Growing up in the GTA, I would always tell people I was from Toronto, even though I had never actually lived in the city. That finally changed last summer when my sister and I decided to leave the lull of suburbia and sublet an apartment right beside the Eaton Centre. To document our first Toronto summer, I (literally) dusted off our family’s old Lumix LX5 and hopped on the digicam trend.

As I went through the photos, I realized all we did was eat that summer, so it only made sense to dedicate this first part entirely to Toronto’s food scene. And given the sheer number of cafés we visited, I’ll graciously provide a table of contents for you to skip to the food (though I don’t know why anyone would skip coffee).

Coffee and the third space

One of the greatest joys in life is going to a local café for a coffee and pastry, though the joy is significantly diminished when you have to eat the pastry in the hellscape of an industrial parking lot. So, as I pulled up to Hatch Coffee Roasters with my stash of Duo pastries and turned to see the man parked next to me bite down on his croissant, I couldn’t help but reminisce about Toronto’s cafés and the crucial third spaces they provide.

The Library Specialty Coffee

281 Dundas St W

My favourite coffee in the city, The Library roasts its own beans and steams some of the smoothest milk ever.

Youthful Vengeance

1110 Dundas St W

The cutest workspace with tons of seating, books to read and a small gallery displaying local art. I should warn you that you might get distracted by the owner’s adorable dog, Poppy, who likes to take naps on the couch. We stayed here a little past closing to finish up some work, and the owner didn’t seem to mind at all.

Carbonic Coffee

37 Baldwin St

I don’t know who decided to put three coffee shops in a row on Baldwin St, but I’m not mad about it. I met up with a friend here right at opening, and we were treated to some freshly baked croissants and some pretty good coffee.

Rooms

17 Baldwin St

You can probably tell from the picture that Rooms is a beautiful space with great vibes. The laid-back atmosphere and spinning vinyls were *almost* enough to mask my scalding cortado, but with that being said, I would still give this place a second chance.

Butter & Blue

7 Baldwin St

I know I like to make fun of all the hipster cafés putting gochujang and miso in their pastries, but this miso cornflake cookie was seriously awesome. And let’s be honest, that cute little cup is enough to keep me coming back. All in all, Butter & Blue’s unique pastry selection, ample seating (including a patio), and cozy decor make it a great space for hanging out or working.

Graination

204 Spadina Ave

Walking down Spadina, the 2-kg bags of Hatch Red Lotus in Graination’s window caught my eye, and I made a mental note to go back to check it out. I’m always excited to find a coffee shop brewing Hatch beans, and Graination didn’t disappoint. Since it is mainly a photo lab, it doesn’t have the most comfortable seating, but the selection of photo books makes up for it anyway.

Cộng Cà Phê

3 Elm St

Cộng is a popular Vietnamese coffee chain designed to look like a vintage café during Vietnam’s Subsidy Period. Beautiful décor aside, I found their banh mi to be inconsistent and the service slow. However, this location had just opened at the time, so I assume they’ve got it figured out now, and their coconut coffee still hits the spot.

De Mello Coffee

8 Spadina Ave

Since I seemed to always be at The Well last summer, it was only a matter of time before I tried De Mello. I thought the iced latte and matcha were ok, but I came back for a cortado and found their roast too dark for my liking.

Mercury Espresso

915 Queen St E

I was lucky enough to snag the last blueberry scone to enjoy with my coffee at Mercury, a nice neighbourhood spot in Leslieville.

The tea on bubble tea

The third wave of bubble tea comes at a time when I’ve all but cut it out of my life. I’ve come to accept that 500 ml of sweetened tea with ungodly amounts of creamer or milk doesn’t usually sit well with my stomach—and neither does the $10 price tag. But we’ve come a long way from the milk tea at Chinese mall food courts to the ubiquitous Chatime and Coco’s. Now we have gourmet, brew-to-order bubble tea, which makes me wonder if paying extra for high quality tea only to mask it with milk and sugar makes any sense in the first place. With that being said, it’s still hard to resist a cold drink on a hot day…

ICHA TEA

235 Spadina Ave

Staying far away from milk tea, this guava refresher with grass jelly is great for the summer squelchers. This boutique tea shop also offers more traditional tea drinks and brewing workshops.

