The Best Cheap Breakfast in Toronto

The best cheap breakfast in Toronto is, of course, a greasy spoon specialty. Forget about your fantasies of herb aioli, aged cheddar, or local greens on these breakfast plates; here it's bacon, eggs, toast, and coffee (drip too &mash;the horror!). Probably some homefries too. These breakfasts are classic, unpretentious, tasty, and cheap, and definitely hit the spot without breaking the bank. Try not to think about your cholesterol level in 20 years, and just fish a few dollars out of your pocket.

Here is the list of the best cheap breakfast in Toronto.

See also:

The best all day breakfast in Toronto
The best brunch in Toronto
The best breakfast sandwiches in Toronto
The best eggs benedict in Toronto
The best pancakes in Toronto
The best French toast in Toronto

Avenue Open Kitchen

Cash only can sometimes be a problem when your bill enters the doubles digits. Not here. Avenue Open Kitchen is a beloved greasy spoon (in the truest sense of the word), offering a complete three-egg, toast, homefries, and coffee breakfast for four dollars and change. Low-cal dieters beware; this is your old-school diner breakfast, and cheap enough to pay for with gutter change to boot. More »

New York Cafe

A Broadview favourite despite its name, New York Café does a classic two-egg breakfast with toast, homefries, and your choice of ham, bacon, or sausage starting at $4.25 during the week. If you're really counting your pennies (or else, your carnivorous consumption) you can nix the meat and save an additional $0.30, or go the pancakes or French toast for $4.25 and $4.45 respectively. More »

Hazel’s Diner

Hazel’s Diner is all about careful selection. If you’re not paying attention, you might end up ordering a $13 Mexican Benny and a $5 juice! But those in pursuit of a delicious cheap breakfast know to arrive between the hours of 7 a.m. and 11 a.m., when Hazel’s revered all-day breakfast of two eggs, toast, bacon and homefries is priced at a respectable $4.99. Sleep in, however, and you’ll have to fork over an extra two bucks. More »

Average Joe’s Cafe

Don’t sell yourself short, Joe. (That said, feel free to leave your prices as is.) This breakfast is certainly above average in terms of quality, with a plate of eggs, toast, a grilled tomato, a potato patty, and chicken bacon all for just $5.50 plus tax. And for those who bemoan the supposedly inferior pseudo-forms of bacon; just try Average Joe’s. It actually is pretty good. Above average, you might even say. Smaller (and even cheaper) breakfast options include bagel combos starting at $2.50. More »

Sneaky Dee’s

Yes, your favourite Thursday night nacho and margarita joint also offers a pretty cheap (and tasty) breakfast for the morning after. Try to forget about the pricier huevos rancheros; the steals on this menu three-egg omelettes for $3.95, plus French toast for $4.35, and the classic breakfast of eggs, bacon, ham, or sausage, homefries and toast for an unbelievable $3.50. Those are weekday prices, mind you, but it’s almost worth taking the morning off. More »

The Tulip

Leslieville’s least-posh steakhouse, The Tulip has been around for more than 80 years, and all the while has let its prices lag behind. If it’s a little too early for that 24-oz porter house, save a few bucks and go with the eggs, homefries and toast for $4.50, or spring for a side of bacon or sausage for an extra dollar. And just because this is a steakhouse, you can get an order of chopped steak and eggs, too, though expect to pay twice as much as a basic breakfast (which, granted, still isn’t that much). More »

Markham Station

Cheap breakfast at any time of day! Though the best deal to be had at Markham Station is between the hours of 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. when a plate of three eggs, toast, homefries or rice, and bacon, ham or sausage is just $4.99. But if you’ve got a hankering for something morning-esque at 4 a.m, the same plate is available for an extra $0.80, or else you can opts for pancakes or French toast for an equally affable $6.79. More »

Motorama

The sign has changed but the breakfast, thankfully, has not. Another unapologetic greasy spoon, Motorama offers a breakfast special that includes either bacon and eggs or sausage and eggs along with toast, homefries, and coffee (included before 11 a.m.) for $5.75. It’s the homefries that especially distinguish this plate from the rest, and if you keep your eyes on your plate, you might not miss the charming old sign. More »

Aris Place

Breakfast is all day at this Roncy stop, but arrive before 11 a.m. and coffee or tea is included in your meal. Your basic breakfast with eggs, bacon, homefries et al. starts at about five bucks, and most likely actually leave you feeling full. (Read; great portions.) The place is super casual and homey, meaning no one will look twice at the ketchup stain on your pants, but be prepared for a crowd if you arrive on the weekend. More »

The Goof

Also known as the Garden Gate Restaurant, The Goof in the Beaches is all about cheap Chinese fare and a whole variety of breakfast plates that mostly ring under $6. The weekday egg breakfast special is front and central for the menu, but the homemade pancakes, French toast, and specialty omelettes have, too, found their loyal followings. And just so that you don’t pay more than you have to, The Goof has defined prices for one-, two-, and three-egg plates. More »

Jim’s Best Western

Pancakes? Whatever. If you’ve sauntered over to Jim’s for some early morning eats, you have to opt for the Western sandwich, of course. Priced at just $4.25, this diner indulgence is made with ham, onions, and really, whatever else you want, folding into two eggs and stuffed into a sandwich. The breakfast special offers great value, too, at $5.50 at any time of day for eggs, homefries, ham, sausage, or bacon, and your choice of coffee or tea. More »

UFO Restaurant

Just pay no attention to the stack of Mr. Clean bottles behind your table. While UFO Restaurant might, indeed, operate from inside a convenience store, ambiance (or lack thereof) is a small price to pay when you’re paying such small prices. Here you’ll find pancakes for $3.95, omelettes for $5.50, and your classic two egg breakfast with homefries, sausage or bacon, toast and coffee or tea for $4.95 before 11 a.m. Makes eating breakfast in the cleaning supplies aisle totally worth it. More »