Is there any better way to start a morning than with a beautiful breakfast sandwich?
Whether it’s a classic egg & cheese sando at your favourite old-school corner spot or a more elaborate sandwich offered up by the hottest new spots in town, Toronto has no shortage of options for a tasty pick-me-up that’ll start the day off oh so right. Here are a few standouts, from no-nonsense cheap eats to more elevated fare!
Gold Standard
Price: 💸
Cuisine: American
Address: Multiple locations
Why You Need To Go: If you asked the average Toronto foodie what the best breakfast sandwich in the city is, a good portion of them will say the Gold Standard.
It’s simple and perhaps a little strange, but it works exceptionally well: soft-scrambled cheesy eggs are married with pickles, house aioli, Marie Sharp’s hot sauce, and a choice of bacon or kale on an English muffin. Originally part of the menu at The Federal on Dundas West, this sandwich is so popular that it has spawned two separate takeaway locations on Queen West and on Roncesvalles. The hype is real.
Accessibility: Varies by location
Sleepy Pete’s
Price: 💸
Cuisine: American
Address: 69 Kensington Ave.
Why You Need To Go: A relatively new addition to Toronto’s food scene, this easygoing Kensington Market spot by the team behind popular taqueria Seven Lives has been earning top marks.
You won’t be sleepy anymore after tackling one of Sleepy Pete’s bountiful breakfast sandwiches, affordably priced and built to satisfy. Popular options like the Bacon & Egg sandwich with hot honey and American cheese or the Poblano & Egg with avocado and tomatillo sauce are served on delicious house-made biscuits, while other handhelds like the twisty take on the Monte Cristo with ham, Jarlsberg, and blueberry jam are stacked up on brioche. No matter what you pick, though, trust me: you won’t be dissatisfied.
Accessibility: No automatic door
Egg Club
Price: 💸
Cuisine: American
Address: Multiple locations
Why You Need To Go: “Affordable happiness” is the mantra of this multi-location spot for egg sandwiches that are super flavourful and filling without breaking the bank.
Egg Club piles softly cooked folded eggs onto pillowy Japanese milk bread alongside toppings like thick-cut bacon, sausage patties, guacamole, and even lobster. Finished with tasty house-made sauces like chipotle, creamy chilli, or their signature Egg Club sauce, these sandos have become a morning must for many.
Pro tip: make sure you get one of their decadent hash browns on the side, which is folded in half to sandwich a dollop of creamy mashed potato. Drooling yet?
Accessibility: Varies by location
Emmer
Price: 💸
Cuisine: French bakery
Address: 161 Harbord St.
Why You Need To Go: This Harbord Village bakery is becoming a bit legendary for offerings like its heavenly croissants.
But don’t skip their fantastic breakfast sandwiches, which promise simple comforts made with great ingredients. The reliable egg & cheese is finished with blonde frisée and hot sauce on an English muffin, while the egg & collard green muffin is kicked up a notch with flavourful smoked ham and cheese.
Then there’s the bacon butty, which couldn’t be simpler: thick-cut local bacon and HP sauce on sourdough. So. Dang. Good.
Accessibility: No automatic door
Primrose Bagel Co.
Price: 💸
Cuisine: American
Address: 317A Oakwood Ave.
Why You Need To Go: Is there anything better than a fresh bagel?
Primrose Bagel Co. has been making a strong impression with their hand-rolled, malt-boiled bagels, baked fresh every day to serve as the ideal vessel for a wide variety of extremely memorable breakfast sandwiches, served on a choice of bagel.
A classic egg & cheese bagel is simple and satisfying, but you’d be foolish to miss out on other options including the Bodega Bagel with egg, American cheese, pickles, lettuce, garlic aioli, and Cholula hot sauce; or the heaping Egg & Pastrami with Swiss cheese. More lunch-focused sandwiches are also on offer, plus the option to build your own bagel sandwich. What more could you want?
Accessibility: No automatic door
Mystic Muffin
Price: 💸
Cuisine: American, Lebanese
Address: 113 Jarvis St.
Why You Need To Go: The truest of cheap eats, this old-school Toronto spot with its authentically retro facade offers wholesome food for great value.
Well known for their delicious apple cake, this homey joint on Jarvis surely offers one of the best deals in town for a breakfast sandwich. For only $6, you can get your hands on a toasted bagel sandwich with egg, cheese, lettuce, and tomato, served with a medium coffee to boot. Where else can you get value like that, especially in Toronto? There’s a reason locals hold this decades-old mainstay in such high regard.
Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible
Donna’s
Price: 💸
Cuisine: American, Fusion
Address: 827 Lansdowne Ave.
Why You Need To Go: This bright and inviting Lansdowne eatery makes the most of its all-day offerings, including breakfast served from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. each day.
Their compact breakfast menu consists of only three breakfast sandwiches, but each one of them is a hit. The ham, egg, and cheese sandwich is pure, simple comfort; the Zen sandwich with egg, zucchini, and hazelnut is perfect for the vegetarians out there; and the steak & egg sandwich with spicy ketchup and griddled onions is always a favourite. Don’t skip this place!
Accessibility: Washrooms downstairs
Lazy Daisy’s Cafe
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: American
Address: 1515 Gerrard St. E.
Why You Need To Go: Locally sourced, farm fresh eats are the name of the game at this all-day cafe for terrific breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
A sturdy selection of breakfast sandwiches managed to be as creative and inclusive as it is tempting, with a particular standout being the Rise & Fry that blends spicy fried chicken, a sunny egg, whipped honey butter, and spinach on a jalapeno and three-cheese buttermilk biscuit.
But the more classic sandos pack just as much punch including the Rise & Shine with mennonite smoked bacon, egg, and aged white cheddar on a homemade buttermilk biscuit. Vegetarian and vegan options round things off, so everyone can get in on the delicious action!
Accessibility: Washrooms downstairs
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