Located in Avenue Road. South of Wilson and north of Lawrence…read more This institution serves up a nice smoked meat sandwich with an assortment of sides. They smoke their own meats unlike many that purchase from the mass production shops. The staff here are very courteous and strive to ensure your satisfaction. There is street parking out front and plenty of seating options inside. There is a raised section at the front of the store that provides a nice view of Avenue Road and people watch as you enjoy your sandwich

Perhaps the best smoked meat sandwich that I've ever had! It was so good that I got it back to back…read moredays the last time I was in Toronto. Love the array of mustard options they have as well as their double rye bread. The vinegar coleslaw is also lights out.

incredible quality of food and the service is excellent and is why I drive down from Aurora each…read moremonth. Must be a reason why the store is always packed when I get thete.

Note: This 2 star rating is only for the lunch sandwiches…read more Based on other reviews I've read, it seems the take-out meat in this place is really good. Maybe I should have gotten that instead because, sad to say, this wasn't the case for their lunch sandwiches. We got: - Steak sandwich: Good amount of steak but it was a bit tough to chew, and the barbeque sauce had a good smoky flavour but it was cold (which was a bit weird) - Chicken sandwich: The chicken was dry and the aioli sauce didn't have as much kick as I wanted, but the bacon was outstanding (great flavour and perfect crisp to it) Overall, the Friendly Butcher lunch sandwiches had a generous serving of meat, but the meat itself (save for the bacon) wasn't that good in terms of flavour and cook. When we were there, many people were getting meat to go, and most of them seemed like regulars, so maybe the Friendly Butcher really does have good meat - who knows? It definitely just doesn't translate to their lunch sandwiches. Hard pass next time I'm in the area and want a quick bite.

Just one look at that sun-faded sign on Yonge Street and you know immediately: this place has…read morecharacter. Mamma mia--they don't make signs like that anymore. No, signore. And that sign points to a true midtown institution: a warm, old-school Italian shop brimming with tempting cheeses, cured meats, and all sorts of intriguing groceries. But let's be honest--like many people, I come for the sandwiches. My husband likes to mix it up, but I'm forever loyal to the house special: shaved prosciutto and spicy salami, buffalo mozzarella, hot peppers, fig jam, sliced tomatoes, finished with balsamic and olive oil. You walk in, choose your bread (ciabatta, naturalmente), and they hand it over tutto pronto. It's a big, bold, mamma mia of a sandwich--and I absolutely love that mix of flavours. Molto bello!

Did you know that sandwiches usually taste better when someone else makes em for you? The…read morepsychological effect of not knowing exactly what and how much ingredients go into your sub, so that each bite is a nice surprise. Well, that sure is the case here. La Salumeria's house special layers various kinds of deli meat, cheese, hot pepper pickles, tomato slices, and fig jam onto your choice of bread, and each mouthful bursts with a combination of flavours. Spicy, salty, sweet...! Just perfect. One sandwich usually lasts me 2 meals. I love looking around the store while waiting for my sandwich to be ready. There's a variety of deli meats, cheeses, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, spreads, etc. All neatly displayed and clearly labeled. It's nice to see a store that feels like a true neighbourhood mom & pop shop, with Carlo the owner recognizing regulars and exchanging friendly banter. Feels cozy While I am not a regular, he's still quite friendly.

I am a big fan of Grill Gate restaurants. I have been to their North York location, Sheppard…read moreLocation and their sadly close downtown location. I usually order their Philly Cheese steak sandwich. This time I had the sandwich delivered to my place. The food was great as usual.

