Some of the best food in the GTA is found in squat, sun-faded strip malls an hour from downtown Toronto.
Driving by, signs announce a jenga tower of unrelated services: you can get your computer fixed, have your clothes dry-cleaned, buy herbal supplements, and eat the fluffiest injera or most finger-licking shawarma.
In car-dependent suburbs where walking can be tough, strip mall parking lots have become the community’s main streets. For some, it’s a daily visit to the plaza for groceries or lunch; others make pilgrimages to the suburbs to eat food from back home they can’t find anywhere else.
I asked some of the GTA’s finest strip mall experts to share their favourite plazas. I heard from Scarborough food influencer @bigbellymel, PlazaPOPS program director Naziha Nasrin, and (of course) my Gujarati aunties.
SKYCITY PLAZA
(Finch & Midland)
Nothing says Scarborough food more than the SkyCity Shopping Centre, a shiny plaza of Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese restaurants. Drives to SkyCity were vital for my sanity, especially during quarantine when all you could do was eat in your car. It remains the spot for DIY therapy sessions with my best friends while we watch the ostentatious car meet-ups. Legs kicked up by the dash, satisfying sips of that refreshing (now discontinued) Apple of my Eye drink from The Alley. It’s the place where having a taro smoothie in one hand, Chungchun’s mozzarella rice dog in the other, and a bag of chili chicken hanging from your wrist isn’t so uncommon. It’s every foodie’s dream, and perhaps a chronically indecisive person’s nightmare because there are just so many good eats to choose from. —@BigBellymel
WEXFORD HEIGHTS STRIP
(Lawrence E. from Victoria Park to Birchmount)
I’ve always felt like I was everywhere all at once when I went to the Wexford Heights strip on Lawrence Avenue East. Walking or driving down the rows of tiny, squat strip plazas, you can experience cuisines from almost every continent. For some, the food on Lawrence is a reminder of home; for others, it’s an introduction to new cultures. Imagine indulging in fresh, crispy lumpia, delectable and cheesy Palestinian knafeh, the best Iraqi shawarma, and mouthwatering Tanzanian BBQ all in one trip. The best part is that you never have to buy a plane ticket to take part in these vibrant food experiences. (Unfortunately, the Tanzanian BBQ spot, Pili Pili, recently closed. For Tanzanian BBQ in the city, check out Bongo Swahili at 635 Gerrard St. E. and Simba Grill at 375 Donlands Ave.) —@BigBellymel
RIDGEWAY PLAZA
(403 & 407)
Nestled along the edge of Mississauga near Eglinton Avenue West and Winston Churchill Boulevard is North America’s largest fully halal plaza, with over 100 restaurants. Food is the focus, but with a health clinic, a mosque across the street, and a big halal grocery store, Ridgeway has become a one-stop shop for the Muslim community. During Ramadan especially, when Muslims break their fast, the plaza is bumping: uncles and aunties relaxing, young men revving their car engines, “the youths” lining up for Yemeni coffee. As an urban planner, it truly amazes me how a strip mall can create such a sense of belonging. For me, a perfect Ridgeway night means visiting 3 Food Street for their matka kashmiri chai — spiced, steaming, and served in a clay pot — and hanging out in the masjid (mosque) parking lot with my friends to catch an amazing sunset. —Naziha NaSriN
PLAZA LATINA
(9 Milvan Dr., near Finch & Weston)
Another heavyweight of the GTA’s strip mall food scene, Plaza Latina on the edge of Etobicoke is packed with family-run Latin food spots. Just inside the ample parking lot you’ll find the lime-green walls of a food court studded with Cuban, Venezuelan, Chilean and Mexican food stands. Break open the crisp, bubbly crust of an Ecuadorian empanada from Comedor Popular for the best cheese pull of your life. Or try the lomo saltado at El Sabroson, a Peruvian stir-fry with beef, french fries, peppers and rice. This plaza has survived for 28 years, and for those in the know, there’s no place more beloved. —Saima
840 MARKHAM RD.
(Markham & Lawrence)
If Ridgeway is iconic, 840 Markham Rd. in Scarborough (a strip mall so small it doesn’t even have its own name) is totally under the radar. Between a pharmacy and a water refilling station is Govardhan Thal Restaurant, where every so often my extended family descends to eat Gujarati food that’s too fussy to cook at home. Grab a steel plate and heap it up with dhokla (savory, springy lentil cake), undhiyu (dry veggie curry, traditionally cooked underground), and rabdi (sweet, spiced milk pudding) at the vegetarian buffet. The best part is asking for fresh flatbreads flipped right from the griddle to your table: spicy theplas, sweet puran poli, and homey bajra rotla. I’ve never tried any of the other handful of Indian restaurants in the plaza — I’m a Govardhan loyalist — but you can branch out. Then head across the street to Desserto for pistachio kulfi. —Saima
This article appeared in the 2025 Summer issue.
