A breakdown of Toronto-based grocery delivery services
How to get everything from fresh produce to fresh croissants delivered to your doorstep
More Delivery Options
A year ago, there were only a few big-name companies leading the grocery-delivery game. That’s obviously different now. Here’s how you can have everything—from produce and pantry essentials to artisanal cheese and freshly baked croissants—delivered right to your door.
Big box grocers
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Grocery Gateway
Longo’s online shopping platform lets you browse their aisles virtually. There’s a $50 minimum order, plus a delivery fee that starts at $7.99. A new batch of delivery time slots is released every morning. grocerygateway.com
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Voilà
This new-ish delivery arm of Sobey’s also lets shoppers virtually browse the aisles at Farm Boy: If you can’t carry on without that Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette or Maple Leaf Cream Cookies, here’s your home-delivery hookup. (And their cube trucks are pretty darn cute, too.) $50 minimum order and $7.99 delivery fee. voila.ca
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Metro
Browse the virtual flyer and toss on-sale items into your (also virtual). Everything available at your local Metro is on offer, even the hard-to-source stuff like French cheeses, ancient grains, Argentinian shrimp and New Zealand lamb shanks, along with all the grocery staples (bananas, milk, eggs, chicken breasts, lunch meat) and non-edible needs, like toilet paper. Note: Just because something’s in stock on metro.ca, doesn’t mean it’ll end up on your stoop. The selection might be superior to Voilà’s, however, Sobey’s does a better job of letting you know what’s out of stock before you order. $50 minimum order and $11.99 delivery fee. metro.ca
Boutique and organic grocers
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100km Foods
Prior to the pandemic, only the city’s top restaurants could get their hands on 100km Foods’ farm-fresh products. Now, locavores can get these Ontario-grown items delivered. On top of an impressive selection of produce, dairy and meat, 100km also stocks charcuterie and prepared foods (oven-ready duck wings, white bean curry, apple crumble). Shop à la carte or save money and time by selecting one of their pre-made boxes. Minimum order of $45 plus a $6 delivery fee. Free delivery on orders over $100. market.100kmfoods.com
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Mama Earth Organics
This organic subscription service might be best known for their purple plastic tubs of produce (say that three times fast), but they do more than deliver veggies. And there’s no pressure to commit—they take one-off orders and offer customers the option of building their own bundles, too. The best deal are the pre-composed baskets, which come in a variety of sizes and permutations (local-only products, fruit only, fruit and veg, veg only, etc.). However, they also offer prepared foods (cioppino, lobster mac and cheese, vegan pierogies), as well as high-quality meat, seafood, dairy products, baked goods and even flower seeds. Free delivery. mamaearth.ca
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Fresh City Farms
Fresh City Farms offers online shoppers a large catalogue of organic, small-batch, artisanal or locally made goods, such as St. Urbain bagels, Alchemy Pickle kombuchas, Ying Ying tofu, Evelyn’s Crackers, Lee’s Ghee and Mabel’s Bakery. They also now offer a curated selection of local spirits, beer and Ontario VQA wine for one-stop shopping. There’s a $27 minimum order, plus a delivery fee of $2.99. Multi-day delivery option, seven days a week in Toronto. freshcityfarms.com
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Grow Gather & Co.
