Toronto’s food scene is easiest to understand neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Some of the best-known food streets grew from immigrant communities that settled there decades ago. This guide covers four of them, Chinatown, Little Italy, Greektown on the Danforth and Gerrard India Bazaar (Little India): where they are, how to get there by TTC, their history and how to plan a visit. We describe the areas rather than ranking individual restaurants, which open and close often.
| Neighbourhood | Main street | TTC |
|---|---|---|
| Chinatown | Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street West | 510 Spadina and 505 Dundas streetcars |
| Little Italy | College Street, between Bathurst Street and Ossington Avenue | 506 Carlton streetcar along College |
| Greektown on the Danforth | Danforth Avenue, between Chester Avenue and Dewhurst Boulevard | Line 2 Bloor-Danforth (Chester and Pape stations) |
| Gerrard India Bazaar | Gerrard Street East, between Greenwood and Coxwell avenues | 506 Carlton streetcar |
Downtown Chinatown, sometimes called West Chinatown, is centred on the intersection of Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street West. It stretches along Spadina toward College Street and along Dundas from roughly Augusta Avenue to Beverley Street.
History: Toronto’s first Chinatown was near Bay and Dundas streets. When the city expropriated land in the late 1950s to build the new City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square, many businesses and residents moved west toward Spadina, into an area that had previously been a centre of Jewish life.
What to expect: bakeries, noodle and dumpling shops, dim sum halls, barbecue counters, Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian restaurants, and grocery stores spilling onto the sidewalk with produce. Kensington Market is right next door to the west.
Also try: East Chinatown, centred on Gerrard Street East between Broadview and Carlaw avenues, and the large suburban Chinese food scenes in Scarborough’s Agincourt area and in Markham.
Little Italy runs along College Street, roughly from Bathurst Street west to Ossington Avenue, within the larger Palmerston-Little Italy area.
History: Italian immigrants first settled in The Ward near University Avenue and College Street in the early 1900s. By the 1920s many had moved west of Bathurst, and the College-Clinton area became the city’s main Little Italy. From the 1970s, much of the community moved north to Corso Italia on St. Clair Avenue West and to the suburbs, and College Street became more mixed.
What to expect: espresso bars, pizza and pasta restaurants, patios and late-night bars alongside Portuguese, Latin American and other cuisines. It is liveliest on summer evenings.
Also try: Corso Italia on St. Clair West, and Woodbridge in Vaughan, for more Italian food.
Greektown runs along Danforth Avenue between Chester Avenue and Dewhurst Boulevard, east of the Don Valley.
History: Greek immigration grew strongly in the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1970s and 1980s the Danforth was often described as the largest Greektown in North America. Its business improvement area took the name “GreekTown on the Danforth” in 1993.
What to expect: souvlaki and grill restaurants, tavernas, bakeries and cafés, plus a wide mix of other cuisines that have arrived as the area changed. The street has many patios in summer.
Note on festivals: the Taste of the Danforth street festival has not been held in several recent years, including 2024 and 2025. Check for announcements before planning a trip around it.
Gerrard India Bazaar is on Gerrard Street East, between Greenwood and Coxwell avenues, and is often described as one of the largest South Asian marketplaces in North America.
What to expect: Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan restaurants and snack shops, sweet shops, spice and grocery stores, and stores selling saris and jewellery. Street food stands appear in warm weather.
Getting there: the 506 Carlton streetcar runs along Gerrard through the bazaar. From Line 2, you can connect from Main Street station or take a north-south bus.
Also try: Brampton, Mississauga and Scarborough have very large South Asian food scenes of their own.
These are living, working neighbourhoods, not theme parks. Many shops are small family businesses, and residents shop here every day. Shop locally, be patient on crowded sidewalks, ask before photographing people or shop interiors, and use bins for your litter.
Chinatown pairs well with Kensington Market and the Art Gallery of Ontario; Little India and East Chinatown sit on the same streetcar line; and Greektown is a short subway ride from downtown. For more on what each area is like to live in, read our best neighbourhoods in Toronto guide, and for photos along the way, our Toronto photo spots.
The main downtown Chinatown is centred on Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street West. East Chinatown is on Gerrard Street East near Broadview Avenue.
Gerrard India Bazaar is on Gerrard Street East, between Greenwood and Coxwell avenues, on the 506 Carlton streetcar route.
Greektown is along Line 2 Bloor-Danforth; Chester and Pape stations are the most central stops.
The festival was not held in 2024 or 2025. Watch for official announcements about future editions.
Last updated: November 2026
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