Where to find the best meals for $10 or less in Thornhill
Including Korean hot dogs, charbroiled burgers, fully loaded falafel wraps and Filipino spaghetti
More Budget Bites
Thornhill—about an hour’s drive north of downtown Toronto—is an unexpected culinary gem. Case in point: it’s where you’ll find the posh Terra Restaurant and the Michelin-starred Frilu. But there’s more to Thornhill than high-brow spots—it’s also home to many restaurants serving up filling and affordable meals.
Ann’s Congee
Ann’s is all about burgers. Just kidding—congee is obviously the thing to get here. And the restaurant’s signature bowls of the savoury rice porridge come topped with everything from pork liver ($6.50) to tiger shrimp ($8). If congee isn’t your thing, the menu offers a plethora of other comfort foods, like sweet-and-sour pork ($10), satay chicken or beef on rice ($8.95) and stir-fried Shanghai noodles with shrimp and pork ($10).
More budget bites: Braised beef noodles in soup ($8.50), deep-fried squid balls ($9 for eight pieces) and barbecue pork fried rice ($9.50).
Golden Star Burgers
This no-frills joint has been serving its famous charbroiled burgers since 1964. The All-Star Burger with the works ($7.80) is still the most popular patty on the menu, but the steak on a kaiser ($7.95) is a close runner-up. And a meal here wouldn’t be complete without an extra-thick milkshake ($3.75 each) and a side-order of crispy onion rings ($3.60).
More budget bites: Buffalo wings ($8.50 per pound) and the double-decker grilled cheese ($4).
Sofram
The best deals at this Mediterranean counter are the pita sandwiches, laffa bread stuffed with falafel ($8.75), chicken shawarma ($9.75) or lamb shish kebob ($9.75), and all the usual fixings of hummus, tahini, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.
More budget bites: Falafel with tahini ($10 for 12); samosas ($10 for six) and a small but substantial Israeli salad ($9.25).
Eskenita Foods
Look to Eskenita for some solid Filipino street food. Although the Boodle Fight feast is a bit out of the Budget Bites price range, the menu of daily specials includes more affordable meals, like spaghetti dubo pasta with ground beef and sliced hot dogs ($8); pancit palabok, noodles chock full of shrimp ($8.50); and goto, a rice porridge hiding treats like ox tripe, beef cube, pork rinds and hard-boiled eggs ($6).
More budget bites: Lomi Hane, a noodle soup with fish balls, kikiam sausage, chicken and hard-boiled egg ($6); and the pork sisig rice bowl ($10).
Chungchun Rice Hotdog
This trendy Korean chain inside Hillcrest Mall takes the humble hot dog and transforms it into a deep-fried indulgence. And no, they’re not just Korean Pogos. Unlike the American carnival food, the sausages here are coated in rice flour, giving the deep-fried batter a chewier but lighter texture. Some of the more out-there options include the Poutine Dog ($7), the Chicken Nugget Dog ($9) and the Ramen Chip Dog ($7). There is no wrong choice.
Shan Hai Guan
Located in the food court of Galleria Supermarket, this teeny Korean stall lists more than 21 meal deals on a large illuminated menu over the counter. Favourites under $10 include veggies and beef with black bean sauce on noodles ($10), stir-fried rice with veggies and eggs ($10), and deep-fried potstickers ($8).
More budget bites: Noodle soup with veggies and seafood ($10).
Copper Branch
This vegan kitchen prides itself on offering a 100 per cent plant-based menu with plenty of gluten-free options. Popular choices here include a veggie patty and Just Egg (a plant-based dupe) on a pumpernickel bagel ($9.55) and the Burrito Branchero, an organic spelt wrap stuffed with tempeh, mango salsa, black beans, organic brown rice and green pepper ($9.75).
More budget bites: Hearty chili ($8.50) and sweet potato poutine ($9.05).
Halibut House
Despite its name, Halibut House doesn’t just serve fish and chips. It also turns out some pretty great breakfast deals, like the Daily Special, a plate of eggs, bacon (or ham or sausage) plus toast and home fries ($4.95).
More budget bites: House-made fish chowder ($4.95) and breaded clams ($6.95 for two).
Meron To Go
A more streamlined version of the OG Meron Restaurant, this express outpost specializes in takeaway versions of the Middle Eastern and North African hits the brand is known for, like fully loaded falafel wraps stuffed with house hummus, green eggplant and Moroccan carrots ($7.50 on a pita, $8.50 on a baguette).
King’s Wok House
This fast-casual mom-and-pop spot inside the Shops on Steeles offers a steal-of-a-deal combo meal that includes a choice of rice and/or noodles plus a protein and veggies, a spring roll, pop or coffee, and a fortune cookie for dessert—all for just $8.79.
