Cheap places to eat in Toronto

With a busy school and work schedule, I try to make the most of my time off. Imagine that today is your day off. You call your friend and naturally, downtown Toronto is the first place that pops into your head; you meet at the GO Station to catch the evening train. When you get off at Union Station, you both admit to being hungry yet you don’t want to spend $40 or more on a meal. You also aren’t craving McDonald’s or any fast-food chain restaurants so where do you go to eat? 

This is a recurring situation that can be easy to land yourself in as I have been there many times myself. Toronto has a reputation for being an expensive city and it doesn’t shy away from that in its food scene. With well-known restaurants like Lavelle, Köst, Harbour 60, STK, and many others, you are likely to leave with a tasty meal, beautiful pictures, and a big dent in your bank account. To avoid this situation, I’ve compiled a list of some food locations with an affordable price tag, great food, and an aesthetic vibe. 

Queen Street Warehouse

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One of the city’s hidden gems, Queen Street Warehouse is an upbeat restaurant with all menu items priced at $5.95, including food options such as BBQ stacked ribs, tacos, quesadillas, salads, burgers, pasta, and desserts. With vegetarian and gluten-free options, this place is a must-try. My go-to choices would have to be the nachos, the crispy chicken burger, and the cavatappi alfredo. 

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Soufi’s

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For all of the middle eastern foodies out there, this Syrian restaurant serves staple meals like zaatar, muhammara, knafeh, tabouleh, hummus, labneh, man’ooshe, chai, and the list goes on. They have both halal and kosher options to accommodate different dietary needs. With all menu items under $10, be sure to make it to Soufi’s to try out the cuisine. As a Middle Eastern myself and a lover of Middle Eastern cuisine, I would recommend the following 3-course meal: the tabouleh and hummus for appetizers, zaatar and cheese for the main course, and topping it off with classic cheese knafeh as well as chai. 

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Wilbur Mexicana

Located in Toronto’s fashion district, this restaurant offers a variety of Mexican eats including burritos, bowls, tacos, quesadillas, and fajitas all priced under $15. With such reasonable prices, I would recommend trying a little of everything and not limiting yourself to just one meal. Next time you find yourself on King Street, make sure you make it a point to go in and check them out. 

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Rasta Pasta

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For incredible Jamaican food with a fusion of Italian cuisine, look no further. With eats like jerk chicken, oxtail, Trenchtown goat, reggae lasagna, fried dumplings, Jamaican beef patties, and fried plantain for $15 or less, this is a must-try restaurant near Kensington Market. I find the central location and great portion sizes add to the value of an incredible experience. 

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Sushi on Bloor

This Japanese restaurant includes an array of menu items, some of which are teriyaki, tempura and rice, noodles, super rolls, sushi, sashimi, bento, salads, soup, vegetarian rolls, and so much more. With many of the items priced at $10 or less, you’ll have even more reason to go here next time you’re downtown. I believe this to be an awesome choice for all sushi lovers as there is a wide range of food options available at incredible prices. 

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Messini Authentic Gyros

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A tried and true restaurant for the best Greek eats including Greek poutine, spanakopita, grilled loukaniko, gyro pitas, souvlaki, and many others. Located in Toronto’s Greektown, some of the best Greek food can be found here for under $20. Having been here approximately a million times, I find myself constantly ordering the Chicken Gyros Pita which I would argue is the best item on the menu. 

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Banh Mi Boys

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With a Toronto location opened in 2011, this Vietnamese restaurant has been featured on blogTO, TORONTOist, as well as The Washington Post. They serve many food items some of which are panko tofu, pork belly, braised beef, pulled pork tacos, kimchi fries, and grilled pork banh mi. With a price tag under $10 for the menu items, you can enjoy your food without any worry of hurting your bank account. With so much love and praise from various food blogs, this is definitely next on my list of food spots to go to with friends and family. 

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Govinda’s

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This is a vegetarian/vegan Indian restaurant located in close proximity to the Yorkville neighbourhood. Food options include lentil dhal, chapati flatbread, pakora fritter, kachori, samosas, and thalis. With a location in a historic building downtown and affordable food options, don’t overlook them on your next visit. I like the concept of specification on vegetarian/vegan options at Govinda’s as those options are not just side menu items rather they are the main course meal which is not too common at most restaurant locations. 

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With all of your new knowledge of cool and affordable restaurants in Toronto, you can now be the one to suggest the next place to eat with your friends. Most importantly, next time you go out, you can avoid breaking your bank account all while enjoying the food and atmosphere.

 P.S. Bon Appétit