Looking for budget-friendly dining in Toronto and wondering where to find the best affordable restaurants?
Do you tip waiters in Toronto? Tipping in Toronto is similar to tipping in the US. Aim for 15% or more of the total bill before tax for good service and less for poor service.
A cheap lunch in Toronto isn’t just fuel to keep you going, it can be a midday oasis that improves your whole outlook on the rest of the afternoon.
Most tofu and rice dishes are available for about $15 or less, like the mouth-watering hot stone pot bibimbap with chopped carrot, juicy beef and mushrooms that sport a perfectly sunny fried egg on top.
Copy Link Since 1982, chef and owner Satee Beharry has been an integral part of Scarborough’s culinary community, building a following long before the days of celebrity chefs, bloggers, and social media influencers.
PG Clucks claims to have the best fried chicken sandwich in the city, and we’re not about to argue with that. Almost all under $15, their sandwiches come with a large piece (or two) of crispy fried tender chicken with a heaping pile of toppings and a fluffy bun. It’s challenging to get through one of these mammoths on its own, but if your appetite came to play, they have sides too, and you can make it a combo for under $20.
So grab your buds, and check out this list of the best happy hours in Toronto, where you can soak in that glorious 5 este'clock feeling.
Students visiting the ROM (external link, opens in new window) can access the museum for free on Tuesdays and have website a discounted entry fee of $18 on other days that the museum is open. Don’t forget your student card to get these deals!
The shop offers a variety of sweet and savory Syrian delicacies, many of which are variations of thinly rolled layers of phyllo dough stuffed with pistachios, walnuts, almonds, or other nuts.
South Core Harbour Eats by Mercatino provides a budget-friendly option for office workers with stations providing tacos, sushi, poke bowls, sandwiches and more all for around $10.
Chicken is a love language, and we’re head over heels for Gushi. It’s the best place in the city for Japanese fried chicken: golden-brown chunks of joy often marinated in soy, ginger and sake, and coated in potato starch.
Copy Link 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.
The delivery service itself is also very speedy – I’ve received an order in as short as under 30 minutes!
Copy Link Wine should always be easygoing and approachable, at least according to Grape Witches owners Nicole Campbell and Krysta Oben, who opened their bottle shop and bar (including a seasonal patio) in the west end of the city. They offer parties and workshops with an aim to stimulate conversation and educate palates in the process, aided by their quirky yet handy “Badge” guide, a litmus test to determine how “wild” you want to go outside your usual tasting comfort zone (based on variables like acidity, minerality, savoriness, bitterness, sweetness, and more).