But be warned: as Peterson learns in this episode, when it comes to Gandhi Roti's spice levels, there's a big difference between medium and hot.
Residents of leafy Dovercourt may be slightly agitated by the endless lines of customers who form in their sleepy neighborhood for this pizzeria, run by chef and sorcerer of slices Ryan Baddeley, but they’re appeased with firsthand access to fresh pies. And magical they are: Three-day slow-fermented dough straddles the realm of a Neapolitan pizza and flaky Yemeni malawah, giving off an audible ASMR snap as you bite in.
What should I eat when I go to Toronto? Toronto is a foodie paradise with a diverse range of international cuisines, from haute cuisine to comfort food.
Copy Link Peterson's first stop this season is for a peameal bacon sandwich at this Toronto favorite. Peameal bacon, which is back bacon rolled in cornmeal, gets its name from an earlier version of the preparation, when the meat was rolled in ground peas for preservation purposes.
So grab your buds, and check out this list of the best happy hours in Toronto, where you can soak in that glorious 5 o'clock feeling.
If you prefer fish, the whole sea bass is smothered in house-fermented chiles, Fujian wine, and flowering chives, creating a numbing hellfire that balances with the angelically floral fish. For dessert, mai lai go (a modest sponge cake from the dim sum realm) is ushered into a sophisticated stratosphere with a custard moat and salted egg yolk filling. To drink, Mimi offers one of the most comprehensive libraries of baijiu in the city, with bottles ranging from juicy and effervescent to deep and saucy.
Copy Link For nearly 20 years, this Iranian restaurant has been a humble darling of Queen Street West. Co-owned by executive chef Amir Mohyeddin and his sisters, Salome and Samira, Banu — a term of endearment for their mother, loosely translated to “lady” or “dame” — offers a considerate take on the home cooking of Tehran. The food speaks volumes about the power of slow cookery. Roasted eggplant emerges creamy, a touch pungent, and nutty thanks to several stages of peeling, frying, and low-and-slow cooking to extract every ounce of flavor.
Owner Dawn Chapman’s farm-forward philosophy stems from her childhood experiences growing up on her grandparents’ farm in Midhurst, Ontario. Her beloved brunch spot (with a newly minted dinner menu) has become a community pillar in the city’s east end of Leslieville (and beyond). People clamor for the legendary high-rise biscuit sandwiches, the stuff of down-home country dreams. These fluffy cushions embrace decadent fillings such as fried chicken with honey butter and jalapeno cheese, Mennonite smoked bacon cradling a runny egg and melty aged cheddar, or eggs with portobello mushrooms and vegan cheddar.
When Karen isn’t publishing fire content, you can find her binge-watching sitcoms on Netflix, at a must-try restaurant, or scrolling endlessly on TikTok looking for the next best thing – News never sleeps.
Queen West Just try finishing a roti from Gandhi Roti in one sitting—you probably won’t be able to, despite the fact that vegan rotis all cost under $10.
Copy Link Can pies solve all of life’s problems? No, but the ones at Gertie’s get close. Operated by chef Ryan Campbell and his wife, Sara Steep, Gertie’s — named for Campbell’s mother Gerda — throws together humble ingredients with potently evolved results. A butter-enriched crust made with peanuts and graham crackers is topped with a voluptuous mound of soft-whipped mascarpone cream (with some extra-fancy peanut butter mixed in for nutty oomph), followed by a filling of your choice — lush caramel, deeply dark chocolate, or perky strawberry jam — and finished with top-notch roasted Virginia peanuts.
Brockton Village If you’re really looking to fill up for cheap, Pho Linh is the place to go. Humongous XL bowls of their legendary beef rice website noodle soup are around $8.50.
While chef and owner Eddie Yeung owns an additional Wonton Hut location in the suburbs of Markham, his newer locale in downtown Toronto arguably allows him to flex more. New to this location, his street eats menu (shrimp paste toast, deep-fried cuttlefish skewers, Hong Kong-style brick toast) honors the legacy of dai pai dongs, stalls that used to fill the labyrinthine alleyways of Hong Kong.
The surprise bags feature items that the restaurants or stores would’ve thrown out, so you’re saving perfectly good food from going into the landfill!