Toronto
Toronto is a wonderful city and the diverse culture of the city lends itself to a great food scene that is just as diverse. The food in this city is incredible, and there is simply no way you could leave disappointed. Headlining here is Juicy Dumplings, a top 20 meal in elite company. However the rest of the city lives up to the hype as well, please enjoy it as much as I did!
Dumplings/Pan Fried
Rank: 18
Juicy Dumplings highlights just how great the food scene is in Toronto. A top 20 spot headlining the city is a very high bar. The rest of this city also has some great finds, but let’s discuss these dumplings first. I was eating them as my last meal of the day, and upon devouring the first order in 5 minutes, I ordered 2 more. I definitely recommend ordering the pan-fried pork dumplings here. I was with my dad, who spent 4 months living in China, and he said these dumplings are the best he’s had outside of China. These are the best dumplings of my life, as I have not yet been to China, and I would be shocked if anyone has had better dumplings than these. I am not sure what more of a review is necessary; just go get these fantastic dumplings ASAP.
Pizza/ “No Name”
Rank: 39
Leaving a city being surprised that a dish ranked so high is always a plus, and this rank is no different. Descendant is the third best pizza I have had in my life, and this fact says more about the Toronto food scene than almost anything else I could say. The only pizzas I have had that were better were both devoured in NYC, so Descendant is certainly in some elite company in terms of pizza.
I had the “No Name” pizza and I would advise you to do the same since this pizza was simply to die for. A perfectly crispy crust, as needed for all Detroit-style pies, topped with a flavorful sauce, a to-die-for cheese blend, and an array of deliciously chosen toppings that were perfect. The dollops of Ricotta on this pie were a necessary addition that added a lot to the flavor. I am confident every pie you order from here will leave you craving more, but I doubt any would leave your mouth watering as much as the “No Name”.
Ramen
Rank: 82
Moving away from pizza, we are back in the more cultured side of the Toronto food scene. Raijin Ramen is some of the best ramen I have had in my life, and I would definitely recommend trying to snag some if you are near the University of Toronto and are looking for some outstanding ramen. This is one of those restaurants where there is no way you could go wrong, all of this ramen is damn delicious, so go crazy!
Pizza
Rank: 98
All pizza lovers should rejoice at two of the top three recommendations I have in Toronto being iconic pizza joints. The pizza scene in Toronto is epic, and Pizzeria Defina is a big reason why. A pizza this good is usually number one by a landslide in most cities. The fact that there is a significantly better pizza joint in this city as well shows you just how great the pizza here is. I devoured the Molto Bello Diavola pie here, however I think any pizza you get here would satisfy your pizza needs; the crust, sauce and cheese are so good I would be stunned if it did not translate to every pie.
Pho/Pho Bien
Rank: 159
This 24-hour, cash-only, Pho joint is one of those crazy rare 24-hour note-worthy joints that must be appreciated by everyone who is involved. There is a lot of good Pho here, my favorite is the Pho Bien, but I doubt you could select a Pho that did not make you happy. It is in Chinatown and is right next to Juicy Dumplings so you definitely should do as I did, pick up a few dozen dumplings and then have some Pho to go with it.
Shawarma
Rank: 161
Johnny’s Shawarma is another noteworthy addition to an already amazing list of delectable food in Toronto. Here we have shawarma on the north-eastern side of Toronto in a town called Scarborough, I highly recommend coming to Johnny’s on your way out to Rouge National Park or the zoo if you are leaving Toronto proper. The shawarma here is phenomenal, and it is worth heading to Scarborough just to try some of this fantastic shawarma, the family that runs Johnny’s is the nicest family ever, and give an authentic shawarma to be devoured to all.
Nicaraguan
Rank: 163
Yet another new cuisine in Toronto where I recommend you devouring whatever suits your fancy. I devoured the Churrasco, which was a glorious tenderloin, but it was so tasty that I would be shocked if everything here was not of equal if not better quality. So definitely peruse the menu and see what suits your fancy and then prepare yourself for a meal that you will consume immediately.
Chinese
Rank: 184
The first installment in Toronto is an iconic hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant. Once again I do not have any specific recommendation here, just know that it is a cash-only joint that has bomb Chinese food. I was able to try some Lo Mein and Noodle Soup here, and both of them were damn fantastic. I do not believe there is something significantly better than the rest of the menu, but definitely come by for some amazing Chinese, and if I am missing something specifically, let me know. But it will all be good for you, trust me.
Pizza
Rank: 241
Another Toronto addition coming in the form of some FIRE pizza. I had the pepperoni, and it was damn glorious, but make sure to enjoy whatever is your go-to pizza order here. The pepperoni was great, but not good enough that you should go out of your way for just the pepperoni. Enjoy Maker’s fire pizza that is just a fantastic pie to enjoy while in downtown Toronto.
Tibetan/Momos
Rank: 289
The only Tibetan food on my whole website so far, and Loga’s corner is on here for great reason. Their Momos are damn fantastic and they are nice addition to the list. momos are similar to dumplings but just have a thicker dough. This was my first time having momos, and I definitely recommend you coming to Loga’s Corner to try them if you have not had them before.
Bagels
Rank: 282
Primrose Bagels is one of three noteworthy bagel joints I have on my list, and the other two are both in NYC. So that puts Primrose in a nice spot when we talk about bagels. While it may be second to last in Toronto overall, it still is very impressive when I am saying this bagel is still good enough to go out of your way to enjoy.
Breakfast
Rank: 315
Petit Dejeneur is a high quality breakfast spot in Toronto that has some fantastic waffles. The benny waffle was my choice here, but I am confident that everything you pick here will be glorious.