This new delivery service was created to support local farmers and suppliers who would typically sell their goods to restaurants. That means their fancy food baskets include stuff from places like Famiglia Baldassarre (fresh pasta), Chantecler Boucherie (artisanal meats), Mattachioni (sourdough bread and pizza dough) and Afishionado Fishmongers (seafood). Choose a pre-built one (the small basket for $100 includes enough good food to feed two to three people for just as many days) or design your own. growgatherandco.com
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Mimi and Ry Provisions
When the pandemic wilted this florist’s bottom line, owners Andrea Woodruff and Tina Brooks had to pivot. Now they sell bouquets alongside gourmet groceries. They carry excellent quality basics (Ontario produce, freshly butchered meats, Kozlik’s mustard, Spanish olive oil, Propeller coffee beans) alongside some scrumptious splurge items, including Nova Scotia smoked salmon, burratini, drinking chocolate from Soul Chocolate, Brodflour granola and frozen pizzas from Buca. mimiandryprovisions.com
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McEwan’s
Fresh produce, top quality meat (much of it pasture-raised on small farms), and decadent baked goods are on offer alongside an excellent selection of fancy snacks, including chocolate-covered coffee beans, maple waffle cookies and kale chips. There’s a $20 delivery charge. mcewangroup.ca/grocery
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Pasquale Brothers
Pasquale Brothers is a fourth-generation Italian speciality shop known for their excellent cheeses, cured meats and hard-to-find imported olive oils. Their online shop is stocked with things like paella rice, 12-year-aged balsamic vinegars, dried porcini mushrooms, double-zero flour, Italian-imported cans of San Marzano tomatoes, jamon Iberico, and a plethora of cheeses including manchego, gruyere and Cabra Vino. Also on offer: a $50 cheese and charcuterie box that comes with crackers, olives and Spanish potato chips. $10 delivery fee. pasqualebros.com
Butcher shops
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Chantecler Boucherie
The Parkdale butcher shop—an offshoot of the restaurant with which it shares a name—delivers excellent Ontario-raised chicken and pork, house-aged beef and all manner of excellent preserves, butter and eggs. chanteclerto.com
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Labbaik
Last year, Middle Eastern grocery store Iqbal launched an online shop specializing in halal meat, and it’s still probably the easiest way to get home delivery of halal chicken, veal, lamb and beef. Delivery costs vary, charges depend on distance from the shop. labbaik.ca
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Sanagan’s Meat Locker
Sanagan’s works closely with small Ontario farmers dedicated to raising top-quality poultry, pork, beef, lamb and game. There’s even a page on their website detailing every single farm they source from. Not sure what to do with wild boar belly? Then maybe you should add butcher Peter Sanagan’s just-published, aptly titled book Cooking Meat to that virtual cart. sanagansmeatlocker.com
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Nosso Talho
This independent Portuguese butcher sells some well-priced, gorgeously marbled AAA+ Ontario beef that’s pasture raised and finished on grains. Cuts include all the regular suspects (rib eyes, tenderloin, skirt steaks, ground) alongside some fancier options such as picanha, Miami ribs and impressively large tomahawk steaks. They also carry poultry, pork, frozen fish and speciality ingredients from Brazil and Mexico (farofa, tapioca). Delivery fees calculated at check out and dependent on distance from store. nossotalho.com
Sunday Farms
This new delivery service offers farm-to-table subscription boxes chock full of all kinds of top-quality, GMO- and antibiotic-free proteins: grass fed beef, heritage pork and pasture-raised chicken. Choose your package (classic, adventure or customized) your delivery rate (every four or eight weeks) and get grilling. sundayfarms.com
Catering companies and restaurants
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Chefs Catering
This 46-year-old, family-run catering outfit has adapted to serve the house-bound world. They’re offering restaurant-quality ingredients, including premium beef cuts like filet mignon and wagyu, typically served at some of the city’s best restaurants. Their produce comes in a pre-assembled box loaded with asparagus, peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and broccoli, alongside all the basics (onions, carrots, etc.). They’re also offering a $499 meat box loaded with chicken breasts, salmon, steak and ground beef and turkey that will feed a family of four for an entire month. Free delivery. mrgoodmeats.com