Some places are all about presentation, and some are about giving you exactly the kind of meal you…read morecame for. Grill Gate is firmly the second kind, and that is exactly why it works. The food is unapologetically hearty, full of flavor, and built to satisfy. The Philly Steak Sandwich is the kind of sandwich you immediately understand after the first bite. It is rich, cheesy, generously filled, and properly messy in the best way. The Spicy Mushroom Cheeseburger is just as convincing, with a thick beef patty, plenty of cheese, and enough mushroom and heat to make it feel more interesting than a standard burger. Nothing feels skimpy here, and that generous portion size is part of why the place has such a loyal following. What I liked most is that Grill Gate does not try to be too polished or too trendy. It knows exactly what it is. If you are in the mood for something indulgent, filling, and actually worth the price, this is the kind of spot that hits the mark. Very easy to come back to when you want a serious burger or sandwich.

Ariete E Toro located near Yonge St. near Keewatin Ave in Mid-town Toronto serves up high-end…read moreItalian sandwiches. Opened in Feb 2025, the sandwich shop is set to expand opening a second location near Dundas and Ossington sometime this year. They are open daily from 11am to 5pm where you can pre-order off Ambassador for pick up or opt for delivery with Ubereats. When Ariete E Toro first opened last year, I recall seeing the long lines as it became super popular. Fast forward to a year later, I finally tried Ariete E Toro recently. The storefront is on a side street off of Yonge St. where it is take out only. They do have a bench near the window/entrance of the store but usually it's utilized by people waiting for their sandwiches. In the summer though, they have a small patio in front of the shop with some tables and chairs. Menu wise, Ariete E Toro has a variety of sandwiches with ingredients that work well together. You are also able to build your own sandwich if you'd like. They also have beverages like soda and water as well. The store boasts that all their ingredients are high quality. An average price of a sandwich is around $17. I decided to pre-order 2 sandwiches for pick up. These are the two sandwiches I got: - Enzo (mortadella di bologna, pistachio pesto, stracciatella cheese, chopped pistachio, lemon and basil oil). - Rogo Rogo (prosciutto cotto, 'nduja cream, smoked provolone, caramelized onion, arugula, and brown butter vinaigrette) Entering the store to pick up my order, staff were amidst completing my sandwiches. There was already a regular there chatting with staff. Service was quick. My sandwiches were packed and I had half of each at home. The size of the sandwich was pretty big! I could only finish 3/4th of the sandwich. Both the Enzo and the Rogo Rogo were tasty but the Enzo stole the show. The moist bread with the mortadella where the pistachio pesto and hint of stracciatella cheese along with a slight crunch from the chopped pistachio made for a perfect sandwich (I do prefer the bread a bit harder and crunchier though but the texture of this one was still good). I was sharing the sandwiches with my partner and as he opened the packaging he noticed a piece of hair in the sandwich. I would have given a higher rating on Yelp but finding someone else's hair in your food is off-putting. I do hope that if I return next time (either to this location or to their new location near Ossington/Dundas) that we won't find any surprises in our food. Overall, delicious sandwiches in Midtown Toronto, however, we did find a piece of hair in our sandwiches which.... kind of makes me hesitant to return. **Update** - I wrote a review on Google where the owner personally asked me to email them to rectify the situation with the piece of hair found in my sandwich. The owner apologized and stated that he was actually the one who personally made my sandwich that day (sliced the deli meat, etc.). He also made sure that he would speak with the bread manufacturer to make sure that they were aware of the situation as it may have come from the bread as well. He also gave me a refund for one sandwich as well as a $25 credit for if I wanted to give the sandwich spot another chance (the sandwich is too good to not go back!). That is what I call great customer service - making sure that an apology was given and that customers are happy. Would happily return again for their tasty sandwiches!!

Come here if you're interested in Italian sandwiches that are an absolute UNIT. These are heavy,…read morefilling, and definitely nap-inducing if you try to finish one solo in one sitting. Food: I got the Enzo - I'm a big fan of mortadella and pistachio pesto, and it's one of their OGs. I wasn't as big a fan of the sotto bosco, but overall the quality and portion sizes are solid. Presentation: Each sandwich comes in a snazzy box perfect for keeping the sandwich intact Space: Clean shop, more of a take out spot, with just one bench by the windows for seating Service: Quick and efficient - no line when I went right at opening on a Sunday. I came here hoping to satisfy my craving for a proper Italian mortadella sandwich after Eataly left me underwhelmed. Thankfully, this one hit the spot.

