Toronto has many fabulous restaurants and it can be very tempting to eat out than cook your own meals. Unfortunately, not all the restaurants are budget-friendly and eating out often will make your wallet feel lighter.
It can be difficult to know what to eat and where to find cheap food. During my three years in Toronto, I have tried many restaurants and have found that, in certain places, your meal can cost as low as $5.
Here are my lists of the best cheap restaurants in Toronto.
El Furniture
Every dish in El Furniture is priced at $5.95 all day every day. Featuring wings, sandwiches, burgers, pasta and appetizers, you will have a variety of dishes to choose from this restaurant and bar. Try their Works Burger with fries and look out for Taco Tuesday and Wednesday Wing Day.
Address: 410 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M5S
El Almacen
This Argentine café brings hearty meals for affordable prices. Their yerba mate is $2-$3 ($3 if shared) and offers refills, and their homemade empanadas are crispy and juicy. The staff will talk to you about the ritual and the traditions of drinking yerba mate that will allow you to embrace South American culture. This café also features sandwiches, café, and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
Address: 1078 West Queen Street, Toronto, ON M6J 1H8
Brazil Bakery and Pastry
For coffee, tea, and sweet lovers, Brazil Bakery and Pastry is the perfect place and they have a variety of delicious sweets, deserts, sandwiches, coffee, tea, and main dishes for your afternoon tea and dinner. Their pastel de nata (Portuguese custard tart) is the best one I have ever had, and it costs next to nothing. They also make everything from scratch and the service is fast and friendly, not to mention it is extremely affordable. My friend had a fish sandwich and a bottle of orange juice one afternoon and she paid only $7.50.
Address: 1566 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6K 1T5
The Village by the Grange
This hidden food court at the corner of McCaul and Dundas West offers dishes from all over the world, and it is a wonderful spot to relax in the midday. They have tasty Korean plates for $3, as well as Indian and Thai combos for under $5. They also have food stalls that serve all-day breakfast, waffles, burritos, Japanese ramen, salad, and Greek food, but the food can hardly cost you $8. My favorite choice is a shrimp plate at the Pho Express, where they offer you rice, vegetables, meat and shrimp for $7.25, and they also have different flavors of pho.
Address: 53 McCaul St, Toronto, ON M5T 3K8
Fudao Noodle House
I spent some time eating around Spadina’s Chinatown. Usually, a lot of restaurants along the street are pretty average and catered to the flavor of foreigners, so I did not have high expectations when it came to Fudao. However, I am glad I decided to eat their rice noodles because it was an absolutely heavenly taste. It had a rich broth, chewy texture of the rice noodles, a variety of toppings, and my favorite chili sauce to add to the soup. Make sure to go during the day from 2pm to 5pm when this noodle house offers a special menu. For only $10, you can get a bowl of noodle soup, a side dish of your choice, and soft beverages.
Address: 358 Spadina Ave, Toronto,ON M5T 2G6
The Xtreme Taste
This little Mediterranean restaurant often has queues stretching out to the front door, and it is a nice spot to have a tasty and cheap lunch. They have seafood platters for $5.99 and salmon and chicken platters for $4.99 each, which usually does not happen in most restaurants. They have falafel pita and chicken and beef shawarma for less than $5.00.
Please note that the Xtreme Taste do not have many seats available inside, so I highly recommend you to order take out.
Address: 6 Cumberland St, Toronto, ON M4W 1J5
The Captain’s Boil
The Captain’s Boil is the go-to spot for my seafood fix. They have been serving various kinds of fresh seafood including shrimp, mussels, clams, king crabs and crawfish, and yummy garlic sauce. The food comes in a plastic bag and you can grab and eat them with your hands, and dump them on the table.
Address: 476 Yonge St. Toronto, ON, M4Y 1X5
Tinuno
Located near Sherburne station, this Filipino seafood restaurant is a favorite among locals who crave largely insane portions of seafood for only $15 per person. Focusing on authentic Filipino taste and experience, Tinuno serves a variety of seafood with rice and tropical fruit on top of banana leaves. Eating at Tinuno is also a really cool experience, as you will dine in a family style – share a huge portion of seafood with your friends, and eat with your hands.
Address: 31 Howard Street