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Thornhill—about an hour's drive north of downtown Toronto—is an unexpected culinary gem. Case in point: it's where you'll find the posh Terra Restaurant and the Michelin-starred Frilu. But there's more to Thornhill than high-brow spots—it's also home to many restaurants serving up filling and affordable meals.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by 👅👅 (@foodhub.to)
Ann's Congee
Ann's is all about burgers. Just kidding—congee is obviously the thing to get here. And the restaurant's signature bowls of the savoury rice porridge come topped with everything from pork liver ($6.50) to tiger shrimp ($8). If congee isn't your thing, the menu offers a plethora of other comfort foods, like sweet-and-sour pork ($10), satay chicken or beef on rice ($8.95) and stir-fried Shanghai noodles with shrimp and pork ($10).
More budget bites: Braised beef noodles in soup ($8.50), deep-fried squid balls ($9 for eight pieces) and barbecue pork fried rice ($9.50).
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jenna Kaplan (@lilfoodiejj)
Golden Star Burgers
This no-frills joint has been serving its famous charbroiled burgers since 1964. The All-Star Burger with the works ($7.80) is still the most popular patty on the menu, but the steak on a kaiser ($7.95) is a close runner-up. And a meal here wouldn’t be complete without an extra-thick milkshake ($3.75 each) and a side-order of crispy onion rings ($3.60).
More budget bites: Buffalo wings ($8.50 per pound) and the double-decker grilled cheese ($4).
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sofram (@soframca)
Sofram
The best deals at this Mediterranean counter are the pita sandwiches, laffa bread stuffed with falafel ($8.75), chicken shawarma ($9.75) or lamb shish kebob ($9.75), and all the usual fixings of hummus, tahini, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.
More budget bites: Falafel with tahini ($10 for 12); samosas ($10 for six) and a small but substantial Israeli salad ($9.25).
View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐘𝐋𝐘𝐍 (@christylyneats)
Eskenita Foods
Look to Eskenita for some solid Filipino street food. Although the Boodle Fight feast is a bit out of the Budget Bites price range, the menu of daily specials includes more affordable meals, like spaghetti dubo pasta with ground beef and sliced hot dogs ($8); pancit palabok, noodles chock full of shrimp ($8.50); and goto, a rice porridge hiding treats like ox tripe, beef cube, pork rinds and hard-boiled eggs ($6).
More budget bites: Lomi Hane, a noodle soup with fish balls, kikiam sausage, chicken and hard-boiled egg ($6); and the pork sisig rice bowl ($10).
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dat (@eatdatnow)
Chungchun Rice Hotdog
This trendy Korean chain inside Hillcrest Mall takes the humble hot dog and transforms it into a deep-fried indulgence. And no, they’re not just Korean Pogos. Unlike the American carnival food, the sausages here are coated in rice flour, giving the deep-fried batter a chewier but lighter texture. Some of the more out-there options include the Poutine Dog ($7), the Chicken Nugget Dog ($9) and the Ramen Chip Dog ($7). There is no wrong choice.
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Shan Hai Guan
Located in the food court of Galleria Supermarket, this teeny Korean stall lists more than 21 meal deals on a large illuminated menu over the counter. Favourites under $10 include veggies and beef with black bean sauce on noodles ($10), stir-fried rice with veggies and eggs ($10), and deep-fried potstickers ($8).
More budget bites: Noodle soup with veggies and seafood ($10).
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Copper Branch Thornhill (@copperbranchthornhill)
Copper Branch
This vegan kitchen prides itself on offering a 100 per cent plant-based menu with plenty of gluten-free options. Popular choices here include a veggie patty and Just Egg (a plant-based dupe) on a pumpernickel bagel ($9.55) and the Burrito Branchero, an organic spelt wrap stuffed with tempeh, mango salsa, black beans, organic brown rice and green pepper ($9.75).
More budget bites: Hearty chili ($8.50) and sweet potato poutine ($9.05).
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Halibut House Aurora (@halibuthouseaurora)
Halibut House
Despite its name, Halibut House doesn’t just serve fish and chips. It also turns out some pretty great breakfast deals, like the Daily Special, a plate of eggs, bacon (or ham or sausage) plus toast and home fries ($4.95).
More budget bites: House-made fish chowder ($4.95) and breaded clams ($6.95 for two).
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jenna Kaplan (@lilfoodiejj)
Meron To Go
A more streamlined version of the OG Meron Restaurant, this express outpost specializes in takeaway versions of the Middle Eastern and North African hits the brand is known for, like fully loaded falafel wraps stuffed with house hummus, green eggplant and Moroccan carrots ($7.50 on a pita, $8.50 on a baguette).
King's Wok House
This fast-casual mom-and-pop spot inside the Shops on Steeles offers a steal-of-a-deal combo meal that includes a choice of rice and/or noodles plus a protein and veggies, a spring roll, pop or coffee, and a fortune cookie for dessert—all for just $8.79.
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