Best of Toronto
The Best Nachos in Toronto
The best nachos in Toronto take more than a bag of tortilla chips and shredded cheese to achieve a supreme plate. As one kitchen manager I recently spoke to said "it takes a lot of love".
The first recorded nacho dates back to only 1943 when Ignacius "Nacho" Anaya whipped up a plate at his restaurant in Mexico for a group of haggard military wives out on a shopping getaway from nearby Fort Duncan, Texas. Nacho's nachos only had three elements - tortilla chips, melted cheese, and jalapeno peppers - and, while all of the best nachos in Toronto include these defining ingredients, they each offer a unique slant on the original crowd-pleaser.
Whether you prefer the classic pub nacho or you enjoy deviating from tradition (pulled pork, anyone?), Toronto promises to have a hot, cheesy platter that will satisfy any relentless nacho craving. And, while taste might be a matter of subjectivity, I think we can all agree that life before 1943 must have been pretty bleak.
Here's a round-up of the 12 Best Nachos in Toronto.
Sneaky Dee's
Prep for the stacked Kings Crown nachos ($14.50) begins at 4 am when the owner’s 80-year-old father starts cooking the beans. Other daily creations include the creamy guac and zesty salsa. The Monterey Jack isn’t oily and the chips are homemade, unsalted, and sturdy enough to hold heaps of toppings. More »
La Hacienda
No doubt this Queen West favourite has served its share of nacho orders throughout its 22-year run. Classic round yellow chips and high-quality white cheddar set the foundation for these clean, no-fuss nachos ($10.95). Homemade guacamole and salsa stand out for their taste and freshness and the zucchini bits add an unexpected delight for your taste buds. More »
Utopia
Known as “The Works” ($13.99), this showstopper includes grilled sirloin, chicken, the chef’s salsa and guac, sweet corn, homemade tortilla chips and a simmered white bean and tofu mixture instead of chili. The jalapenos are also fried on-site and not of the pickled variety. The platter is available without the meat for the leafy eaters among us. More »
Tacos el Asador
You can customize your nacho platter ($6.73) at this long-standing El Salvadorian hotspot in Koreatown. Choose between homemade or store-bought chips, both of which come with ultra-smooth refried beans, a feta-and-mozzarella cheese mixture, sliced avocados, and sauteed onions. Carnivorous upgrades include chorizo, chicken, or beef. Don’t expect astronomical portions, though. Here, quality trumps quantity. More »
Hair of the Dog
What makes these city-famous nachos special? The crispy, pastry-like tortilla chips. Made with flour instead of corn (sorry celiacs), these nachos ($8 small and $14 large) have a distinct consistency and aren’t too greasy. Careful chip-to-topping ratio means that you get black olives, fresh tomatoes, gooey cheese, and diced scallions in every mouthful - even once you’ve ploughed through the first heaping layer. More »
Cadillac Lounge
These are what you might call your “textbook nachos.” The tri-coloured chips, sliced black olives, pickled jalapenos, and (overwhelmingly) generous serving size are exactly what you crave when it’s midnight and you’ve downed a few cold pints. This dish has been a Cadillac fan-fave for ten years and there are no signs of its celebrity waning. ($10 and $1.75 extra for guac) More »
Mill Street Brew Pub
How does a brew pub incorporate beer into their nacho recipe? With beer-marinated chili, silly! The nacho platter (vegetarian by default) includes the traditional pub ingredients and presentation, but sides of guacamole, salsa, and sour cream are gigantic (never need to ask for extra!) and come in deliciously adorable corn chip serving bowls. ($13. Add $2 for the meat sauce and $3 for guac.) More »
Betty's
The friendly staff at this local watering hole serves up a tasty plate of nachos. The corn tortilla chips are cut and fried in-house and the spicy pico de gallo has kick without being too piquant for most North American tongues. The homemade guacamole’s hefty bits of purple onion add another layer of bite. ($8.95 for standard veg. $3 extra for chicken or ground beef and $2 for refried beans) More »
The Gem
Serving the Davenport and Ossington area for 25 years, this quaint restaurant is filled with quirky knick knacks and collectables – not to mention some of the city’s best nachos. Their secret weapon is the chef’s signature creamy dill sauce, which is a welcome alternative to sour cream. The homemade veggie bean dip is velvety, delicious, and adds a hint of sweet to the otherwise salty platter. ($7.95 small and $9.95 large) More »
Mitzi's Sister
The homemade chips are cut and fried in small batches – to ensure absolute freshness – and are sprinkled with a tangy nacho seasoning. The Southwest sour cream is made daily in-house (as is the guacamole, salsa, and beans) and it makes this platter a memorable standout. Saving your pennies? Get the house specialty for half the price every Monday night. ($11.95) More »
Disgraceland
If you find soggy chips irksome, then you’ll love this nacho platter. The corn-roasted salsa is a raw concoction of corn and fresh beans, and thick slices of avocado act as guacamole’s non-goopy understudy. With all of the nutrient-rich veggies on this platter, it’s almost like you’re eating salad instead of nachos. Almost. More »
Cam's Place
Barbecue sauce and nachos ($11) aren’t often closely associated, however, when it's done right, the final product is a pleasing medley of Southern flavours. Cam’s bbq sauce is a smoky, spicy mixture with a dash of sweetness that complements stringy hunks of organic pulled pork - purchased from the butcher shop across the street. On Saturdays, score a seat on the patio for $5 nachos. More »
Discussion
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But I must agree with Wes, Sneaky Dee's is NOT the best.
