Top 5 Picks for Hong Kong-style or Cantonese Restaurants in Toronto Craved by Hong Kong Foodie

New to Toronto but already missing the taste of Hong Kong? Me too. I have been hunting for high-quality and authentic Hong Kong-style food and Cantonese cuisine in Toronto since my arrival in May. Below are my top 5 picks to satisfy the craving for hometown taste.

1. Ginger and Onion Cuisine

Dim sum is definitely one of the most famous traditional Cantonese cuisine. Ginger and Onion Cuisine located in Scarborough is a great place if you would like to gather with family members or friends to enjoy a wide variety of Chinese dishes. They are served in sharing size in bamboo baskets accompanied with hot tea. Their gigantic siu mai, the steamed pork and shrimp dumpling, is one of the must-try items. They use a mix of both lean pork shoulder and fatty pork belly to give a soft yet chewy texture. It is also filled with crunchy mega-sized whole shrimps and fragrant shiitake mushrooms to give an incredibly savoury flavour. If you are looking for something that can hardly be prepared at home, you can opt for deep-fried taro with minced pork. The taro crust is crispy and fluffy, while the filling inside is soft and creamy with taro paste, minced pork, Chinese chives and shiitake mushrooms. I just can’t stop after the first bite. Their dim sum prices are affordable ranging between $4.18-6.18 according to size. They also offer a morning special discount for all small, medium and large-sized dim sum at $4.38 from Monday to Friday before 11:30 am (except on special holidays). Overall, it is a great place to visit with family and friends for a high-quality classic Chinese brunch at an affordable price.

Address: 240 Alton Towers Circle, Unit A7, Toronto, ON M1V 4P2

Cost per person: CA$25

Overall rating: 4.5/5 (Food: 5 | Value of money: 4.5 | Ambience: 4)

2. Congee Queen

Congee Queen offers more than 250 authentic Cantonese dishes including congee, soup, rice, fried noodle, noodle in soup, barbecued, rice noodle roll, gourmet food and snacks, etc. During my last visit to its flagship store located in Thornhill (6 other stores are located in North York, Markham, Scarborough and Mississauga), I tried three dishes - pork bone, dried stockfish & peanut hot pot congee, BBQ pork rice noodle roll, and shrimp wonton soup. Without a doubt, the congee is my favourite pick. It has a silky and smooth texture with a generous amount of salted pork bones. The dried stockfish gives a delicious umami flavour. Meanwhile, the peanuts provide a nutty aroma and complex texture to it. The portion of a small-sized congee bowl, which costs $9.75, is more than enough for 2 adults if you are ordering other dishes. Besides congee, this restaurant is also well known for its sizzling dishes served on hot plates. I will definitely visit Congee Queen again to try their signature pork rib with onion on a sizzling hot plate.

Address: 2930 Steles Avenue E Thornhill, ON L3T 7X1

Cost per person: CA$15-20

Overall rating: 4/5 (Food: 4 | Value of money: 4 | Ambience: 4)

3. Marathon Cafe

Satay beef with instant noodle and egg sandwich paired with the award-winning Hong Kong-style milk tea is a featured breakfast combo in Marathon Cafe at both Richmond Hill and Scarborough locations. Awarded the title “Gold Medal” of Hong Kong International King of World Kamcha Competition 2021 and North America International Kamcha Final Competition 2012, their silky smooth milk tea gives a really strong and fragrant tea flavour that simply lingers in my mouth. Not too sweet, not too bitter, the sweetness level is just perfectly right for me. The thick-sliced satay beef on the instant noodle is tender and juicy with a sweet and salty flavour. The scrambled egg inside the sandwich is savoury and velvety. All three items, which cost a total of $11.9, make up a perfect typical Hong Kong breakfast. The local Hong Kong TV channels broadcasted in the restaurant might also bring back a sense of nostalgia.

Address: 155 E Beaver Creek Road, Richmond Hill, ON L4B

Cost per person: CA$10-15

Overall rating: 4/5 (Food: 4.5 | Value of money: 4 | Ambience: 3.5)

4. House of Gourmet

Located in the bustling and hustling West Chinatown, House of Gourmet provides Hong Kong-style rice dish lunch special combo every day from 11 am - 3 pm at a down-to-earth price. A rice dish is often served on a plate with meat or fish or vegetables topped over rice. A big portion of rice with roast pork and soya chicken paired with Chinese soup and drinks cost only $10.5. Their roast pork is crispy but slightly overcooked, while the soya chicken is tender with a mouthwatering savoury flavour. Also, their lunch special combo is served quickly within 5-10 minutes after placing an order. So if you are looking for a fast and economic option for lunch, this restaurant might be a good choice.

Address: 484 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M5T 1G9

Cost per person: CA$10-15

Overall rating: 3.5/5 (Food: 3.5 | Value of money: 4.5 | Ambience: 3)

5. Cuppa Tea

Cuppa Tea features handcrafted Hong Kong-style milk tea and traditional Hong Kong snacks like pineapple butter bun, classic egg waffle, curry fish balls, and so on. However, it is not only about the food but also the immersive Hong Kong atmosphere created that attracts customers. I was actually drawn to this restaurant because of the cute and stylish glass bottle design and aesthetic interior design. A red British-styled telephone booth and double-decker bus centrepiece at Bloor & Spadina store remind me of Hong Kong’s colonial legacy. Both signature milk tea and sweet velvet milk tea (made with condensed milk) taste sweet with a smooth texture. However, it is more watery than expected and slightly overpriced ($6.49 per bottle). Nonetheless, it is a cozy and decent place to spend a relaxing afternoon surrounded by old Hong Kong-style decor.

Address: 346 Bloor Street W, Toronto, ON M5S 2J2

Cost per person: CA$10-15

Overall rating: 3.5/5 (Food: 3 | Value of money: 3 | Ambience: 5)

To eat or not to eat – this is not a question. Just grab your wallet, get dressed and pay a visit to the above restaurants with your beloved ones. If you enjoy reading my article, please like, share and comment below to let me know your thoughts. Stay tuned with CANTOTaste, find the food you crave!