With Good Behaviour’s grand opening near Davenport and Yonge, Grandma Loves You’s number one ranking in Canada, and Black Camel’s stellar local reputation, we think it’s safe to say that the area stretching from Summerhill to Yorkville has become the Sandwich District of Toronto.
All within a few blocks of each other, each local sandwich shop offers a signature sub that they’ve become known for around the city—and in some cases, around the country and beyond.
Who’s up for a sandwich crawl?
Grandma Loves You
1084 Yonge St.
This local sandwich shop might be Canada’s most well known. Nestled away in the corner of a small plaza on Yonge, this hidden gem had its time to shine, being rated number one in Yelp’s round up list of “Canada’s Top Places to Eat.”
The hole-in-the-wall spot is a favourite among locals and is owned and operated by Sarah and Artin Davoodi, a couple who moved from Germany to Canada in 2018. With humble beginnings as a convenience store, the shop soon evolved into a takeaway sandwich counter, quickly becoming renowned for their cold cut subs and grilled hot dogs.
The European eatery serves a variety of sandwiches, bagels, doughnuts and snacks.
Black Camel
4 Crescent Rd.
Renowned for their slow-cooked beef brisket and pulled pork sandwiches, this cozy spot has been a Toronto staple for over a decade.
With unique techniques, like using an espresso machine to scramble the eggs for their breakfast sandwiches, it’s no wonder that Black Camel’s reputation has blown up around the city. Often seen with a lineup snaking through the shop, the tiny space is filled with big flavours.
Their menu is passionately created with immaculate attention to detail. Their top seller, the beef brisket, is a bestseller for a reason. Not only is the brisket’s dry rub a custom creation, but the brisket takes nearly five days to prepare, marinating for three days before being slow-cooked for 14 hours overnight.
Good Behaviour
874 Yonge St.
Good Behaviour might have started as a gourmet ice cream shop, but with their leap into the sandwich sphere, they quickly grew to become one of Toronto’s favourite spots for classic submarine sandwiches.
From their spicy meatball sub to their classic cold cut offering, the Good Behaviour menu — though lean — is quite impressive to the tastebuds. With a large variety of speciality in-house sauces that elevate their subs, the sandwiches are stuffed full with meaty, cheesy deliciousness. Will it be messy? Yes. But what good sandwich isn’t a bit sloppy?
Honorary Mention: Boccone Deli and Pizza Bar
1378 Yonge St.
A few blocks down Yonge Street you’ll find this fantastic Italian deli, Boccone Deli and Pizza Bar.
Bringing a traditional European deli experience to the streets of Toronto, Boccone’s counter is stacked with a selection of fresh-made focaccia sandwiches, pizzas, rotating pastas and a salad bar. The focaccia is the perfect balance of soft and crispy. The use of it as the sandwich’s buns is simply *chef’s kiss* — earning them an honorary mention on our list.
