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Restaurants -
Where to Eat
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By: Denise Balkissoon
One of Toronto's liveliest neighbourhoods, Kensington Market is the place to find vintage leather jackets, bundles of fragrant incense, pyramids of fresh, cheap produce and all sorts of colourful characters. By day, it's also downtown’s best bet for Latin snacks, while nighttime brings rowdy revelers seeking more substantial, sophisticated eats.
El Trompo Taco Bar
277 Augusta Avenue
(416) 260-0097
Cuisine Type: Mexican
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As though this were Mexico City, small, soft corn tortillas are piled with toppings and void of Tex-Mex style cheese or sour cream. Try the Tacos Al Pastor, shredded pork spritzed with lime, or anything featuring the savoury, housemade chorizo sausage. To drink, authentic beverages like tangy tamarind punch or creamy, horchata rice milk.
Emporio Latino
243 Augusta Avenue
(416) 351-9646
Cuisine Type: Latin American
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Past the bins of beans and dried nopales cactus leaves is a tiny takeout counter serving affordable Latin American nibbles. Most popular are pupusas, corn patties filled with beans, cheese, sausage or pork cracklings, topped with coleslaw and fresh salsa. Sugar-dusted churro doughnuts are also well worth the line-up.
Jumbo Empanada
245 Augusta Avenue
(416) 977-0056
http://www.jumboempanadas.com
Cuisine Type: Latin
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These baked Chilean turnovers are a good pick-me-up after an afternoon spent browsing through Kensington's vintage stores. The traditional version has shredded beef, hardboiled egg and black olives, but the vegetarian option is also piping hot and satisfying. Humitas, sweet corn pies, and other South American treats, too.
Supermarket
268 Augusta Avenue
(416) 840-0501
Cuisine Type: Casual Dining
Hours: Daily: 5:30pm - Close
Open Saturday and Sundays for lunch
www.supermarkettoronto.com
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Small plates show no sign of relinquishing their hold over the city's palates, and this bustling spot gives the mini-dinner a Japanese twist. Come with a group to share plates of izakaya-inspired dishes, like chili-dusted edamame, green mango salad with shrimp and panko-crusted salmon cakes. Weekend nights, live bands and funky DJs pack the dancefloor.
Torito
276 Augusta Avenue
(647) 436-5874
Cuisine Type: Spanish
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday: 6:00pm - 11:00pm
Closed Monday
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More small plates; here, an authentic take on Spanish tapas. Ceivche is squeaky fresh and tangy, spinach and cannellini beans are garlicky good, while soft beef tongue and cheeks are more rustic and satisfying. Lots of bold red wines lubricate rowdy good times, especially in summer, when two patios are open.
Urban Herbivore
64 Oxford Street
(416) 927-1231
Cuisine Type: Vegetarian
http://www.herbivore.to
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This daytime spot offers fresh vegan salads and sandwiches that cater to the market's hippie crowds. Combinations are inventive and filling, while made-to-order juices let you combine your fruits, veg and flavours of choice. Limited seating.
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