Where to Eat Late

Taquería el Pastorcito

Open until 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday

1 Rocio Gutierrez’s taqueria has been spicing up Bloordale since 2023. In her hometown of Guanajuato, Mexico (a city one-tenth the size of Toronto), vendors sling tortillas all night long. Surprised by the scarcity of late-night options when she moved here, the chef took matters into her own hands. The room is lo-fi, but the menu hits all the high notes, focusing on four stellar proteins (pork al pastor, chorizo, sirloin and five-hour-braised beef tongue) that shine in tacos, quesadillas, tortas, burritos and volcanes. Everything is scratch made, from the iced hibiscus tea to the complimentary salsas that accompany every order—including a standout habanero-spiked pineapple. 1160 Bloor St. W., taqueriaelpastorcitoon.com

Hey Noodles

Open until 4 a.m.

2 This Sichuan chain, which debuted in Canada in 2015, is a student go-to after long cram sessions. Prices are so cheap they may be mistaken for typos: dumplings and sweet-and-sour tofu skins are $6 each, and xi o miàn (tongue-tingling noodles) are only $8. Customization is standard here—choose your protein, your noodle (egg or rice) and the amount of Sichuan peppercorn you dare (from “no numbing” to “ultra-numbing”). The Chongqing street food is the star, but don’t miss the kumquat green tea with lemon. 3700 Midland Ave. and 900 Rathburn Rd. W., heynoodles.com

Apache Burger

Open until 2 a.m., 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday

3 Nostalgia is one of the best spices, and Apache Burger doesn’t skimp on it—or salt, or grease, all of which are welcome comforts after midnight. The menu at this late-’60s diner tickles the retro bone with charbroiled burgers, thickly battered onion rings and classic milkshakes—all served in a trapped-in-time interior with a mildly inconvenient cash-only policy. Half a century of resisting change has made this Etobicoke fixture a celebrity in its own right; it even attracts sports icons (Mats Sundin, George Chuvalo) and politicians (John Tory, the Fords). 5236 Dundas St. W., no website

Hanbingo

Open until 3 a.m. Tuesday to Sunday

4 A Korean iced dessert chain imported from Thailand? Only in Toronto. When Esteban Kim moved to Canada from Bangkok in 2013, he sold his 13-store bingsoo chain. Now, he’s rebuilding his icy empire here. For the uninitiated, bingsoo is like a snow cone that’s had a glow-up. Picture a bowl of snowflakes spun from lightly sweetened oat or cow’s milk. Then layer on heaps of fresh fruit (such as Ataulfo mangoes, blueberries, strawberries and melon) and top it with indulgent treats like ice cream, cheesecake and cookies. 397 Spadina Ave., hanbingo.com

Food and Liquor

Open until 2 a.m.

5 At 11 years old, this Parkdale gem is on its way to becoming an institution. The menu changes seasonally, but the chicken wings are a fixture. Co-owner Vincent Ng imbues his drums and flats with flavour by poaching them in a master stock (a Chinese-style broth that’s been simmering for the past seven years—it’s ultra rich with a hint of sweetness from star anise). The wings are then crisped in the oven and finished with chili oil. The perfect accompaniment? Cheese-fried rice: basically a deconstructed breakfast sandwich where sticky rice stands in for bread and the whole eggy mess gets tossed with hunks of aged cheddar and double-smoked bacon. Pro tip from regulars: order just before closing and save some for tomorrow’s breakfast. 1610 Queen St. W., foodandliquor.ca

Alexandros

Open until 4 a.m.

6 Located in a shabby shack along a touristy stretch of the waterfront, Alexandros makes an eyebrow-raising claim: “Best gyro in the world.” This Greek takeout has been making them for almost 30 years, so they’ve had loads of practice. The chicken is the real winner here. Thigh meat, aromatic with lemon and garlic, is cooked on a vertical spit and basted for hours in its own fat, emerging absurdly tender and indulgent. In the wee hours on Alexandros’s patio, skeptics turn into true believers, and the only debate left is whether to order another one. 5 Queens Quay W., alexandros.ca

Rap’s

Open until 3 a.m.

7 Long before the Eglinton LRT was even a thought at city hall, Horace “Rap” Rose was busy grilling jerk-marinated birds on his streetside steel drum. In 1982, the record producer turned restaurateur boldly planted the Jamaican flag on Eglinton West, then a bland burb. Rap’s wasn’t just a restaurant: it was a catalyst. It transformed a sleepy stretch into the vibrant heart of Little Jamaica—a destination for Reggae musicians and flavour seekers alike. Fast forward 42 years and Rap’s is still dishing up oxtail, curry goat, pepper shrimp and some of the juiciest jerk in town. 1541 Eglinton Ave. W., no website

Ghadir

Open until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday

8 Ali Dbouk’s Lebanese spot has been satisfying Levantine cravings for 33 years—long before this eastern strip of Lawrence Avenue was nicknamed Shawarma Row. The proteins at Ghadir (which doubles as a butcher shop and a bodega) are consistently superb, including the $9 chicken shawarma, which is enveloped in hand-stretched, just-baked saj bread. And the sides are far from afterthoughts—the baba ghanouj steals the show with smokiness from quebracho charcoal and a zesty kick from Lebanese olive oil imported twice a year from a tiny village. 1848 Lawrence Ave. E., ghadirmeatmarket.com

Short Turn

Open until 2 a.m.

9 Barely 11 feet wide, this bijou bar from the folks behind 416 Snack Bar somehow allocates a fifth of its floor plan to the kitchen—a bold move that screams food fanaticism. The menu is a mix of grazing snacks (nuts, salumi) and late-night life­savers like Korean fried chicken and steak tartare. The sleeper hit? Slinky cucumbers drowning in creamy sesame dressing that deliver umami with a satisfying crunch, proving that great things indeed come in bite-size packages. 576 Queen St. W., 416snackbar.com/shortturn

Haidilao

Open until 3 a.m.

10 Patrons come for the show—expert tableside noodle-pulling—and stay for the belly-busting payoff. It starts with a choice of soup bases, including robust tomato and spicy Sichuan, and continues with an à la carte cornucopia of dippables. The classic veggies and meats are represented, of course, but there’s also special stuff like Kobe beef slices and, for daring diners, sea cucumber stomach wall, blood tofu and lamb brain. 237 Yonge St., haidilao-inc.com/ca