CHICHA San Chen 吃茶三千

60 Huron St, Toronto, ON M5T 2A5

I think Chicha is one of the first brew-to-order franchises to land in Toronto. It’s a step above the rest but doesn’t live up to the lofty expectations of a Michelin Star bubble tea. Or, as my Taiwanese friend would say, I’m just a hater.

If it’s on blogTO, it’s (not) for me

Like any big city, Toronto falls victim to food hype. Sometimes it’s impossible to resist the trends, which can leave you either pleasantly surprised or awfully disappointed.

Pizzeria Badiali

181 Dovercourt Rd

I really did not want to like this place. I had already heard the name “Badiali” mentioned dozens of times before my friend J. insisted that I try the “best pie in town”. He ordered a whole pepperoni pizza with hot honey, which meant we could skip the line and go straight to pick it up.
The line. The reason for my skepticism. Torontonians will line up for just about anything—a free sample, the newly opened Shake Shack, an overpriced cookie. Very rarely does a line actually indicate the quality of the food.
After getting our pizza, fighting off a swarm of wasps at the park, and finally settling on the curb in front of the nearby church, the pizza was already cold. J. assured me that I was not trying it in its optimal condition and that nothing beats a Badiali slice fresh from the oven. So, a few months and a couple of non-Badiali slices later, I decided to go back. I waited in line like a good Torontonian for a Vodka and a Margherita slice—the simpler, the better. The melted cheese burned the roof of my mouth (as it should) as I bit into the thin, crispy crust. The light texture of the crust is what makes Badiali stand out from other slices in the city. The haters were wrong this time; they just have too much of an ego to stand in line for a slice of pizza.

Sugo

1281 Bloor St W

Sugo is another highly hyped restaurant, famously repped by Leafs forward William Nylander. There’s no doubt that they do simple Italian-American dishes very well, but it’s exactly that: simple dishes at an inflated price.

Lambo’s Deli

176 Bellwoods Ave

There’s no denying the beauty of this cross section. Both the Italian Trio and the Classic Combo were solid, although the Classic was slightly soggy from the dressing. Overall, the filling-to-bread ratio is admirable, and the subs are always perfectly wrapped, but I will say they tend to be on the saltier side.

Gusto 501

501 King St E

Gusto’s Insta-famous truffle pasta is good but not amazing. The first bites were tasty, but it got boring fast, and the pasta was served lukewarm. In this case, the high expectations detract from what would be a pretty enjoyable meal. However, I would go back for their half-price happy hour and $1/ounce wine.

Hanmoto

2 Lakeview Ave

Hidden off the main road and located in an old garage, Hanmoto is all vibes and no flavour. A $16-order of Dyno Wings consists of just two chicken wings stuffed with the saltiest wonton filling, fried to death, and served in a takeout box that says “delicious” in Chinese. The cocktails were forgettable, neither the surf nor turf were anywhere to be found in the Surf N Turf handrolls, and the katsu bun was decadent in the worst way. But hey, you can get some nice moody pictures.

The closest thing to street food

Toronto may have food from every cuisine around the world, but the one thing it lacks is street food. The over-commodification of food has turned eating out into a luxury, and cheap eats are largely relegated to fast food chains. We don’t have the likes of taco stands, bánh mì carts or hawker stalls that feed the working class proper food without the frills of a concept menu, signature cocktails, merch, or even indoor seating. Unfortunately, the humble food stand does not fit into the strict rules and regulations of our society, so we’ll have to settle with take-out joints.

Acute Pizzeria

1745 Dundas St W

Acute Pizzeria gets points right off the bat for having such a cute name. Their sourdough crust is a welcome addition to Toronto’s pantheon of pizza places, but they need to fix their clumpy parmesan shaker (peep the pepperoni slice) and reheat their slices longer.

Tacos Moras

547 St Clair Ave W

Tacos Moras was a pleasant surprise after the chaos of Salsa on St. Clair. The tacos are piping hot with those bits of crispy melted cheese, and there’s an extensive array of self-serve salsas and accoutrements. There isn’t much seating inside, but the church across the street does the trick.

Hong Kong Island Dim Sum House

248 Spadina Ave

Their pineapple buns are still 80 cents each. Enough said.

OCHA’s LESLIEVILLE

1022 Queen St E

Ocha’s jerk chicken was good enough to console my sister after the customer in front of us ordered the last portion of oxtail. The meat is tender and flavourful, though the sauce is on the sweeter side, and the rice is perfectly cooked. I’m also grateful for the side of coleslaw since our favourite Jamaican spot in Scarborough replaced their slaw with boiled vegetable medley.

