We scoured our favourite Toronto nabes in order to come up with the best bites — poke, lasagna, pasta and more — and pitched them against the city's top-ranked foodie hot spots. Who comes out on top? Who gets the glory? Read on to find out.
Check out Toronto Neighbourhood Food Fight: Part Two here.
SANDWICH SHOWDOWN
There’s nothing run-of-the-mill about the T.O. sammie scene, but one shop is truly tops.
ROSEDALE
BLACK CAMEL
Get here before the lunch rush and order up the renowned brisket sammie.
4 Crescent Rd.
VS.
DUWEST
PORCHETTA & CO
Pork shoulder, prosciutto and belly are combined, resulting in this inimitable porchetta.
825 Dundas St. W.
VS.
LESLIEVILLE
LESLIEVILLE PUMPS
This smoked brisket is loaded with crispy curls of sweet onion and lotsa BBQ sauce.
929 Queen St. E.
WINNER: BLACK CAMEL
FINE FRENCH FISTICUFFS
Which purveyor of la grande cuisine does haute better?
CASA LOMA
SCARAMOUCHE
Haute French spots come and go, but this mainstay has nailed the recipe to success.
1 Benvenuto Pl.
VS.
OSSINGTON
LA BANANE
Brandon Olsen made old school French cool again thanks to his well-executed menu.
227 Ossington Ave.
WINNER: SCARAMOUCHE
POKE KNOCKOUT
YORKVILLE
CALII LOVE
1235 Bay St.
VS.
KOREATOWN
BIG TUNA POKÉ BAR
599 Bloor St. W.
At Calii Love, a brand new addition to Yorkville, an edited selection of poke bowls is dished out on the daily. We heart this number with salmon, avo, watermelon radish and spicy mayo topping black rice. But Big Tuna puts up a good fight with its refreshing, ponzu-laden take loaded with ahi tuna, macadamia nuts and sesame seeds.
WINNER: CALII LOVE
INDIAN SCRIMMAGE
Indian food abounds in the city, but these standouts always hold their ground.
AVENUE ROAD
THE COPPER CHIMNEY
Dishes like baingan patiala (stir-fried eggplant) continue to wow at this north Indian resto.
2050 Avenue Rd.
VS.
CHRISTIE PITS
BANJARA
Aloo gobi is but one of the stellar options at this space, which serves eats from across India.
796 Bloor St. W.
WINNER: BANJARA
TACO TAKEDOWN
T.O. is home to plenty of great tacos, but which taqueria gets the gold?
YONGE & EG
LA CARNITA
Thank the heavens that this joint opened in our ’hood. Can’t resist the Mexican chorizo.
130 Eglinton Ave. E.
VS.
PARKDALE
GRAND ELECTRIC
The originators of the T.O. taco craze are still going muy strong. Go Baja fish.
1330 Queen St. W.
VS.
THE JUNCTION
PLAYA CABANA CANTINA
Always buzzing, this far west ender does rounds with chipotle-marinated kalbi beef.
2883 Dundas St. W.
WINNER: GRAND ELECTRIC
LOADED LASAGNA
FOREST HILL
7 NUMBERS
516 Eglinton Ave. W.
VS.
DUWEST
LA PALMA
849 Dundas St. W.
Our hearts forever belong to Mama Rosa Marinuzzi’s southern Italian soul food. At 7 Numbers, she dishes out her oh-so-tasty lasagna, packed with ground veal, sugo and loadsa mozza. But over at La Palma, Craig Harding’s in-demand resto, diners are going nuts for the 100-layer lasagna, which borrows from Italy’s north and south. A battle extraordinaire.
WINNER: IT'S A TIE!
ROTISSERIE RUCKUS
Two star chefs deliver juicy chicken with crisp skin. But who does it best?
HARBORD
FLOCK
Cory Vitiello’s whole bird comes with both Caribbean pepper sauce and chimichurri.
97 Harbord St.
VS.
YORKVILLE
CAFÉ BOULUD
Chef Daniel Boulud’s poulet is sat handsomely on a bed of rotisserie potatoes.
60 Yorkville Ave.
WINNER: CAFÉ BOULUD
INDIGENOUS FACEOFF
Toronto is home to incredible Indigenous fare, which doesn’t fail to impress.
MT. PLEASANT
KU-KUM
This French-influenced resto offers a tasting menu with elk, parsnips and squash purée.
581 Mount Pleasant Rd.
VS.
KENSINGTON
POW WOW CAFE
Arrive seriously hungry before tucking into hearty Ojibwa tacos on the wee patio.
213 Augusta Ave.
WINNER: KU-KUM
Read on to find out who reigned supreme in Toronto Neighbourhood Food Fight: Part Two.
