Whether you’re in the mood for a classic chicken sandwich or something more adventurous, this restaurant is a great choice.

To dine here is akin to making a religious pilgrimage: It takes patience, practice, and prayer. The once-“secretive” spot in the gentrifying “mechanical-industrial” strip of Geary Street is no longer under wraps. Swarms of people congregate and wait at least an hour outside before opening, a fact not lost on owner and chef Leandro Baldassarre (formerly of three-Michelin-starred Dal Pescatore). With a collected demeanor and without gimmicks, Baldassarre offers what’s considered the city’s best fresh pasta, along with rustic Southern Italian dishes.

), who owns numerous restaurants in the city via his Our House Hospitality Company, Prime Seafood Palace feels like an antithesis. The steakhouse appears calm and reserved, like it could moonlight as a Scandinavian sauna or cozy lodge in Northern Canada. But once you’re inside this wooden shrine to beef, Matheson’s soul shines through. At the pass, you’ll find culinary director Coulson Armstrong serving up brazen dishes with the calculated panache of a lavish steakhouse: The bougie “tea-time” sandwich layers sea urchin, tuna, and kaluga caviar; strands of perfectly bouncy al dente spaghetti embrace a mound of delicate lobster nuggets; and opulence is served as a 20-ounce caveman-size dry-aged prime rib, complete with a velvety sauce composed of bordelaise and rendered-down A5 wagyu drippings. Open in Google Maps

Copy Link Pitmaster Darien List has staked his regional barbecue claim in Toronto, offering diners Central Texas-style meats. Relish in signatures like marbled brisket that’s cooked indirectly over pecan wood and licked with just the perfect amount of heady smoke.

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Toronto is a city known for its diverse food culture and dining scene. However, frequenting some of its restaurants might leave your wallet feeling a bit Toronto Dinner Deals lighter. Fear not food lovers, there are several ways you can save money while still indulging in Toronto’s culinary delights.

Can a fried chicken sandwich be distinguished and delightful? Chef Jerome Robinson and his legion of #friedchickenlovers definitely think so. Ever the consummate hype man, Robinson welcomes diners to his cozy space with ’90s hip-hop, free-to-play NBA Jam

The shop offers a variety of sweet and savory Syrian delicacies, many of which are variations of thinly rolled layers of phyllo dough stuffed with pistachios, walnuts, almonds, or other nuts.

Take a stroll down the famous Ossington strip and find pho perfection at this Toronto stalwart. Golden Turtle has been around since 1987, and although its prices have obviously changed since then, you can get a satisfying meal for just over $15.

Standout selections by head chef Joseph Ysmael include the Husband + Wife Beef, an addictive inferno of tripe and shank cuts bathed in chile oil and finished with peanuts; chewy silver needle noodles that sing with a backbone of soy sauce and overtures of earthy black mushrooms; gnawable lamb ribs perfumed with cumin; and a favorite, plump cubes of mapo tofu topped with salty nuggets of dry-aged beef, Sichuan peppercorn, and garlic chives. Save room for the soft-serve dessert: a swirly-twirly, soybean-based wonder that gets a bear hug of crushed cinder toffee and a drizzle of mature soy sauce caramel. Open in Google Maps

For nearly 20 years, this Iranian restaurant has been a humble darling of Queen Street West. Co-owned by executive chef Amir Mohyeddin and his sisters, Salome and Samira, Banu — a term of endearment for their mother, loosely translated to “lady” or “dame” — offers a considerate take on the home cooking of Tehran. The food speaks volumes about the power of slow cookery. Roasted eggplant emerges creamy, a touch pungent, and nutty thanks to several stages of peeling, frying, and low-and-slow cooking to extract every ounce of flavor.

Her three-tiered, frosted cakes are also wonders. The Pistachio and Olive Oil Birthday Cake is like a childhood confetti slice given a glow-up, while an entire summer romance is encapsulated in the Vanilla Sorrel and Raspberry Cake: a towering vanilla sponge cake offering bright mouthfuls of tangy sorrel buttercream, along with a tasty tango of vanilla pastry cream and raspberry coulis. Open in Google Maps

To help combat food waste, Too Good to Go partners with local restaurants, grocery stores, and specialty stores to offer discounted “surprise bags”.