A very cozy cafe that has everything from coffee, pastries and sandwiches…read more I came when they first opened to make sure I could grab a seat, so I recommend you do that if you're looking to hang out inside, otherwise it gets quite busy and seats fill up fast! Food wise, the pistachio croissant was well balanced and flakey! The pistachio cream inside wasn't overwhelming and it was just the perfect amount of sweetness. Highly recommend this cafe for a quality cup of coffee and a sweet treat.

Food 5/5 Drink 4/5…read moreService 3/5 Vibe 5/5 Super super aesthetically, pleasing store. Was very excited to try their drinks and food. I think service was all right, but I'm happy that a lot of their Bakery items are actually made in house which means it is mostly fresh. I got the ice latte and a couple pastry items. My personal favorite was the almond croissant as for the latte. I think it was quite smooth, i had pay for simple syrup as i like my latte with a bit of sugar, which I thought it was usually free (thats on me, I was just too focused on decor and didn't notice until I got home) The only pain is they don't have parking so it's not the most convenient to get there unless I walk over. Still cute store tho!

Almost every table gets a dip and while the typical babaganoush and hummus are available, the…read moreeggplant and pepper dip ($9) intrigued me. Starting with a base of roasted eggplant, slivers of quickly smoked pepper and raw celery & onion are mixed in, so the dip is creamy and crunchy. As a babaganoush lover, I thoroughly enjoyed this version! Without tahini the dip is lighter and brighter. Still their bababanoush ($9) is good with large chunks of eggplant and tons of tahini turning it creamy. It's just a touch sweet for me. For the carb conscious, the dips arrive without a pita ($1.50), so you won't be tempted. I wanted one with the eggplant and pepper... it's your regular run-of-the-mill thick pocketed pita. It's remarkable how much they can stuff in a pita. You'll need to unhinge your jaw to bite into lamb kefta in a pita ($18), the ground meat kebab juicy and each bite bringing different flavours. The bites with their zesty and slightly spicy amba sauce are my favourite and despite the abundance of onion, they're well soaked so the acidity is removed and a crunchy sweetness remains. Their sandwiches arrive solo but is enough to satisfy. The price for a side of French fries ($11) is a bit steep but it's a huge portion, enough to share amongst three. The beef shish kabob ($30) was a tad chewy but at least cooked well and perfectly seasoned and not overly salty. I recommend upgrading to their Greek salad ($4 supplement), a village style version containing large chunks of juicy ripe tomato, crunchy cucumber, briny creamy feta, and onions. Limon augments the salad with roasted red paper and capers adding a savoury smoky element that's delicious. If you're in the mood for beef, order the strip steak ($34) instead. It's less grizzly and you get a sizeable portion of meat cooked to your liking. With three pieces of fish arriving in the roasted rainbow trout ($30), this is a shareable main. It's well cooked with crispy skin and tender meat and simply topped with onions and pomegranate seeds. Having visited on three occasions, the sole visit the restaurant wasn't full was during a weekday lunch. And when it gets busy the ordering and paying process slows down as Limon creates a bottleneck by flowing both operations into one person, who I assume is the manager. Despite a number of workers, they seem to focus on serving, refilling water, and cleaning up. If you ask one to take an order or pay, the request gets redirected to the manager. What an odd way to slow down table turnover at a restaurant. Warning: the tightly packed tables create a loud ambient noise at the restaurant. It's a bit much at first, but as the meal progresses, I tuned it out. When the weather's nice and they open the front windows, it almost feels like you're sitting al fresco somewhere a bit more exotic than Midtown Toronto. A beautiful meal indeed.

Great service and amazing food. Local relatives suggested this place and I'm happy they did. The…read morebread eggplant and hummus were delicious. Another thing I will miss about Canada BB