Soggy chips, bad layering, and too many beans over other toppings.
Only if its 4am and everything else is closed, and you are mighty drunk.
You go into Parkdale to mention Cadillac Lounge and Mitzi's Sister, but neglect to mention the Rhino. That's simply blasphemy.
And you seem to skip over any place that doesn't serve pub nachos, such as Hernando's Hideaway, Margarita's, Tortilla Flats or Lone Star for that matter (whose nachos are kind of pub-ish).
Personally, I think Hernando's Hideaway has the best nachos in Toronto as I grew up with Mexicali Rosa's in Ottawa. But anyone of the places I mentioned here have better nachos than Sneaky Dee's where all the food tastes like it's been rolled around the grease on the walls.
2) Good lord, it's not FETA at El Asador, it's queso fresco. Who writes these things!?
crooked star nachos are the best in town. that's a bold statement, but it's true. every single person i've brought there has, after having their nachos, agreed that they're the best in toronto.
the layering, the four types of condiments, the good cheese they use, the good (non cheap) nachos, the baking in a toaster oven, the paprika dusting, all make for the best nachos available.
crooked star. eat their nachos and rejoice.
I'm no expert on nachos or any kind of eats but I would definitely have to agree with Panic. If you're writing a food blog that is widely read make sure you get your facts straight. Where's the integrity and credibility? Oh I forgot it's a blog. I just really hope these people don't get paid to do this.
And Dicky Sneeze nachos - King's Crown is perfect booze sponge! So bad, yet so good.
Sneaky dees? really? If one must eat there (4 am of course) I'd recommend the nachos with mixed veggies (not veggie nachos) - it's cheaper than the veggie nachos and you get lots of big hunks of veggies (broccoli, carrot etc...).
I would strongly suggest that the writer do the gosh darned homework to find the truly best nachos rather than put forth such average establishments as if they serve great food.
Joe Kool's in London (on) has far superior nachos to most of the establishments listed here.
Once again, BlogTO seems to be over-reporting its under-investigating.
I truly hope I do not offend anybody with this post that has the audacity to disagree with what BlogTO has posted on its blog.
thank you.
B) BlogTO should really put up a disclaimer on these 'Best' lists: FYI, these results were all determined by reader votes.
Sheesh and jeepers.
I know this is only a blog, not to be taken seriously but... (sigh)
as it should be.
also, btw, they're nachos. not fine dining. so 4am opinions count. a lot. 'cause without them nachos probably wouldn't exist on menu's in this fine city.
so yeah, sneek's nachos are good. they're #1.
Sorry guys, I think Sneaky Dee's is awesome! It isn't the classiest place going, but they offer vegan nachos which I greatly appreciate. Not only that, but my meat adoring, vegan-fearing friends love them too! Place all the blame on me! I am uncultured! I will use copious amounts of exclamation marks!!!
Mill street brewery has some of the worst food in Toronto, Nachos included!
I have dreams about the nachos at Hair of the Dog!
Hmmmmmmmm....
I feel that if Ms. Drummond wants a hidden gem, she mistakenly overlooked The Charlotte Room.
For the record, Sneaky Dees is way down on the list.