Dining in

Reserved for special occasions and the off chance that our meal prep goes awry.

Amal

131 Bloor St W

Amal is an upscale Lebanese restaurant that definitely looks the part. Unfortunately, their hummus was ruined (literally curdled) by an excessive pool of pomegranate molasses, and there was an Adonis pita oddly tucked under their homemade ones. The kibbeh was good, though I couldn’t help but compare them to the ones at Abu el Zulof in Montreal…

Mezes

440 Danforth Ave

Is it bad to say that every Greek restaurant on the Danforth tastes the same to me? While Mezes’ patio was beautiful, the food was just normal, and the Greek salad was a great reminder that Mediterranean food is so reliant on the quality of the ingredients. If you’re going to advertise “vine grown tomatoes”, I would expect them to actually have some flavour.

Dim Sum King Seafood Restaurant

421 Dundas St W

Everyone knows that the best dim sum in the GTA is in Markham/Scarborough, but alas nothing can come between a Chinese dad and his weekend tradition. That’s how we ended up at Dim Sum King, a Chinatown staple that has hosted a couple of my dad’s friends’ weddings and still offers the traditional dim sum cart experience. Not the best but definitely serviceable, and with an added touch of nostalgia.

Okonomi House Restaurant

23 Charles St W

I can’t judge the authenticity of this place because I seem to be the only Asian in Toronto who hasn’t visited Japan in the last year, but the food tasted pretty good to me. Okonomiyaki is definitely their specialty, that is to say their yakisoba did not look appetizing at all. Overall, it’s a great value and satisfies my cravings for Japanese konamono (flour-based dishes).

Afrobeat Kitchen/Bar

1510 Queen St W

I had high hopes for this restaurant but was ultimately underwhelmed. The plantain was a little dark and looked like it had been fried earlier and reheated, and the chicken was actually cold. I enjoyed the egusi stew a lot more, but dare I say, I prefer my friend’s egg stew and yam. 😭

A sweet treat

I’m more of a salty treat kind of person, but Toronto has some phenomenal ice cream (despite it being cold most of the year). I’d like to first mention Ruru Baked, Ed’s Real Scoop in Leslieville and Bang Bang Ice Cream & Bakery, which is the ice cream parlour equivalent of Badiali in terms of the line. I didn’t manage to get any pictures, but they’re all great!

Good Gang Ice Cream

540 Parliament St

This was a small neighbourhood spot in Cabbagetown, but it looks like they’re moving all the way out to Runnymede. We got their sampler, which we assumed would be four small scoops, but it turned out to be the most ice cream we’ve ever eaten in one sitting. Their toast (sourdough) flavour and guanabanana (guanabana + banana) were definitely the stand outs.

The Sweet Spot 糖水有余

41 Baldwin St Ground Floor

I may or may not have added this because I didn’t have enough pictures for the dessert section. The Sweet Spot is a pretty average Chinese dessert place for when you’re craving herbal jelly and taro.

Happy hour and after hours

Since my first foray into proper cocktails in Mexico City, I’ve dabbled in some bars in Toronto and am happy to say our bar scene is pretty class.

Cocktail Bar

923 Dundas St W

It’s always a good time at the Cocktail Bar. This quaint, intimate bar is not at all pretentious, which is evident from their quirky drink descriptions, and they serve some of the best cocktails I’ve ever had. The one pictured is the Gold Lion, which pairs scotch and rum with sesame, passionfruit and matcha – a wildly delicious combination. Go during happy hour to enjoy any drink for $12.

Bar Pompette

607 College St

This is more of a refined European-style establishment with a lovely patio in the back. The Easy Peasy (snap pea sour) was bright and elegant, and the Bakery Punch tasted like a literal pastry.

After Seven

10 Stephanie St

After Seven is a speakeasy in a yogurt drink shop. My sister and I decided on a whim that this would be our last hurrah the night before moving back to the burbs. It turns out that one does not spontaneously decide to go to After Seven because, of course, they have a waitlist. That gave us enough time to pack up the last of our things before sitting down to enjoy The Greenhouse (imagine a Japanese gazpacho) and the Ghibli Elixir (super smooth with an intense pandan flavour).

Until next summer, Toronto.