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16 Best Cheap Places to Eat in Toronto

16 Best Cheap Places to Eat in Toronto

Looking for the best cheap eats in Toronto?

Toronto has an incredible food scene with plenty of amazing affordable and delicious places to eat at.

While it’s fun to sit down and eat somewhere nice every once in awhile, going to cheap spots in Toronto is much more friendly to your wallet.

Because Toronto is such a large and diverse city, there are plenty of high-quality and delicious food places that are budget-friendly as well.

I know the word “cheap” mean different things to different people, but to me anything in the $10 range is fair, especially if the portions are large enough for me to eat for two meals.

Here are some of the best cheap eats in Toronto!

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More Toronto restaurants

If you’re looking for even more Toronto restaurants, you might enjoy these posts:


Best cheap eats in Toronto


Banh Mi Nguyen Huong in Toronto

Banh Mi Nguyen Huong

If you don’t already know what banh mi (pronounced bun-mee) is, it’s basically a Vietnamese sub sandwich.

Nguyen Huong is the best spot to get authentic banh mi sandwiches in Toronto, and you can find them in Chinatown!

Banh mi is typically filled with meat, pickled veggies, pâté, and a butter/mayo spread, and served on a French baguette.

At $3.50 for a regular sandwich and $4.50 for a large, it’s a super affordable and cheap spot to eat in Toronto.

I’ve been coming to Nguyen Huong since I was a kid, and my grandma even used to make rice cakes for their store!

If you’ve heard of the other popular Toronto chain, Banh Mi Boys, you’ll be excited to hear that it’s owned by the sons of Nguyen Huong’s owners.

You can also visit Banh Mi Nguyen Huong in Vaughan near Vaughan Mills!

LOCATION: 322 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON


Banh Mi Boys in Toronto

Banh Mi Boys

Banh Mi Boys puts their own unique spin on the classic Vietnamese sandwich with more modern fillings like meatballs and deep fried squid, and they do the same with their Korean-inspired tacos and Chinese bao.

Definitely go for the Squid Banh Mi and 5 Spice Pork Belly Bao – they’re my go-to orders whenever I come here!

Their tacos and bao range from $4 to $4.50, while their banh mi ranges from $6.50 to $8.50 (more expensive than Nguyen Huong, but quite different sandwiches!)

They’ve also got vegetarian options if you’re looking for that.

I pretty much lived at Banh Mi Boys while I was studying at Ryerson because they have a location right at Yonge & Gerrard.

Their OG location is by Queen & Spadina, and they’ve also got locations in Midtown (Yonge & Eglinton) and at York University.

You can order for pick up through Ritual (one of my fave Toronto food apps), and you can get $10 off your first order using my link!

LOCATION: Various locations


Juicy Dumpling

This famous Chinatown spot is known for their juicy Shanghai-style dumplings.

Their 6-piece Steamed Mini Soup Dumpling is just $3.99, so it’s one of the most affordable spots to eat in Toronto!

You have to order food at the counter, but there is minimal dining inside to enjoy your dumplings.

They also have a location in Midtown Toronto, right by Yonge & Eglinton!

LOCATION: 280 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON


Mean Bao in Toronto

Mean Bao

Mean bao means “bread” in Cantonese, and Mean Bao serves up delicious baos, dumplings, and bowls.

Their offerings aren’t traditional at all, and they’ve even got a Jerk Chicken Bao (which is amaze).

I love both the Jerk Chicken and Pork Belly Baos the most!

All of their bao and dumpling offerings are in the $5 to $6 range, and they’ve also got sides and bowls.

You can find them inside Union Station, as well as at their two PATH locations in the Financial District.

LOCATION: Various locations


BBQ Chicken from Roywoods Toronto

Roywoods

Roywoods has literally some of the best jerk chicken you will find anywhere in Toronto.

I’m a huge fan of their BBQ Chicken, and I usually get the plates because they’re a lot less messy to eat than the sandwiches.

Roywoods at Toronto Union Station

All of their chicken is halal as well, which is great for my friends who eat halal!

You can find them at Union Station, CityPlace, and Yorkdale Mall in Toronto, as well as at Square One in Mississauga.

LOCATION: Various locations


Holy Chuck Burgers in Toronto, Ontario

Holy Chuck

Holy Chuck serves up some of the best burgers in all of Toronto, and the prices are quite reasonable.

