Aris Place has one of those old-school signs that makes you think twice about stepping inside, but those who dare to venture are in for a surprise. They’ve been serving up souvlaki in Roncesvalles for 30+ years in addition to being an all-day breakfast spot for locals. You can feast your eyes on black and

On the corner of Av and Dav (Avenue and Davenport) lives one of Toronto’s oldest diners, Avenue Diner. All they have is a phone number, no website or social media. Stepping into this small diner is like stepping back to 1944, the year it opened. You almost expect Michael J. Fox to come out in

Avenue Open Kitchen is one of those classic greasy spoons and somewhat of a Toronto institution. They’ve been doling out classic breakfast staples like bacon and eggs and a variety of omelets and sandwiches like Canadian peameal bacon, Reubens, roast beef, Montreal smoked meat and pastrami since the 1950s. Not much has changed by way

A sandwich shop doesn’t get to be a Rosedale institution by doing anything less than great work. The Black Camel’s brisket sandwich is the sparks that fly when bubby meets Texas barbecue. The meat has been roasted so long and slow that it melts in your mouth. Its tomato-based sauce is just sweet enough to

Located right by the Distillery District’s front gates, the Brick Street Bakery has been wooing Torontonians since 2001. Known for its selection of baked treats, the homey space is filled with the scent of just-out-of-the-oven bread, which includes picks such as warm croissants and basil and parsley loaves. Although there are now four locations around

Oy vey, we thought we were sitting shiva for delis. The chicken soup they sling in those thinly disguised fast-food joints is like our bubby said: they maybe waved the chicken over the pot. The corned beef, it makes me so sad, it’s industrial. But then! Along comes Zane Caplansky, a nice Jewish boy. Instead

Taste a mother’s love in every bite of a treat from Charmaine Sweets. Owner Teresa Ho and her daughter are baking cookies, cakes and other sweet pastries from their Leaside locale. Trained in the classic French techniques of pastry baking, Ho not only shares her love and expertise of all baked goods through her menu

The Elm Street Italian Deli is unlike any other sandwich shop in the city. They are pumping out Italian cold cut sandwiches all day every day, and that’s about it. Opened by the team behind Cherry Street Bar-B-Que, all the meats here are prepared at the central kitchen location. Find two-handers like the Sergio Leone

Fast friends since first working together some seven years ago, Rachel Pellett and Heather Mee had long dreamt of opening up their own eatery. The duo officially opened Emma’s Country Kitchen today as something of an ode to Pellett’s grandmother, who ran a restaurant of the same name near Caledon. Keeping things homey and simple, the kitchen serves up fresh baked goods in addition to frozen meals and a weekend brunch.

There’s nothing quite like the delicious taste of a moist and mouth-watering loaf of sourdough bread, and that’s exactly what Emmer is best known for. Before the opening of the bakery, dentist-by-day owner Phillip Haddad was testing out his recipes for years, offering test tastes to anyone who stopped by. Now, though the bakery may

As seen in a Shawn Mendes music video, a Daniel Radcliffe film and a few others, the George Street Diner stakes its claim as one of Toronto’s most recognizable, while also maintaining the nostalgia feel customers expect in a diner. This local hangout on a great corner location feels like a real old-fashioned diner where

The first GTA outpost of the beloved Ottawa bagel brand, Kettleman’s Bagel Co. is known for its Montreal-style bagels, which are made fresh daily. The bagels are hand-rolled, boiled in honey water to seal in moisture, and baked in a wood-burning oven. This traditional preparation technique gives the bagels their signature soft centre and slightly

On the 44th floor of the Bisha Hotel, you’ll find panoramic views of Toronto, along with some of the best Californian/Mexican cuisine outside of Baja state. As the northernmost state in Mexico and the southernmost point in California, Baja cuisine is the perfect blend of culture and flavour. At Kost, the Bisha Hotel’s newest restaurant,

As Toronto’s population grows, so does its brunch crowd, but don’t worry Lady Marmalade’s got enough eggs Benny to go around. You might just have to wait in line to get it. The popular east end brunch spot has been serving up the city’s most sought-after breakfast since 2009. Husband and wife owners David and

Dawn Chapman grew up eating the best the countryside had to offer. Her grandparents owned a farm in Midhurst, Ont., so for her, eating fresh, local, organic food was not something she talked about, it was simply a way of life. Now that she’s living in the city, she's planning a café that aims to show people that “the countryside is closer than you think.”

Stepping into Leslieville Pumps General Store & Kitchen is akin to setting foot inside a Kawartha cottage. With a duo of Adirondack chairs out front, countrified knickknacks peering down from shelves and gingham aplenty, this project from brothers Greg and Judson Flom is at once a convenience store, indie gas station and barbecue sandwich joint.

With a simple concept and delicious offerings, Light Cafe is certainly brightening up the Baldwin village area. Light Cafe is rooted in Taiwanese cuisine and serves up light and colourful drinks to pair with gourmet sandwiches, salads and bowls. Not just a lunch spot — or not encouraging only savoury foods for lunch — there

Located on Dundas, Milou Cafe is a Parisian-influenced café-bistro. The changing menu consists of a rotating selection of sandwiches served up on bread from Toronto’s beloved Blackbird Baking Co., including a classic French ham sando with Dijon on a baguette. One step through the doors shows off the French inspiration of this corner-or-the-street bistro. Inside,

If you’re looking for a no-frills sports bar to casually sit in while watching the game, look no further than this Parkdale haunt. Apps like mushroom dingers and jalapeno poppers meet caesar salads, burgers and hot dogs, with a dessert twist. New Orleans beignets, made with peach puree and caramel, close out a relaxed menu

A classic diner by day and buzzing bar by night, Skyline Restaurant has been keeping the Parkdale community fed since the 1960s. Even a recent change in management can’t alter the homey feeling the overwhelms you as you come inside. Very little has been done to alter what Skyline looks like: red vinyl dining booths,