Toronto’s Top 5 Favourite Dishes Everyone Should Try

Canada’s largest city is home to a patchwork of cultures and cuisines, each with its hallmark combination of flavours. As one of the world’s most diverse hubs for food, Toronto’s culinary scene spans the globe, from Jamaica to Vietnam.

Not sure where to start? Here are five dishes you won’t want to miss.

Poutine

Poutine is an all-time Canadian favourite. Multiple small towns in Quebec claim to have invented poutine back in the 1950s. Not familiar with poutine? It’s french fries and cheese curds topped with gravy. In other words, it’s a mouthful of savoury, indulgent, gooey goodness—our most accessible national treasure.

While poutine can be found as a late-night snack at most fast food joints in Canada, many restaurants have transformed the dish into a true culinary gem, with hand-cut fries, barbecue pork, smoked meat—and a variety of vegetarian options that are just as delicious.

Khao Soi

Toronto’s collection of authentic Thai restaurants make it easy to experience a world of flavours without needing to fly halfway across the globe. Whenever the temperature dips, one dish in particular starts calling: khao soi.

Khao soi is a Thai staple that consists of egg noodles topped with yellow curry and garnished with shallots, chopped cilantro, pickled greens, and sweet and spicy chili sauce. The broth is made with coconut milk for a rich, savoury, and delicious comfort dish that keeps you warm through the winter.

Classic Burgers

Whether you’re sitting down at a dedicated burger joint or a sandwich shop, it’s not difficult to find a great burger on the menu. If you love burgers, you’ll love Toronto. Not only have we nailed the classics, but we’ve mastered the art of extravagantly-topped hamburgers.

Are you in the mood for a classic burger? Experience a gloriously beefy patty topped with bacon, cheese, pickles, caramelized onions, and your choice of sauces. Whether you’re craving a classic double cheeseburger or an inventive brisket burger topped with tender, smokey slices of beef brisket, the city has got you covered.

Pho

Among the Asian dining options in the city, Vietnamese beef noodle soup stands out as one of the best known and most loved dishes of them all. Don’t be fooled by its appearance: noodles in soup topped with slices of beef, which you can dip with sriracha and hoisin sauce. Pho is a powerhouse of flavours.

If you’re interested in seeing why pho is the most popular dish in Vietnam, you’re in luck. Toronto’s pho restaurants are known for their quick service, cheap food, and irresistible, authentic quality.

Dumplings

More than 12% of Toronto’s population is Chinese. It’s no wonder our dumplings are delicious, steaming pockets of pure joy. Whether you’re in the mood for stuffed buns, fried rice, or crispy, pan-fried dumplings, the city’s dumpling houses have mastered the art of tasty fillings.

Learn more about what Toronto’s restaurant scene is all about by Get in touch with our CHI Real Estate Group.