From bulgogi to tandoori chicken, there is a lot of variety to explore in Toronto’s food scene

Toronto is not just Canada’s national capital, but it is much more than that. It is the land of dreams and opportunities. It is the city of immigrants. Toronto boasts a beautiful amalgamation of different cultures and ethnicities with people from different parts of the world bringing their traditions along with them.

For foodies like us, living in a culturally diverse city like Toronto has its perks. We, Torontonians are blessed to gorge on mouth-watering cuisines from around the world without leaving the comforts of our beautiful city. From bulgogi to tandoori chicken, there is a lot of variety to explore in Toronto’s food scene. After all, variety is the spice of life.


If you are new to the city, then grab a spoon and follow us on a brief tour of places in Toronto to enjoy culturally diverse cuisines. If you have been living in the city for a while but never had the time to go on a hogging spree, we will show you what you are missing. Last but not the least, if you are a seasoned foodie who has been to all the places listed below, let us tempt you into treating your taste buds with a second serving of wide assortment of cuisines from around the world. Here are 5 must-visit places in Toronto to indulge in traditional dishes from across many cultures:

Koreatown

 



The Korean community is perhaps one of the biggest beneficiaries of the lenient immigration system in Canada with over 50,000 Koreans living in Toronto, according to a 2001 census report. Koreatown is the largest settlement of Koreans outside of Korea. This part of the town is teeming with small businesses like grocery stores, travel agencies and seafood shops that cater to the local Korean families.


Apart from being the best place to buy traditional Korean goods, Koreatown has many restaurants that serve delicious Korean dishes like kimchi, bulgogi, bibimbap to name a few. Beef bulgogi along with kimchi is a must try if you visit this place.If you are a dessert lover, then let the hodugwaja aka Korean walnut pastries and red bean cookies bowl you over with their scrumptious flavor. Restaurants in Koreatown are big on karaoke so don’t stop yourself from singing your heart out while you munch Korean delicacies.


Location: Bloor Street (between Christie and Bathurst Streets)
Famous for: Bulgogi, Bibimbap, Kimchi

Little India

 



A large number of immigrants from the Indian subcontinent live in Toronto, and that is a testament to their love for this great metropolis. The city loves them back for the cultural diversity and great food that they bring to the table.   


Besides the top tourist attractions like the CN Tower, Casa Loma etc., Little India at Gerrard Street is always on the travelers’ itinerary. Also known as the Gerrard India Bazaar, this place is popular for food, spices, herbs, ethnic wears, handicrafts and other antiquities from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.


Let’s just focus on food as Little India has plenty of cuisines to explore from different countries of the subcontinent. If you are a vegetarian, then you would love it here as there are plenty of options to choose from such as fried dosa, paneer tikka, butter naan and much more. Meat lovers can gorge on gobsmackingly delicious tandoori chicken, biryani, shawarma, kebabs etc. Lahore Tikki House is one of the many famous restaurants in the area. Don’t forget to try Indian sweets like gulab jamun, ladoos. etc. But if you are not up for sweets, may we interest you in paan made out of betel leaf and areca nut.


Location: Gerrard Street
Famous for: Butter Naan, Tandoori Chicken, Paneer Tikka

Chinatown

 



Folks from China were one of the earliest settlers from the east in Toronto dating way back to late 1870s. After the first Chinatown was replaced by the Toronto Civic Hall and Nathan Phillips Square, the Chinese community shifted its base to the heart of the city’s downtown area. Chinatown is said to be the largest congregation of Chinese in Canada.


Chinatown caters to food cravings of a large part of the city with its endless list of Chinese restaurants that serve authentic tasty Chinese delicacies. Dimsums and baozis from Chinatown have its legion of admirers across the city. We recommend you to try traditional Chinese dishes such as wonton soups, kung pao chicken, dragon noodles, dumpling stir fry etc. if you are visiting Chinatown for the first time. Chinatown restaurants like Rol San and Rosewood rank high on the list of best restaurants in Toronto.  


While walking down the bustling streets of Chinatown after satiating your hunger pangs, lookout for traditional Chinese grocery stores that sell ramen noodles, herbs, exotic fruits & vegetables and oriental medicine.    


Location: Dundas Street and Spadina Avenue
Famous for: Dimsums, Baozi, Kung Pao Chicken

Greektown

 



The influx of Greek immigrants in 1960s led to the formation of Greektown at Danforth, Toronto. Greektown falls under the Business Improvement Area i.e. The City of Toronto supports the improvement of local businesses in the area. Greektown is one of the posh localities in Toronto thanks to high-end bars & restaurants and European style square at Logan Avenue.  Apart from splendid architecture, the area is known for its rich and diverse food joints.


From delicious gyros to mouth-watering meat skewers, Danforth has it all. Messini Authentic Gyros is the most popular restaurant in Greektown known for its traditional Greek cuisine. If you are a sucker for desserts, then you can’t miss out on sweet delicacies from Athens Pastries. Danforth is the place to go for vegan cafes, juice bars, and healthy food outlets. Come mid-August, Torontonians enjoy the popular food festival in Greektown known as ‘Taste of the Danforth’. The food fest lasts for over two days and it features a plethora of cuisines to choose from including Greek, Thai, Brazilian, Indian etc. Apart from tasty food on offer for moderate rates, Taste of the Danforth has many fun activities for family and children. Every year, the number of people visiting the festival is increasing and it reached a whopping 1.5 million in 2015. So, if you are up for tasty Greek delights, you know where to go.


Location: Danforth Avenue
Famous for: Gyro, Meat Skewers, Feta salads

Little Italy          

 



Known as the party station of Toronto, Little Italy along College Street West houses a number of Italian restaurants and businesses. Live music bars, pubs, and lounges make Little Italy one of the top destinations to enjoy the city’s nightlife. So if you are a party animal, you know where the party is.


Little Italy also has scrumptious Italian delicacies on offer and yes, we are not just talking about pasta and pizzas. Though Italian cuisines like pizza and pasta have become readily available throughout the world, there is a lingering taste of ecstasy long after you have tasted a wood burnt pizza from a traditional Italian restaurant. Little Italy has quite a few fine Italian restaurants that offer gobsmackingly amazing pizzas, pasta, ravioli, risottos and much more. If you visit this locality, you must try food from popular restaurants like Trattoria Taverniti and Bitondo Pizzeria. Little Italy has plenty of options for gluten-free, healthy, vegetarian foods as well. If you like mixing drinks and music with tasty food, we suggest you hit up Little Italy!     


Location: College Street West (between Ossington and Bathurst)
Famous for: Pasta, Pizza, Ravioli


Enjoy the pleasant evenings of spring and summer by trying out a plethora of lip-smacking delicacies that Toronto has to offer. We have shared a foodie map for you to navigate through the metropolis in search of diverse cuisines. Watch out for this space for more mouth-watering pieces as we go on a food trail across Toronto. Till then, make sure you drop by to all the places listed above and share your experience with us. So, where are you eating tonight?

Foodie Map