Toronto: What is the 1 best "cheap eats" restaurant in TO that I can't miss?
 

I know everyone will give me a different answer :) I was hoping to get a list together.

Pizza to eat on the street -- Amato, in the old market building across from CITY TV, on Queen Street West near McCaul.

Smoked meat sandwiches -- Rueban's on King Street Westg, across from the Holiday Inn on King.

French fries -- Horvath truck in front of the convention center, on Front Street near the CN Tower, CBC Building, Intercontinental Hotel. etc.

Back bacon sandwich from several outlets in the St. Lawrence Market south building. There's chicken sandwiches and veal sandwiches, too.

Fanciest surroundings for the lest money? Yamato, on Belair, between Cumberland and Yorkville and Fune, on Simcoe at Adelaide. Both are Japanese, both serve under $10 teriyaki lunches. Yamato has flashing knives at the table, too. Fun to watch. Both are more expensive at dinner time.

Peel Pub -- have not been there for a while, but pretty good food, cheap, for university students. Daily specials under $10, some under $5. King Street West, between Royal Alexandra Theatre and Princess of Wales Theatre.

Any Swiss Chalet restaurant. Excellent chicken, low prices, good service, very clean -- probably best price/quality ratio in the country.

I've had some good hamburgers at Chicago, on Queen Street West, between John and Peter.

BAK

I have this 'thing' about eating on the street - it just doesn't seem like a meal to me and I don't usually enjoy it. (Although I do like the bacon sandwiches from St. Lawrence market.) I tink there are some really good Vietnamese places around - you can get a huge bowl of pho or other noodle dish for $5 or $6. Actually lots of 'ethnic' restaurants can be inexpensive.

Thanks for the replies.

I was actually hoping to get a list of specific places people on here thought I definitely need to try.

BAK, I am looking forward to those peameal bacon sandwiches!!

Specific -- Korean Grill on Queen Street West, just eawst of McCaul, next to Scotiabank. Cook your own food (indise) on hot oil burners int he middle of each table. Very inexpensive, and according to friends who know food, very good.

Dim Sum -- Bright Pearl on the west side of Spadian, several blocks north of Dundas.

bAK

I like Pho Hung (vietnamese). There's one on Bloor, overlooking the ROM, which I prefer because it's spacious and lighter. The Pho Hung on Spadina is more "Chinatown authentic". Both have great inexpensive noodle-based meals.

I have heard that the owners of Spring Rolls are planning to open a new restaurant that serves pan-Asian "street food" in a trendier setting. Worth watching out for. The Spring Rolls restaurants are a good choice for inexpensive (although not cheap) Asian food in stylish surroundings when your group can't choose between Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese (they offer all three).

Actually, I think that new restaurant is already open: it's called "East" and its on Queen Street West, near Beverley.

If you would like to go to a couple of real Canadian favourites, try Swiss Chalet and also Tim Horton's.
Swiss Chalet has really good , reasonably priced chicken dinners and has numerous restaurants all over Canada. I love going there.
And Tim Horton's is a very popular chain of coffee shops where you can get a coffe and muffin or soup and sandwich for lunch, also reasonably priced and good quality ( and fast if you are on the run).

post on the canadian site of www.egullet.com !

jtp,

Thanks, I've already posted on ChowHound - I just wanted to get the opinions of my fellow Fodorites.

:)

Oh yes - I went to the Reservoir Lounge just the other saturday eve for dinner and drinks with friends...it is a Swing / Jazz bar in downtown toronto but the food was really good and the Martinin's WHoooeeeee!!! Grapefruit martini was fab. But the atmosphere...if you don't mind the noise level...great underground spot with old stone walls and live jazz on my night....really good too...great people!!

I also adore...La Maquette on King street formore of an intimate upscale dinning experience. I agree with Yamato Steak house in Yorkville - sensational sushi!

I aslo would recomment Merlot but out a bit from the downtown core. It is in the Kingsway area and is a poshish neighborhood spot with great french food and a great wine list.

Now I am on a tear...I also enjoy Far Niente in the business district...ok I have to stop...I don't even live in Toronto anymore. But wait - if you are doing brunch and have not a lot of funds left....try the Dundas Street Grill....out past Kingsway closer to Mississauga - but NOT. Nothign but YUMMY food for no money at all (almost).

Have fun

Alibabas on Queen Street West (around Portland)- Falafels and Shwarma

Biryani House - Hayden Square - Bloor and Young awesome lunch specials for as little as $5.99

Okonomi House- Just west of Bay on Charles - Great Japanese specialty: Okonomi

Lee Garden: Chinese food - Spadina (opposite Bright pearl)

Pantheon - Danforth - Greek food

I just found an interesting website called www.cheapeatstoronto.com
If you use the search and put in a key word like "greek" or "deli", it will list several cheap places to eat that have been reader recommended. To get a full list, you would have to order their book.

This week's issue of "Now" magazine (free from newsstands pretty much everywhere) has a pullout section called "Cheap Eats in Toronto" or something like that. Very comprehensive and well-organized. They might have it on their website as well.

Actually, there is already a great book in Toronto, only known by us urban foodies, it's called Cheapeats Toronto (www.cheapeatstoronto.com) and it is THE resource.

Come to Cabbagetown, my neighbourhood, and eat at the PearTree Restaurant on Parliament Street just north of Carlton, especially good for brunches, but also great for lunch and dinners and very reasonable. For Indian Food go a few blocks further north to Timothy's or turn right on Wellesley for Rashnaa. If you want to spend a little more and have a fabulous dinner, go to the Town Grille on the South Side of Carton at Parliament. And for great (cheap)Expresso and Cappuchino, go to Jet Fuel, on Parlament just north of the PearTree. You might run into former mayors, actors and dancers, or Michael Ondaaje.