Bakery$financial-districtTue-Fri 09:00-19:00, Sat 07:00-17:00, Sun 10:00-17:00
Carousel Bakery in St Lawrence Market is the home of Toronto's signature peameal bacon sandwich, the Biancolin family-run counter since the 1970s.
Try: Peameal bacon sandwich
Order: The peameal bacon sandwich on a kaiser, mustards available at the counter.
Tip: Closed Mondays with the market. The kaiser is soft; load on the mustards before the bacon stack.
Vietnamese$queen-westMon-Sun 11:00-22:00
Banh Mi Boys on Queen West is the Pham brothers' banh mi counter since 2011, fusion fillings on Vietnamese baguettes plus steamed bao and rice bowls.
Try: Banh mi sandwich
Order: The five-spice pork belly banh mi and the kimchi fries.
Tip: Order at the counter, sit upstairs. Sister Yonge location at 399 Yonge runs the same menu.
Caribbean$kensington-marketMon-Sat 09:00-19:00
Patty King on Baldwin Street is a family-owned Caribbean patty bakery since 1981, supplying Toronto convenience stores and cafeterias citywide.
Try: Jamaican beef patty
Order: A spicy beef patty in coco bread, plus a Ting from the cooler.
Tip: Closed Sundays. The Scarborough location at 39 Progress Avenue is the chain's flagship factory; Kensington is the retail original.
Seafood$financial-districtTue-Fri 09:00-18:00, Sat 07:00-17:00, Sun 10:00-17:00
Buster's Sea Cove on St Lawrence Market's lower level has run fish and chips, lobster rolls and oyster po'boys since 1995, the market's seafood counter.
Try: Fish and chips, lobster rolls
Order: The cod fish and chips with house tartar.
Tip: Lineup runs longest 12:00-14:00 weekends. Standing room only; eat on the market benches.
Thai$$king-westMon-Fri 11:30-14:30, 17:00-22:00; Sat 12:00-15:00, 17:00-22:00; Sun 17:00-22:00
Khao San Road on Charlotte Street has run Bangkok-style street food downtown since 2011, the boat noodles and crispy pad see ew the city standard.
Try: Boat noodles, pad see ew
Order: The beef boat noodles and a side of mango sticky rice.
Tip: Reservation-only at dinner. Lunch walks in. Closed Sunday lunch.
Caribbean$the-junctionMon-Sat 11:00-20:00
Caribbean Queen of Patties on Bloor West runs Jamaican beef and chicken patties, the city's reference west-end patty counter under owner Georgie.
Try: Jamaican beef patty
Order: A spicy beef patty plus a chicken patty in coco bread.
Tip: Closed Sundays. The line moves fast; cash discount under $10.