They grind fresh meat in-house daily for the burgers, and they use locally-made ice cream and whole milk in their milkshakes.

They’re also known for their unique foie gras burger, poutine, milkshake, and pancakes!

You can even find vegan and gluten-free burgers on their menu.

Their downtown location is at Yonge & St. Clair and they also have a location in Vaughan!

LOCATION: 1450 Yonge St, Toronto, ON


WVRST

WVRST is a beer hall that serves up incredible German-style sausages and all kinds of craft beer.

They’ve got burgers, hot dogs, sausage plates, wild game plates (including venison and kangaroo), and they’ve even got vegan options from Beyond Meat.

Their Duck Fat Fries are also famous, and totally worth a try!

Oh, and they’ve also got some pretty good soft serve ice cream if you’re looking for dessert too.

You can find them on King West or inside Union Station!

LOCATION: Various locations


Loaded Pierogi in Toronto

Loaded Pierogi

If you haven’t had pierogis before, they’re amazing European dumplings that are typically stuffed with potatoes and boiled.

Loaded Pierogi’s pierogis are literally heaven on earth, and you can choose from different toppings like BBQ Brisket and Butter Chicken.

You can also choose between boiled or fried pierogis, and I love doing half and half.

I usually visit their Union Station location!

Loaded Pierogi is actually a local pierogi chain with a few locations across Toronto and the GTA, including in Hamilton, Bowmanville, and Ottawa!

LOCATION: Various locations


Buster's Sea Cove in Toronto

Buster’s Sea Cove

Buster’s lobster rolls are some of the best in Toronto, and they’ve got so many amazing seafood dishes for pretty affordable prices.

From Fried Cod to to Shrimp Po’ Boys, you’ll definitely love the food here if you’re a seafood lover.

They have 3 locations at St. Lawrence Market, Southcore Financial Centre, and Commerce Court West.

LOCATION: Various locations


Aburi Butterfish Dragon and Aburi Scallop Dragon Rolls from Kibo Sushi House in Richmond Hill, Ontario

Kibo Sushi House

Got a craving for some of the best sushi in Toronto (that’s also affordable)?

Kibo Sushi is a fave of many Torontonians not only because of all their convenient locations, but because of their affordable yet delicious sushi rolls.

They’ve got plenty of different sushi and sashimi combos or a la carte rolls, alongside cooked dishes like Gyoza and Chicken Karaage.

My go-to order is the Spicy Maki Trio combo, which comes with 6 pieces each of spicy California, spicy salmon, and spicy tuna rolls – they make some of the best spicy rolls out there!

Spicy salmon and spicy tuna rolls from Kibo Sushi House in Richmond Hill, Ontario

I also love any of their aburi (torched) sushi rolls – they’re absolutely amaze.

They’ve got plenty of locations across Toronto, with some just being takeout spots and some having actual seating inside for dining in!

You can order for pick up through Ritual, one of my fave Toronto food apps, and you can get $10 off your first order using my code!

LOCATION: Various locations


Classic Salmon poké bowl at Rolltation Toronto

Rolltation

I’m personally more of a poke bowl gal than a sushi one, and Rolltation serves up some of the best poke bowls in Toronto.

You can build your own sushi burritos or bowls, or pick from one of their signature ones.

They also have salads, rice bowls, and snacks like Takoyaki (deep fried octopus balls) and Karaage (deep fried chicken)!

I always go for their Classic Salmon Poke Bowl – it’s the best!

LOCATION: Various locations


Wilbur Mexicana is one of Toronto's favourite taco spots

Wilbur Mexicana

Wilbur Mexicana is one of my absolute fave taco spots in Toronto, and their tacos are pretty affordable.

I always go for the Carne Asada, Al Pastor, and Baja Fish tacos – they’re so darn good.

Their tacos are $4 to $5 each and they’ve also got burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, and fajitas.

Oh, and the best part of dining in at Wilbur? Their epic salsa bar – you’ll have to visit to see what I mean.

It’s also a plus that the restaurant itself is pretty aesthetic as well – one of the most Instagrammable restaurants in Toronto!

If you’re into Mexican food, check out my post on the best Mexican restaurants in Toronto.

