Despite Rose and Sons’ loyalty to classic deli noshes, they’ve combined two stand-alone greats into one epic sandwich. The Randy ($14), is a juicy pounded chicken thigh, battered to crispy cornflake-esque perfection, set atop two slices of caraway rye and topped with a deeply flavourful sauerkraut that isn’t afraid to be a little funky, just like Grandma used to make. This nostalgic treat is finished with a hearty slice of Swiss cheese, some Russian dressing and a pickle spear on the side for good measure. Oh, and they definitely cut the mustard with a choice of Colman’s, French’s and spicy dijon on every table.
176 Dupont St.
PALM-SIZED PASTRAMI
Many locals would tout 416 Snack Bar as Toronto’s quintessential bar. It’s casual yet elevated; cosy yet infused with an intangible hipness. The bar focuses generally on small plates, so their Reuben ($8), is deliberately pint-sized. But don’t let its two-inch stature fool you. This little number packs an enticingly diverse flavour profile. Thin and toasted slices of Dimpflmeier rye give a rich, buttery crunch. The lean smoked meat, Russian dressing and sauerkraut are all made in-house. Rightfully, this little meaty treasure is a fixture on the menu, so make it your regular order.
181 Bathurst St.Â
HAIL SEITANÂ
The Hogtown Vegan’s seitan Reuben ($13.50) is a leaning tower of thinly sliced seitan (a wheat gluten meat alternative), topped with zingy sauerkraut, earthy alfalfa sprouts and house-made Thousand Island dressing on pillowy pumpernickel rye. The seitan is seasoned with soy sauce to achieve a deep, almost gamey savouriness, then rubbed in a kicky signature spice blend and roasted before meeting the deli slicer. Although not an unclockable meat imitation, it checks all of the Reuben boxes, and, frankly, it’s just plain delicious, even if you don’t abstain from meat.
1056 Bloor St. W.