Best of Toronto
Where locals eat in Toronto
Start with Carousel Bakery in St. Lawrence Market for peameal on a kaiser, mustard station, Ali's Roti in Parkdale for boneless goat roti, dhalpuri and Paddington's Pump in St. Lawrence Market for oink on a Kaiser. Here are all 8, with what to get at each.
- Carousel BakerySt. Lawrence Market
Get: Peameal on a kaiser, mustard station
The market's best-known peameal stall.
- Paddington's PumpSt. Lawrence Market
Get: Oink on a Kaiser
A market pub with its own peameal sandwich.
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What are the local restaurants in Toronto?
Chef Amazing’s picks start with Carousel Bakery (St. Lawrence Market), Ali's Roti (Parkdale) and Paddington's Pump (St. Lawrence Market). All 8 places are on this page with what to get, where they are and a map.
What should I order?
At Carousel Bakery, get peameal on a kaiser, mustard station. At Ali's Roti, get boneless goat roti, dhalpuri. At Paddington's Pump, get oink on a Kaiser. At East Court & Mike's BBQ, get char siu, siu yuk, half roast duck.
Which neighborhood is best for local restaurants in Toronto?
Most of these are in St. Lawrence Market and Scarborough. The map on this page shows every one, numbered like the list.
How does Chef Amazing pick these?
From Chef Amazing’s city guide and lists for Toronto: the places critics, chefs and locals keep recommending, checked and kept current, with what to order at each. Nobody pays to be on them.
More in Toronto
Local restaurants in other cities
Places change: check hours before you go. Pins come from addresses and OpenStreetMap and can be a little off. Updated October 25, 2026.