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Cibo Market
Liberty Entertainment—the restaurant group behind Cibo Wine Bar, BlueBlood Steakhouse and Xango—are now in the grocery game. Their online platform carries all the usual staples (eggs, milk, butter, flour, bananas, apples, carrots, onions), alongside an impressive selection of proteins and pantry items. There are over 20 different pastas to choose from, including noodles made from kamut and spelt. Other enticing dry goods include EVOO-packed Italian tuna, Calabrese olives, acacia honey and fig marmalade. Their butchery department offers a good mix of everyday meats (all-beef hot dogs, chicken breasts) as well as fancy cuts (tomahawk steaks). Bonus: A wine selection that includes some interesting finds, like a Primitivo from Puglia. The $7.95 delivery fee is waived for orders over $75. cibomarket.com
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Elle Cuisine Market
After the pandemic delivered a severe and ongoing blow to the live-events industry, Lauren Mozer pivoted her catering company. It’s now Elle Cuisine Market, which offers catered dinners alongside prepared foods like lamb tourtière and fresh pasta, as well as cooked proteins (citrus-roasted salmon, blackened flank steak) and raw ones (marinated spatchcocked chickens, dry-aged steaks, steelhead salmon and humungous scallops). When ordering, customers can also submit their grocery lists (including booze), and the Elle Cuisine team will do their darnedest to fill the order. You won’t receive grocery-store brands—Mozer is using her restaurant supplier connections. That means they’re vac-packing the meat at their catering facility and portioning things like grains in Mason jars. Delivery is free for orders over $300 (otherwise, a $25-$50 charge applies based on distance). ellecuisine.ca
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Mexican Collective Store
When Erika Araujo’s catering company Ixiim saw business dry up at the start of the pandemic, the Mexican chef decided to pivot and began selling groceries. The selection changes weekly, but expect budget-friendly prices for high-quality Mexican cheeses (Oaxaca, panela), chilies (guajillo, pasilla, arbol), canned goods (salsa, pickled jalapeños, nopal) and produce (poblano peppers, tomatillios). For the best value, opt for one of their weekly boxes, which come in two sizes: small ($40) and large ($60). These boxes come crammed with fruits, veggies and a mix of different pantry items like maple syrup, honey, beans and rice. $15 delivery fee. mexican-collective-store.square.site
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O&B
Restaurant group O&B (Canoe, Maison Selby, Liberty Commons, Parcheggio) is now delivering groceries. Their easy-to-browse website offers staples like canola oil, pasta, flour, eggs, milk, cream, high-quality proteins (beef tenderloin, halibut) as well as fresh produce including apples, citrus, tomatoes, bananas, onions (no exotic fruit or foraged mushrooms, though). There are oven-ready items from O&B restaurants, too: empanadas from Leña, tourtiere from Bannock and Parcheggio’s lasagna. You can also throw beer, wine and booze into your virtual basket. Alcoholic offerings include LCBO standards alongside O&B’s own beer from Big Rock and specialty spirits made in collaboration with Dillon’s Distillery. Deliveries are made on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and although there is no delivery fee, a minimum purchase of $100 is required. oliverbonacini.com/grocery-delivery
Cheese shops
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Cheese Boutique
Toronto chefs might make the pilgrimage here for fancy cheeses, imported butters and specialty charcuterie items, but Cheese Boutique also carries just about everything Loblaws would have—their selection’s just a whole lot fancier. Their snack game is also one of the best in town. Tip: tell your personal CB shopper whether you’re craving sweets or savouries, and let them surprise you. Free delivery, with current wait times of three days. $50 minimum. cheeseboutique.com
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Cheese Magic
This Kensington cheesemonger is offering free delivery to downtown Toronto on orders over $30. They’ve posted their product list online, which is organized by type (gouda, cheddar, blue, ricotta) and country (Italy, Canada, Swiss, Spanish). You can order more than just comforting cheese, though—they also sell everything you’d need to build an impressive charcuterie spread including cured meats (spicy Genoa salami, Mennonite summer sausage), crackers, olives, mustards, dips (hummus, tzatziki) and cured meats. They also carry other tasty pantry items like honey, smoked salmon, sour cream, kefir and eggs. cheesemagic.ca
