A guide to TTC station eats

Contrary to common lore, there is real food available at TTC stations, and retrieval of said food does not involve any sort of intra-commuter thievery. While many stations on the grid offer Gateway newsstands where you can pick up a bag of chips along with the latest Teen Mom gossip (guilty), there are a few stations equipped with more substantial food options. Needless to say, you won't discover the gourmet at any of these spots, but you can find something to tide you over without forfeiting an extra token by exiting the system. If you're stuck on a long commute and pining for some real food (and don't mind annoying fellow commuters with you chewing and crumbs, of course), here is a list of stations offering a few decent eats:

Bathurst — Patties
Yes, this station is home to the actually-quite-good Jamaican patty, sold for $1.50 apiece in either veggie, chicken, or beef (mild or spicy). I'm referring to those, of course, at Bakery on the Go, which sits newly renovated across from the seedier-looking, sit-in Cafe on the Go. While I've never had the pleasure of dining at the latter, it does offer heartier meal-ish options such as sandwiches and jerk chicken. Though I think I'll stick with the patties.

Eglinton — Pizza/Samosas
While Cinnabon is clearly the star at this station (same with Sheppard), Eglinton does have its own often-overlooked, very modest-looking pizzeria. If you look past the peeling colours of the Italian flag bordering the glass walls and 1980s decor, you'll find that "Tessorra" (as I think its eroded name reads) offers pretty good pizza by the slice, starting at $2.99 including a drink. I'm less optimistic about the pork schnitzel on a bun. The bus platform also has a small food outlet famously preserved for "No more than 3 students at a time," offering giant samosas ($2) and other snacks.

Wilson — Sandwiches
The stall here is called "Tarts, Treats, and Coffee," and while it does offer all of those three things, I think the sandwiches warrant a spot in the name. Or, at least a subtle tagline nod. They're not made to order, obviously, (but that would be something, eh TTC folk?) but they are prepared fresh daily with real ingredients like "bread" and "tuna." Though they're sort of on the pricey side as far as TTC grub goes ($6+), the turkey sandwiches et al. offer a change from the baked sweets or deep-fried.

Downsview — Muffins
After the long ride up north you've undoubtedly become famished, and so, there's the Transit Cafe open and ready to serve. While the spot is largely convenience-oriented with mostly candies, cookies, and snacks, as well as prepackaged sandwiches and patties warming in a sad heater, it does have a redeeming option—the muffins. These muffins are huge, fresh, and actually pretty tasty, available in standard varieties including chocolate chip, chocolate fudge, carrot, and blueberry. And for $1.85, you can't really go wrong.

Warden — Hot table
Warden station's bus bay has two seemingly similar spots— its Bakery on the Go offering samosas, patties, and baked goods, and its Cafe on the Go, which has an actual hot table. The Bakery on the Go is pretty consistent in terms of its quality, but since the hot table in the Cafe is of the few on the system, it deserves a little extra attention. Don't be deterred by hot dogs spinning pitifully on a roller by the entrance, the daily offerings here include jerk chicken, barbecue chicken, fried noodles, and sides. Yes, actual protein, enough to possibly fill you up. A TTC station feat—conquered.

Here are some other options for a tide-me-over on the TTC:

• Islington: Moyash Bakery and Cafe on the Go
• Dundas West: McDonald's
• Victoria Park: Daily Perk
• Finch: Tim Hortons
• Sheppard: Cinnabon
• St. Clair: McDonald's
• Don Mills: Tarts, Treats, & Coffee

Photo by Mariam Matti