Kosher food in Toronto: Bathurst Street, Thornhill and how to check a certification

Toronto has one of the largest Jewish communities in Canada, and kosher food is part of daily life along Bathurst Street through North York and north into Thornhill. Bakeries, butchers, groceries and restaurants cluster along this corridor, with more in neighbourhoods across the Greater Toronto Area. Here is what kosher means for a diner and how to eat well and respectfully.

What does kosher mean in a restaurant?

Kosher food follows Jewish dietary law. The main points for a diner are that certain animals, such as pork and shellfish, are not eaten, meat and dairy are not served together, and meat has to come from animals slaughtered in a prescribed way. A kosher restaurant is under the supervision of a rabbinical authority, and its kitchen follows the rules for ingredients, equipment and preparation.

A restaurant is typically one of three types:

• Meat (fleishig): serves meat and poultry, but no dairy.
• Dairy (milchig): serves cheese, fish, eggs and vegetarian dishes, but no meat.
• Pareve: food with neither meat nor dairy, such as fish, vegetables and many baked goods, though a bakery may be certified dairy or pareve.

How do you check a kosher certification?

Look for the supervision certificate, usually displayed in the window or near the entrance, and the symbol of the certifying agency on packaged food. Different agencies have different standards, and communities trust different ones. If it matters to you, ask which agency supervises the restaurant, and check that the certificate is current. A restaurant that says "kosher style" or "kosher-friendly" is not necessarily under supervision.

Where do you find kosher food in Toronto?

• Bathurst Street, between Lawrence Avenue and Steeles Avenue: bakeries, delis, pizza and falafel shops, butchers, groceries and restaurants.
• Thornhill and Vaughan: the continuation of the corridor, with more restaurants and shopping plazas.
• Plazas and malls: several shopping centres in this corridor have kosher food courts and cafés.

Check the certifying body's current list and confirm hours and certification before you go.

What can you expect to eat?

Kosher food in Toronto covers many cuisines: Israeli food such as falafel, shawarma and hummus; deli sandwiches and soups; pizza; sushi; burgers and fried chicken; Chinese-style dishes; and Italian food. Bakeries sell challah, bagels, babka, rugelach and cakes. The range is wider than many visitors expect.

When are kosher restaurants closed?

Observant restaurants close from before sundown on Friday until after nightfall on Saturday for the Sabbath, and on major Jewish holidays. Many are open late on Saturday night after the Sabbath ends. On holidays such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Passover, hours change, and during Passover bakeries and restaurants may close or change their menus. Check ahead, and plan your visit around those times.

What about Jewish delis and non-kosher Jewish food?

Toronto also has delis and bakeries serving Jewish-style food, such as smoked meat sandwiches, bagels and challah, that are not kosher-certified. They can be good, but they do not serve observant diners. Ask if you need certification.

What does it cost?

Kosher food is often more expensive than non-kosher equivalents because of certification and ingredient costs. Menu prices do not include tax. In Ontario, 13 percent HST is added at the bill, and a tip of 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax amount is normal at a table with a server. Counter-service tipping is optional.

Is it appropriate to visit if you are not Jewish?

Yes. Kosher restaurants welcome everyone, and many non-Jewish diners enjoy them. Be respectful of the rules: do not bring outside food into a kosher restaurant, and do not ask for a combination the kitchen cannot serve.

How should you plan a visit around the Sabbath and holidays?

If you want to eat at a kosher restaurant on a Friday evening or Saturday, call first. Many close early on Friday afternoon in winter, when sundown comes early, and stay shut until Saturday night. In the days before a holiday, bakeries and butchers are very busy, and queues spill onto the pavement. If you are planning a group meal, book well ahead and ask about holiday menus.

What about kosher food outside Bathurst Street?

Some kosher bakeries, cafés and caterers operate in other parts of the city and the suburbs, and many hotels, hospitals and universities offer kosher meals on request. Kosher caterers can supply events with certified food. If you are travelling to Toronto, ask your hotel or the local Jewish community organization for a current list.

How do you keep notes on kosher dining?

Certification and Sabbath hours are details worth writing down. In the Mosey app, rate the dish by name and use your rating note to record what you were told, such as the certifying body or the day the kitchen closes early. Tags are a diner's note, never certification, so confirm with the place. Keep a list called Kosher Toronto with a section for bakeries, meals and groceries.

Invite a friend with the link and they can add the corner they rely on, and tag the person you ate with so they can add their own rating of the same dish.

More guides to read next:

• Mississauga and Brampton food guide: Punjabi, Pakistani and Caribbean food in Peel Region
• Little Tibet in Parkdale, Toronto: momos, thukpa and how to eat there
• Thorncliffe Park food guide: Pakistani, Afghan and Indian restaurants on Overlea Boulevard

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

After your next meal on Bathurst Street, open the Mosey app and rate the dish by name.