Green grocers
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Country Boys Produce
Pre-pandemic, this produce wholesaler dealt strictly with restaurants. Now, they’re offering their next-day veggie deliveries to people’s homes. Their selection includes fresh herbs (mint, dill, thyme, cilantro, basil), citrus (limes, lemons, grapefruits, oranges), tropical fruit (kiwis, pineapples, mangos), and an expansive selection of veggies, including radicchio, asparagus, sweet corn, oyster mushrooms, fennel and leeks. Minimum order of $50, no delivery fees. countryboysproduce.com
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Bondi Produce
Founded in 1976 by Ignazio Bondi, who began selling produce door-to-door from the back of his car, this family-run company now sells far more than bananas and onions. Bondi is now one of the largest food distribution companies in the Greater Toronto Area, and sources products from over 300 farms around the globe. They carry everything from obscure apple varietals (like Hidden Rose) to yuzu and yellow dragon fruit. More recently, the company has expanded into meat, seafood and fancy dry goods (truffle honey, roasted artichoke hearts). Free delivery on all orders over $125. bondiproduce.com
Delivery apps and services
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Cornershop
This grocery-on-demand service covers both big box stores (Walmart, Costco) and chain grocery stores (Organic Garage, Metro, Longos), alongside local specialty shops including De La Mer, Dufflet, Yam Chops, Harbord Bakery, Greenhouse Juice and Pet Smart. Orders under $40 are delivered for $9.90 (but the average customer pays about $6.90 for delivery) and Cornershop charges an additional service charge. cornershop.ca
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Easy Peasy Grocery Delivery
Before the pandemic, siblings Felicia and Jamie Somerton were busy running a design studio. When their workflow dried up, they decided to launch a grocery delivery kit service. Current kits include dairy ($35) and produce ($75) essentials, and more experiential boxes like make-your-own waffle bowl ice cream sundaes. Delivery is free and guaranteed within 48 hours. eateasypeasy.com
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Finesse Grocery
This student-run house-painting company asked its employees to put down their brushes and pick up groceries, instead. Customers fill out a form detailing the product, quantity and preferred brand, and the student shoppers do their best to retrieve everything on the list. Prior to delivery, a receipt is forwarded to you while the groceries are being packed and sanitized. The founder of the company, Vincent Nguyen (who founded Finesse Finish while he was a student), isn’t pocketing any delivery-fee profits—they’re instead being funnelled to drivers and used to subsidize senior discounts. Payment by e-transfer or cash is due upon delivery, but to minimize contact no change will be provided. Deliveries start at $35. finessegrocery.com
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Inabuggy
This online shopping platform sends personal shoppers to big chains (FreshCo, Walmart, Metro, Costco), boutique grocers (McEwan, Summerhill Market, Bruno’s) and pharmacies (Rexall). They’ll also grab your favourite bottle of wine from the LCBO or a six-pack of something from the Beer Store. The good: Inabuggy lets you put items from multiple stores into the same delivery. The bad: you pay for the convenience—it’s a $19.99 fee for the first store, plus another $9.99 for every additional one they have to go to. inabuggy.com
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Instacart
This grocery-getter can grab all of the essentials from places like Loblaws, T&T Supermarket, Walmart, Valumart, Real Canadian Superstore, Shoppers Drug Mart, Bulk Barn, Pusateri’s and more. Delivery fee varies by order size and delivery time; there’s also an additional service charge slapped onto each order. instacart.ca
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Mr. Case
In the early ’80s, before Costco was a fixture, Mr. Case was offering wholesale prices to everyday people. The company began as a door-to-door sales operation that sold groceries by the case, but has since expanded. Today, it’s best-known for supplying offices (they carry everything from portable hard drives and printer paper to BandAids and garbage bags). They also have an impressive grocery selection of some 10,000-plus items. There’s one hiccup, though: most of the groceries are only available in bulk (hence the company’s name). Although you might not need 12 cucumbers or a three-kilo round of blue cheese, if you’re purchasing for multiple households, divvying up the order is a viable option. $20 delivery fee for orders under $75, $10 for orders over $75. mrcase.com
