Good cheap lunch around Yonge and Bloor

Just started work at Yonge and Bloor and was looking for some good cheap (under $10) lunch recos. There are a lot of choices in the neighbourhood but a lot of mediocre stuff and chains. Any gems I should check out?

Thanks

[lecanadianfoodie]

YES! If you're willing to walk a little, check out 7 West on Charles St. It's tucked around the corner and looks very modest from the outside. They have three floors and an adorable patio up top. If I remember correctly, there are sandwiches (that come with salad or fries) that come up to a little over 10 dollars ($11?). Sometimes I come here and just devour their hummus (it's soooo good) and that fills me up big time. They've also got a few of these little pizzas that are a little over your budget ($11). I always get the Mediterranean one. And they also have lunch portions of their pasta dishes. This place is definitely a gem and a blessing since operates 24/7. I used to trek there during exam season for a late night snack and a quite place to study.

http://www.7westcafe.com/

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7 West
7 Charles St W, Toronto, ON M4Y1R4, CA

[seannston]

I also just started work around here, I'm a hungry hungry hippo, (6"2 - 260lbs) but I dont mind walking about to find some good stuff.

Ginger on the East side of Yonge just South of Bloor!

a little crowded at lunch but the line moves fast, and i gotta say, their Vietnamese Sub Sandwich is my GO-TO for a quick lunch.

a big fresh bun, various veggies, and your choice of Chicken, Beef or Pork (i prefer beef) for...wait for it... $3.50!!!!!!!!!!

I can eat two if i'm feeling pig-ish, but one could do a normal person i bet, or grab one of their salad rolls' on the side which are good too!

Don't be deterred by the line/noise, its fast and WELL worth the wait

[pearlD]

Strange as it may seem but the Cafeteria (5th Floor) of The Bay makes excellent soup (make sure to ladle from the bottom of the pot!!) They also have 'homemade' small loaves of bread and wicked Cheese Biscuits....avoid ANYTHING else like the plague!

[orangewasabi]

under $10

the takeout sandwiches at Scaccia in Manulife are good -- my fav is the meatball with onions and mushrooms and my dh likes the sausage one. The strachatella (sp?) is good too.

Is there still a Ritz in Hayden square -- they have great chicken curry

[markdsgraham]

i know there's a ritz at yonge and st. joseph (next to pizzaville, which is GROSS).

[ltdan]

Yup, the Ritz is still in Roy's Square. There's a great salad place in the Square as well, if the Lettuce Eatery is too crowded.

[markdsgraham]

There's a place on Charles just west of Yonge called "Exotic Tandoori" or something. It's not super-fast, but that's because they make everything (including the naan) in front of you after you order it. Less than ten bucks and excellent quality.

I looove going to Ginger, and getting an extremely satisfying large bowl of pho, for $5.70 after tax. But I walked by there today, and noticed that it's closed!
Another great place is BiBimQ, for solid Korean food, more South on Yonge, which has daily specials, reasonable prices, and fast service.

I believe it's closed for renovations. Although when I saw the sign last week, it was supposed to have opened again by now.

check out briyani house in roy's sq beside the caribbean place which is also good.

Try Okonomi House on Charles Street, just a block west of Yonge Street. They specialize in Okonomiyaki which are these japanese pancake/pizzas. You can get them for around $6-$7 bucks with chicken, or beef, or shrimp or squid. Get the Bonito flakes added on top which are these thin flakes of smoked Bonito fish. The heat from the Okonomi's makes them dance on the pancake! Plus the flakes add a nice smoked yumminess.

As mentioned, both Biryani House, and the Carribbean place in Roy's Square are good. I sometimes get a massive craving for the Jerk Chicken at the Carribbean place.

If you want to go really cheap, for under $5, you can get a cheap breaded chicken or veal sub in the Bay underground food court (located at the back of the food court, beside the Japanese place). It reminds me of an old school sub place - no fancy toppings, no fancy breads, no fancy toasting - but it satisfies!

Hit Yorkville St., Wanda's Pie in the Sky, offers some good lunch offerings too.

Chaagy

[Finnegan]

I second the biryani house...change in ownership a while ago, but still very cheap and very good

Luckily for you a Lettuce Eatery has recently opened on Bloor just east of Yonge (east of Harvey's a bit). It just squeaks in under $10. I can only assume it's as packed at lunch as the TD Centre one though.

They have daily $5.00 lunches at "The Artful Dodger" that are quite good. ( 12 Isabella )

I enjoy Green Mango Take-out (thai food). Huge portion of thai noodles and various kinds of chicken, such as peanut chicken. You can sit in too.

Toni Bulloni on Cumberland near avenue is a little walk, but they have an excellent Italian hot box for like $7, including great pasta, parmegians, meatballs, etc.

There is a take-out section of Foccacia (on Hayden) that's great! Meatball sandwiches, veal or chicken parm sandwiches all $5 or $7 if you want to add a side of pasta or salad, pastas, daily specials. Good italian food at great prices.

There is also the salad house in roy's square, and The Ritz, a jerk restaurant with a daily lunch special at $3.99 also in Roy's Square.

definitely check out 'mom's big bowl of soup' in cumberland terrace (i think it might actually be called something like 'edith's soup kitchen', but the sign above the kiosk says 'mom's big bowl of soup'.) massive homemade bowls of soup to eat in or take away, with buttered baguette, for $5 and change. the soups change daily, although they did have some sort of pattern that i never quite figured out. i do remember that on fridays they often had a fabulous muligatawny, with giant chunks of chicken and a flavourful, filling broth full of carrots, rice, and lentils.

they also have yummy samosas, and the bone-in chicken curry roti isn't bad either (although it's really messy to eat).

Do you know if this place is open on the weekend?

[mummy2Luna]

The soup at Esther's is awesome! She makes the best lentil soup in the city. The portions are gigantic and priced under $6.