The 11 Best Restaurants In Toronto For Mouthwatering Takeout, According To Top Chefs
Order's up! 🥡
Toronto is packed with so many takeout and delivery options, that it can make choosing what to have for dinner a time-consuming decision.
Luckily for those indecisive eaters, Narcity spoke to four renowned chefs from the city, who shared what the best restaurants in Toronto for takeout are.
From chowing down on hefty sandwiches to enjoying fresh Thai curries, here are 11 takeout spots for you to check out when you can't decide on what to order in.
Chiu Chow Man (Mississauga)
Price: 💸- 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Chinese
Address: 1177 Central Pkwy #69, Mississauga, ON
Why You Need To Go: Wallace Wong (a.k.a. TikTok famous "The Six Pack Chef", who has also been on Chopped Canada and Top Chef Canada) told Narcity that he has been hitting up this family-run spot since childhood — and it's somewhere he visited often.
"They serve traditional ChiuChow style food that is hard to find, such as Pepper Pork Stomach Soup or Special Marinated Duck," Wong said.
If you're looking to split a delicious meal with your family or roommates (or want tons of leftovers after), this may be the spot as their combos come packed with options.
"They are also extremely affordable with a 6 Dish Combo that comes with a half Signature Marinated Duck or Chicken AND a soup all for $81.95, not to mention it comes with dessert too!"
The Owl of Minerva (Scarborough)
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Korean
Address: 4733 Steeles Ave. E. #2, Scarborough, ON, and various other locations
Why You Need To Go: If you're looking for "flavourful, no fuss comfort food", Wong says that Owl never disappoints, whether you're looking for kimchi soup or meaty kalbi ribs.
Wong's personal favourite is the Kamjatang, which according to the menu, is a pork bone and potato soup.
"I like this location because out of the other ones, they seal their containers for takeout, which is extra nice (especially when you order soups)!" Wong said.
Hong Shing
Price: 💸- 💸💸
Cuisine: Chinese
Address: 195 Dundas St. W., Toronto, ON
Why You Need To Go: "Colin and the team here have run this Toronto staple for over 24 years!" Wong said and mentioned that they recently dealt with a kitchen fire before the Christmas holidays (but were apparently back and ready for business in under two weeks.)
Off the menu, Wong's favourite dish to order is the Spicy Dry lobster that's served with the house sambal and bell peppers.
The executive chef behind Buca, Rob Gentile, chose Hong Shing as one of his favourite takeout spots in Toronto, too. But, he opts for Chef Tim's Signature BBQ Roast Duck and the Vancouver Crab.
"Colin at Hong Shing is my phone-a-friend when I need some great Chinese food at home. His Chef Tim is one of the best in town and their menu is dotted with fantastic local Canadian ingredients," Gentile shared.
Lahore Tikka House
Price: 💸to 💸💸
Cuisine: Halal
Address: 1365 Gerrard St. E., Toronto, ON
Why You Need To Go: Gentile named Lahore Tikka House as his go-to spot on this street and said the takeout portions are extremely generous. Plus, the food is "very authentic."
So, what does Gentile usually order off the menu?
"My favourites are their lamb biriani because the meat comes on the bone, and both their aloo ghobi and the butter naan are so fresh and perfect every time," Gentile said.
Tabule Middle Eastern Cuisine
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Address: 810 Queen St. E., Toronto, ON, and various other locations across the city
Why You Need To Go: If you're looking for something fresh for takeout, Gentile says the food at Tabule is just that - and it's tasty, too.
"I always start with the falafel & tahini and the fried eggplant, which are both are so delicious," Gentile said.
"My daughter Clarice and I always share what we call “Papa’s chicken,” which are actually their salmon kebabs. She’s a picky eater and she loves them!"
Tabule's uses fresh Atlantic salmon for their Grilled Salmon Kebabs, which is seasoned with lemon, garlic, and a variety of spices. Yum!
Zaad
Price: 💸- 💸💸
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Address: 348 Bloor St. W., Toronto, ON
Why You Need To Go: "I love the chicken shawarma in a pita from Zaad simply because the chicken is well-caramelized on the outside but still succulent on the inside!" Paul Lillakas told Narcity when he shared that Zaad is one of his top picks for Toronto takeouts.
Lillakas, a previous Chopped Canada winner and former Food Editor of Canadian Living Magazine, used to be the private chef to famous Toronto music producer, Deadmau5, too.
"They know when to slice it and they serve it up in a pita that doesn’t bust at the bottom – can you believe it? Even with the extra garlic sauce I always order, it’s easy and awesome eating!"
Porchetta and Co.
Price: 💸to 💸💸
Cuisine: Sandwiches, Comfort food
Address: 545 King St. W., and 130 King St. W. at the concourse level of the Exchange Tower, Toronto, ON
Why You Need To Go: If you're looking to dig into a delicious sandwich for lunch, Lillakas shared that he absolutely loves the Porchetta house special sandwich.
"There is nothing quite like succulent Porchetta piled into a fresh bun with crispy crackling, tangy mustard, truffle sauce and parm! It’s a treat worthy of a special trip downtown or a special order for a family reunion," Lillakas said.
On top of juicy porchetta sandos, customers can also feast on fried chicken - and make it for a meal for two, too!
Ajisen Ramen
Price: đź’¸
Cuisine: Japanese, Ramen
Address: Various locations
Why You Need To Go: "I could probably eat the Karaage Spicy Miso Katsu Ramen every day of the year and not get tired of it," Lillakas said.
"The luxurious, umami-rich broth served with crispy chicken and all the classic ramen accoutrements never disappoint. Just divine."
Ajisen Ramen also offers up a bunch of snacks like takoyaki and gyoza, as well as a variety of rice sets to choose from, too.
Stop a.k.a. "The Ossington Stop"
Price: đź’¸
Cuisine: Russian, Georgian, Ukrainian
Address: 1543 Dundas St. W., Toronto, ON
Why You Need To Go: Michael Angeloni, who was named one of Ontario's "Top 30 under 30" and worked at restaurants like The Black Hoof, F'Amelia, and L'Unita Enoteca, said the Stop is one of his favourite places to eat in Toronto.
"It's simple, delicious and unapologetically Russian! The food is nostalgic to me since my mother is from Poland, so there are lots of familiar flavors," Angeloni said.
According to Angeloni, the must-tries are the mushroom crepes, Borsch, and the Khinkali, which are dumplings filled with beef and pork.
Anyone who loves fresh herbs and hearty soups might want to order some Borsch to-go, which, based on the menu, is a beet soup served with beef, sour cream, and "dill, lots of dill."
PAI Northern Thai Kitchen
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Thai
Address: Various locations
Why You Need To Go: Even though Angeloni hasn't been to Thailand yet, the food at PAI makes him want to catch a flight over there.
"Their takeout is fresh, hot and always delicious," Angeloni said. "I always order the Gaeng Kiaw Wan - Green Curry with tofu and veggies, which is beautifully seasoned, mildly spicy and so comforting."
Lebanon Express
Price: đź’¸
Cuisine: Halal
Address: Various locations
Why You Need To Go: Angeloni grabs takeout from the Lebanon Express at least twice a week -- "minimum!" -- especially since it's open late, and he can grab a quick bite when he's coming back home from work.
"It has great value and is fresh and fast! I usually get one of the BBQ plates, either the Kafta Kebab Plate or the Chicken Shish Tawouk Plate," Angeloni said.
The Kafta Kebab Plate comes with two minced meat skewers served on rice and comes with two extra items, too.
"I go with chickpeas and tabouli, but they are all good and are topped with all their sauces – it’s a great dinner!"