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Runner
Runner started as way to get LCBO products delivered to your door in under two hours. The platform has expanded its offerings to include pet essentials as well as fancy snacks (Squish candies and organic tortilla chips), organic baby food, Advil and even toilet paper. A flat $10 order fee applies with no minimums or maximums. getrunner.io
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Savoz
This wholesale online retailer offers Walmart prices for the house-bound set that’s averse to fees, mark-ups and bulk buying. Fridge and pantry fodder? They carry all the usual suspects. Soft Drinks? They’ve got colas and seltzers aplenty. Diapers? They’ve got Huggies and Pampers galore. Pet supplies? They’ve got you covered with kibble and litter. We appreciate their gift section, which includes bouquets, games and goody baskets. There’s a minimum spend of $35, but delivery is free. savoz.me
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Tasteport
After you download this app to your phone, it uses your GPS coordinates to connect you with nearby specialty grocers. The initial premise behind the app was to connect smaller Indian, South Asian, Middle Eastern, halal and vegetarian shops with a broader audience. tasteport.com
Fish and seafood
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Hooked
Seafood shop owners Kristin and Dan Donovan are asking customers to shoot them an email at customers@hookedinc.ca, and they promise to give you a ring back within a day. One of their knowledgable fishmongers will walk you through that day’s selection of prepared foods (gefilte fish, salmon rillettes, crab cakes) and raw seafoods (spot prawns, Pacific halibut, manila clams, rockfish). Free delivery for orders over $50. hookedinc.ca
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Daily Seafood
This seafood wholesaler—they supply restaurants like Alo and Canoe—is now selling directly to the GTA’s fish fans. Daily Seafood carries all the usual aquatic suspects (halibut, trout, salmon and cod) as well as some seriously fancy fish. They import Japanese uni, Dover sole and New Zealand sea bream, but also have an impressive selection of Canadian-caught pescatarian gems, including Acadian sturgeon caviar, Newfoundland snow crab and Nova Scotian swordfish. Free delivery on orders over $120. dailyseafood.ca
Specialty grocers
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Sombrero Latin Foods
Fill your virtual cart with Peruvian pop, Mexican cheeses, Dominican coffee, oven-ready yucca fries, alfajores or meal kits (their tart-and-fresh ceviche option is excellent). This family-run business has strong Latinx ties: their all–newcomer staff hail from Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela and Puerto Rico, while their products are either imported from Latin America or made by Latinx-owned GTA businesses. Delivery is free for orders over $40. sombrerolatinfoods.ca
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T&T Supermarket
Toronto’s popular Asian supermarket chain has launched an online store selling only non-perishable goods. Items on offer include everything from peanut oil and canned quail eggs to bulgogi sauce and fancy rice varieties like black jasmine and sushi-grade grains. Their selection of instant noodles is particularly impressive. Kitchen gadgets—including rice cookers and steamer baskets—can also be tacked onto orders. Shipping starts at $7 for orders that weigh under 20 pounds. Note that delivery times aren’t guaranteed—expect your order within three to five days, depending on Canada Post. tntsupermarket.com
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Tavora
This mini Portuguese grocery chain—they have one location downtown and another in Mississauga—has started offering delivery. Their meat game is strong, and they sometimes carry hard-to-find Brazilian cuts like picanha, a fat-capped beef cut that’s perfect for grilling. Tavora also has an impressive seafood counter, which is stocked with fish popular in Portuguese cooking (think cod, seabass, squid). Their produce selection is extremely fresh, as they send someone to the food terminal every morning to buy up the tastiest looking veggies. Their website doesn’t have shopping functionality, but orders can be done over the phone or by e-mail. $100 delivery minimum, $10 delivery charge. tavora.ca/home-delivery
