Where to take a Chicagoan for lunch today?

[dlw88]

I'm up against a city of immense variety and flavour.

This is all that I have, for now.

Hoof Cafe
Swish by Han

HELP!

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Swish by Han
38 Wellington St E, Toronto, ON , CA

[dlw88]

Thank you all for your suggestions!

We ended up biking around town and stopping into the Hoof Cafe, sharing the ploughman's platter, pig tail and grits, tongue sandwich with salami and brie, and the suckling pig benny. Utter decadence, and took the two pacemakers to go.

[hungry_pangolin]

I love Chiado, Lai Wah Heen.... next time, for pho, Tienh Tanh (spelling?) on the east side of Ossington about two blocks north of Queen. Great people, great pho.

Where did you go, and how was it?

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Lai Wah Heen
108 Chestnut St, Toronto, ON M5G 1R3, CA

Chiado
864 College Street West, Toronto, ON M6H 1A3, CA

[foodyDudey]

Well what type of food do you like and what is the budget?

I was at Chiado last night and wondered why I had not been earlier, we enjoyed it. I was just looking at the lunch menu as I'd like to try it. You have probably picked your locataion by now but here is the Chiado website, check out all the tasty items they have.

http://www.chiadorestaurant.com/

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Chiado
864 College Street West, Toronto, ON M6H 1A3, CA

[jmarcroyal]

Give him something that he doesnt have at home, or is less common in Chicago. Id bet our Greek is better then theirs, considering how big the Greek community is especially around the Danforth.

Maybe some Chinese, like Congee Queen, Id bet a restaurant like that is less common in Chicago too.

Maybe grab some Street Meat, a nice Sausage or Hot Dog. I know Chicago is all about their hot dogs, so you can see how he likes ours(I love em!).

No point in taking him for Pizza or any Italian really. Canoe sounds like a good idea.

what about some Korean bbq?

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Congee Queen
895 Lawrence Ave E, Toronto, ON M3C3L2, CA

[Matt H]

Just as a quick side note, Chicago is said to have the third largest Greek population of any city in the world. They also have a decent sized Koreatown.

I do agree with the "Chinese" though, Cantonese is what Toronto does best so maybe Lai Wah Heen this weekend for Dim Sum? That would be something very difficult to find in CHI.

[jmarcroyal]

I dont think the fact that they have the 3rd largest greek community means much, I mean, the greeks tend to come to Toronto, which has the most Greeks outside of Greece itself. When I was in Chicago, I drove by their Greek area and unless I missed something, there was like 1 block maybe with a few Greek restaurants, which id imagine is bigger then most US cities, but it doesnt compare to Toronto. They might have some good Greek food our there tho, but I doubt they have anything that would compare to a Messini's Gyro or Athens Pastries!

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Messini
445 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4K1P1, CA

Athens Pastries
509 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4K, CA

[Matt H]

So you have never actually eaten Greek in Chicago then? Next time you are in CHI you should definitely do yourself a favor and try at least one place before forming an opinion. While there are quite a few excellent places on the Danforth, this notion that TO has a monopoly on good Greek food is a bit absurd.

The OP wanted something that would be difficult to find in Chicago and In my opinion places like Chiado, Lai Wah Heen and Hoof fit the bill better than Greek which they have in abundance.

[JennaBean]

Both Chicago and Montreal have better Greek food IMO, and I'm Greek! :-)

[tochowchick]

Canoe...it's a gorgeous day for the view and I like their food....

[TorontoJo]

Hoof Cafe over Swish by Han.

Or I'd go to Gallery Grill at Hart House. The point there wouldn't be trying to compete on food (though the food is wonderful), but to eat in a wonderful environment that he would be hard pressed to find in Chicago.

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Gallery Grill
7 Hart House Cir, Toronto, ON M5S, CA

Swish by Han
38 Wellington St E, Toronto, ON , CA

[dlw88]

The Swish lunch menu is much different from the dinner menu, and a lot less quirky. As much as their dinner left me underwhelmed, it's one of my favourite lunches in the city.

I know Libretto is great at lunch, but how do you take a Chicagoan for pizza, as different as it may be?

[pinstripeprincess]

i'd be tempted to take them to lee. i haven't been in a while and though there are some misses (but not disasters) on their special menus he still offers something that i think is unique to toronto.

i wouldn't say hoof cafe has a better hit rate on dishes either and the novelty level is about the same.