LOCATION: 552 King St. West, Toronto, ON


Basil Box in Toronto

Basil Box

Basil Box is a fast casual restaurant serving up Southeast Asian-inspired flavours – specifically Thai and Vietnamese!

Their dishes are “healthier” than other restaurants, and you can choose everything from the base, to the protein, to the toppings.

I also love their house-made sodas and drinks, and their Thai Iced Tea is my favourite in all of Toronto.

They also have signature boxes that are specifically catered to different diets, including keto and low-calorie diets!

Wong's Ice Cream in Toronto
Korean Banana Milk, Black Sesame with Salted Egg Swirl, and Vietnamese Coffee ice cream from Wong’s Ice Cream.

They’ve also partnered with Wong’s Ice Cream (a really awesome ice cream shop that closed down during the pandemic), and you can purchase pints of 5 of their most popular flavours in all Basil Box locations!

I used to visit Basil Box’s Yonge & Dundas location literally all the time while I was a Toronto Metropolitan University student.

They’ve since opened up locations across Canada, and it’s been really cool to see!

LOCATION: Various locations


Salad King

If you’re in the mood for delicious and decent-priced Thai food in Toronto, Salad King is your place.

They’ve been a favourite of Ryerson students for years, and their prices are very fair for really great food.

The portions are usually enough for me to have for two meals, so it’s even cheaper for me 😉

They’ve got two locations in Toronto, with one on Yonge and one on Queen West.

LOCATION: Various locations


Roti Cuisine of India

Lamb korma roti is the best thing ever and I would eat it everyday of my life if I could.

Roti Cuisine of India is located at Spadina and Dupont, close to the University of Toronto.

I don’t have any photos because roti isn’t a very attractive dish, but take my word for it being absolutely delicious.

Since the roti is so huge and filling, I also eat it for at least two meals!

Indian Roti House and Butter Chicken Roti are two other great Indian restaurants in Toronto that serve roti!

LOCATION: 308 Dupont St, Toronto, ON


Everything on Queen Street Warehouse's menu is $5.95, which makes it a popular cheap food spot to visit in Toronto
Union Street Salad from Queen Street Warehouse.

El Furniture Warehouse

El Furniture Warehouse first became known for their affordable eats back in the day – literally everything on the menu was $5!

Of course, that ain’t possible anymore with inflation and all, and now everything on the menu is under $10, which is still quite affordable.

The Dime Restaurant on Queen Street West in Toronto
Spread from The Dime on Queen.

You’ll find everything from classic Canadian comfort foods like poutine or burgers to fusion eats like tacos and quesadillas.

My all-time fave dish from Warehouse is the Union Street Salad, which is a heavenly green salad with chicken, chow mein noodles, and sesame-soy-ginger dressing.

The drinks are a little more on the pricier side (which balances out the cheap eats), but their cocktails are really good!

The Dime Restaurant on Queen Street West in Toronto
White Freezy cocktail from The Dime.

Warehouse’s Annex restaurant is their OG location, and they’ve also got locations by Yonge & Dundas and on Queen Street.

You can also visit their other restaurant, The Dime, on Queen West.

I always thought they were originally from Ontario, but they’re actually based out of Vancouver!

LOCATION: Various locations


Best cheap eats in Toronto:

  1. Banh Mi Nguyen Huong
  2. Banh Mi Boys
  3. Juicy Dumpling
  4. Mean Bao
  5. Roywoods
  6. Holy Chuck
  7. WVRST
  8. Loaded Pierogi
  9. Buster’s Sea Cove
  10. Kibo Sushi House
  11. Rolltation
  12. Wilbur Mexicana
  13. Basil Box
  14. Salad King
  15. Roti Cuisine of India
  16. El Furniture Warehouse

There are plenty of fantastic cheap food spots to eat at in Toronto, but these were just a few of my favourite places to visit.

Have you been to any of these food places? Where are the best cheap eats in Toronto in your opinion? Let me know on Twitter or Instagram!

More Toronto restaurants

If you’re looking for even more Toronto restaurants, you might enjoy these posts:

Jessica Lam | Toronto lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and travel blogger | Diary of a Toronto Girl, a Canadian lifestyle blog

You don't have to break your wallet to find great food in Toronto. Here's where to find the best cheap food spots in the city!
  1. Farzy V says:

    “..roti isn’t a very attractive dish” – LOL

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