Happy New Year! Thanks to everyone who followed, read & supported the Toronto Food Blog in 2024. We truly appreciate each & every one of you!!!
2024 was a big year for the Toronto Food Blog as we continued our pursuit of documenting the best (and worst) restaurants, greasy spoons, watering holes, food courts, strip malls, bodegas, markets and food trucks throughout the 6ix.
We established a second office in the Niagara Region, showcasing the burgeoning local food scene during our #weekendsinwinecountry. We also continued our partnership with the Toronto’s BIAs in our endless mutual effort to support small business.
From Après in the Alps to Añejo in Austin… a sincere thanks for coming along for the ride!
Here are a dozen memorable meals from this past year… in no particular order;)
Trini Bites (4286 Kingston Rd) is truly a family affair. Parents Sita and Bobby work the kitchen. Experienced caterers, they’re brining their recipes from Scarborough to Scarborough. Front of house is staffed by their kids, Chris & Katrina.
Hot roti and doubles all day long!!! Not surprisingly, their pepper really packs a punch. Of course, we ask them to bring the heat. Apple J to the rescue!!!
We had the pleasure of again joining Canada’s only two-star Michelin chef, @sushimasakisaito, for the opening of his newest restaurant… MSSM Ossington (1221 Dundas St W).
He’s brought his Omakase experience (purpose-built to be less than $100) to the west end!
Masaki Saito is trying to change the Toronto food scene by making his food, service, atmosphere and attention-to-detail more accessible. The Ossington ‘hood just got hotter!
MSSM (Masaki Saito Sushi Master) is a bustling date spot, and we got to share a gorgeous Omakase dinner with our baby mama on Mother’s Day! How cool is that? Big thanks to Chef Josh (@ua.hsoj)!
Rizzo’s House of Parm is worth the drive to Acton… or Crystal Beach in this case. Matty Matheson’s red-sauce place was our #1 dining-room experience of 2024 with kids in tow.
Chef Kevin is cool beans; taking the time to walk us through the entire menu. And Abbey, well, she’s the hostess w/ the mostest!
It was a real challenge choosing which dish to showcase. We started the festivities with Sausage & Peppers… but our vegetarian guests insisted the Eggplant Parm was the star of the show.
If you haven’t been, it’s a refined weekend excursion for the whole family! Reservations required;)
We continued to enjoy many a good #wednesdaysinscarborough throughout 2024. One of the most memorable saw us head to the back of the Super Food Mart grocery store (3143 Eglinton Ave E) and queue at the UZ Cuisine food stall.
A bustling kitchen doing regional Afghan cuisine & catering, we devour an order of Mantu on the hood of our car. These cumin-laden steamed dumplings are plump w/ lamb and finished with herbed yogurt & hot sauce. Ten to an order for about $10. Outstanding!
Moving back westside, we fondly remember the Portuguese banger we enjoyed at Piri Piri Grill (1444 DuPont St).
Grilled sardines atop cracked-garlic salsa and sautéed veggies!
There is an undeniable energy on a certain block of Geneva Street in downtown St Catharines these days. We feel it every time we drive by. The bustling dining room & patio scene at Fat Rabbit has breathed some much-needed life back into a ‘hood that, quite frankly, has seen better days.
Zack Smith and his team are not averse to taking risks. And they’re paying off in a big, big way. Let the renaissance begin!
Mussels-on-the-half-shell are cold smoked and then finished with a jalapeno mignonette. A generous portion, but seven to an order meant someone got one extra bite.
We continued our coverage of #QueenEastEats (in conjunction with the Riverside & Leslieville BIAs) in 2024. The highlight was a visit to Pasaj (1100 Queen St E) for a ten-outta-ten patio brunch.
Pasaj Pancakes are pillowy perfection on a plate… finished with sour cherry jam, tahini helva, labne and pistachios.
We don’t normally brunch, but Pasaj is in a league of its own when it comes to that meal between breakfast & lunch!
Little know fact, but the Toronto Food Blog has played in a rock & roll band with the same dudes for 30+ years. We practice at a little place off St. Clair West, which means we often celebrate #tacotuesday at Latin World (1028 St Clair W).
After trying their entire menu, it’s our humble opinion that the Tampiqueña is the strongest order.
Skirt steak, peppers + onions, refried beans, rice, salad, nopales and queso… served with warm tortillas for rolling fatties! What’s not to like?
Is Jackson Heights, Queens, the best place to eat on the planet? We put it right up there with Scarborough, Ontario. This ‘hood has become a regular pit-stop on our way to LGA.
Mariscos El Submarino is our sneaky sleeper underneath the 7 Train. Every seat is typically taken at this Mexican hotspot… and for good reason! It’s worth the wait. The people-watching, both inside and outside the restaurant, is top notch.
Huge serving of mixed seafood, scooped up with crunchy tortillas, and a bumpin’ & boisterous dining room. This is THE spot!
Another #wednesdaysinscarborough and another hidden gem. Our top bakery find in 2024 are the good folks over at La Bastille (760 Birchmount Ave).
We’re at a loss for words (a rarity) in explaining how good this place is. Parisian in finesse, Scarborough on the wallet!
Father’s Day breakfast at Kiva’s (1027 Steeles Ave W) was a classic schmear campaign! Less is more sometimes.
The surprise of the year comes b/w/o the eponymous sandwich at The Corn Beef Hut in downtown Burlington.
They’re extremely generous with the meat. Corned Beef, Pastrami and Montreal Smoked Meat are all available in small, medium or large… and they’re served hot!!! Which is why it’s so great that their homemade rye bread is cut thick and then toasted for both texture and architectural integrity. Libreal on the mustard, it really holds things together perfectly.
We were not expecting this to be our favourite sandwich of 2024. Funny how good things happen when you keep an open mind:)
Cheers to 2024 and to the New Year ahead!
Toronto Food Blog 