Cheap eats in Toronto: how to eat well without spending much

Toronto is not a cheap city, and a sit-down dinner with drinks and 13 percent HST adds up quickly. But some of its best food is also its least expensive, from Caribbean patties and roti to dumplings, pho and market sandwiches. Here is how to eat well on a budget.

Where can you find cheap food in Toronto?

Area	Look for
Kensington Market	Patties, tacos, empanadas, bakery snacks
Chinatown (Spadina)	Dumplings, noodle soups, bakery buns, barbecue meat over rice
Gerrard India Bazaar	Chaat, samosas, dosas, thali plates
St. Lawrence Market	A hearty sandwich for lunch
Scarborough	Hakka, Sri Lankan, Chinese and Caribbean food courts and plazas
Koreatown	Lunch specials, stews and fried chicken

What are the best cheap eats in Toronto?

• Jamaican patties, flaky and filling, often among the cheapest hot snacks in the city.
• Roti, Caribbean wraps stuffed with curry, a big meal in one.
• Dumplings, ordered by the dozen and shared.
• Pho and banh mi from Vietnamese restaurants.
• A peameal bacon sandwich at St. Lawrence Market.
• Chaat and samosas on the Gerrard India Bazaar.
• Bakery buns from Chinatown bakeries.

Many of Toronto's best cheap eats are in plazas and food courts. Do not judge a place by its setting.

How do you save money eating out in Toronto?

1. Eat your main meal at lunch. Lunch specials can cost far less than dinner.
2. Watch the $4 rule. In Ontario, when the total before HST of the prepared food and drinks you buy at one time is $4.00 or less, the provincial part of the HST is rebated at the till. Alcohol is excluded.
3. Share dishes. Dim sum, Korean meals and dumplings are built for sharing.
4. Skip expensive drinks. Tea, water or soft drinks keep the bill down.
5. Look outside downtown. Plazas in Scarborough and other suburbs often offer more food for less.

Is Scarborough good for cheap food?

Very. Scarborough, in Toronto's east end, has a huge variety of affordable restaurants in strip plazas, serving Hakka Chinese, Sri Lankan, Caribbean, Filipino, Indian and many other cuisines. It takes a while to reach by transit from downtown, but food lovers make the trip.

What is Hakka food in Toronto?

Hakka food in Toronto usually means Indian Chinese cooking, a style developed by Chinese communities in India. Think chili chicken, Manchurian dishes and Hakka noodles, often spicy and very satisfying. It is especially popular in Scarborough and Markham.

What is a Toronto roti?

In Toronto, "roti" often means the Caribbean version, especially Trinidadian or Guyanese style: a soft, thin flatbread wrapped around a curry filling such as chicken, goat, chickpeas or potato. It is filling enough for a full meal and usually very good value. Roti shops are found across the city, with many in the west end and Scarborough. Ask how spicy it is, and whether you want the bone in or out for goat or chicken, since some places serve it with the bone in.

Are food courts good for cheap eats in Toronto?

Some of them are excellent. Food courts in Asian malls in Scarborough, Markham and North York are especially good, with stalls serving noodles, dumplings, barbecue meat and regional dishes. Downtown food courts in office towers lean more toward chains, but some have good independent stalls too.

Do you need to tip at cheap restaurants in Toronto?

At a sit-down restaurant with a server, yes: about 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax bill, even if the meal is inexpensive. At counters, food courts and takeout, tipping is optional.

How do you find good cheap food, not just cheap food?

• Follow the locals. A full room of regulars at lunch is a great sign.
• Order the specialty. A place known for one thing usually does it best.
• Look for short menus. Focus is often a sign of quality.
• Ask what is popular. Staff are usually happy to point you to the best dishes.

Are there free food events in Toronto?

Toronto has many festivals in summer, including neighbourhood street festivals with food vendors. Entry is often free, though the food is not. Kensington Market's Pedestrian Sundays and summer food festivals on the Danforth are good examples. Check event listings for dates.

Mosey is built around rating dishes, not just places, which is how you find the patty shop or dumpling house worth crossing the city for.

More guides to read next:

• Mississauga and Brampton food guide: Punjabi, Pakistani and Caribbean food in Peel Region
• Dim sum in Toronto: Chinatown, Scarborough and Markham
• How much do you tip in Toronto? Tipping and HST on Ontario restaurant bills

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.