Photo Credit: UberEats
Food near U of T
Hiba Sarfraz, The Mike Contributor
Being a picky eater living in residence, it is no surprise that most of my money is spent on eating out. So, I am always looking for good and affordable halal food places close to the University of Toronto, St. George campus. There is no shortage of halal restaurants in Toronto, offering a wide variety of cuisines, but finding good ones close to campus may be a challenge. So, here is my list of some of the best halal food places in Toronto:
Ozzy’s Burgers – 66 Nassau Street
Located in Kensington Market, this is the place to go if you are craving a good burger. Its menu offers a wide variety of options to choose from, but my personal favourite is the Ozzy’s Grilled Chicken Burger. The Son of a Bun is also a popular one. Its serving size is pretty big, so you may decide to get just one side and share it with a friend. Also, all its meat is hormone-free, which is always a plus! Even though the seating space is not that big, you will almost always find it full at dinner time, especially on weekends. So, leave a little earlier than planned to be sure to find a spot if this is where you want to eat!
M’zaar – 668 Yonge Street
Specializing in Lebanese cuisine, this restaurant has one of the best chicken shawarma wraps in the city. For this build-your-own wrap, you can choose your preferred level of spice and what veggies you want to include in the wrap. There are a variety of other things to choose from on the restaurant’s menu, including a falafel wrap, a crispy fries with chicken shawarma plate, and a grilled shish taouk plate. If you are a little hungrier than usual, you can even get your wrap made in the saj bread (which is super huge and very appetizing) instead of the normal bread or get a side of its delicious crispy fries. This is a must-try if you love shawarma!
The Dirty Bird Chicken + Waffles – 79 Kensington Avenue
I was never too keen on the idea of eating chicken with waffles until I tried Dirty Bird’s The ODB. This waffle topped with boneless dark meat, dirty sauce, and buttered maple syrup always tastes as good as the first time I tried it. Still don’t think that waffles and chicken are a good combination? No need to worry because there are lots of other options on the menu to choose from, such as the B-Lo Sandwich or the Dirty Fries. So, if you are in Kensington Market and are looking for some tasty halal food, The Dirty Bird Chicken + Waffles would be a good choice.
Nando’s – 832 Bay Street
If you are looking for some great halal Portuguese food, Nando’s is a great choice. Although Nando’s is already quite popular (you must have had it at least once!), it is still one of my favourites as the restaurant has a very nice seating space, along with the extremely flavourful food. Its most popular dish is its signature Peri-Peri Chicken for which you can select the spice level that best suits your taste. You can also choose from a variety of starters, such as garlic bread or Peri-Peri Whole Wings, and there are also desserts to pick from if you are craving something sweet after having all of that spice. So, whenever you are in the mood for some Portuguese food or want to go out with your friends to someplace that is not too expensive, Nando’s is always a safe bet!
Salad King – 340 Yonge Street
This restaurant offers some of the best Thai food in Toronto and at very reasonable prices. Its serving size is also quite modest. Salad King has recently introduced hand-cut halal chicken on its menu. So, if you want to order one of the chicken dishes on the menu, you can simply request it to be made using halal chicken. One of its really popular dishes that is not on the menu is the Thai Islamic Noodle (not quite sure how it got the name!). This dish is made of thick rice noodles in coconut milk Panang curry, along with veggies and your choice of meat (halal chicken or shrimp). Its menu also offers a range of soups, noodle dishes, and rice dishes if you are in the mood for something different. So, give Salad King a try the next time you plan on going out for Thai food. I assure you it won’t disappoint.
