Keith Lee ranks Toronto among top 5 food cities

The days of Keith Lee-mania have long since passed Toronto by, following the TikTok mega-star's fabled visit to the city in the spring of 2024, but our food scene has left a lasting impression on him.

Iraqi, Caribbean and Asian-fusion were just a few of the cuisines influencer and food reviewer, Keith Lee, sampled during his time in Toronto on his "FamiLee" food tour, which saw him travel across the world to check out the food scenes in various cities.

Choosing his restaurants based on fan suggestions, not every restaurant, like Scarborough's No. 1 Jerk, was a hit, but suffice it to say, plenty — including Scarborough's Sumac Iraqi Charcoal Grill, Yonge and Dundas' Afro's Pizza and Weston-Mount Dennis' Old Nassau, to name a few — earned top marks from the influencer, who now boasts nearly 17 million followers on TikTok.

In the weeks following, Lee went on to make stops in cities like Detroit, Miami, Baltimore and Chicago, but, according to a recent interview on the Club Shay Shay YouTube channel, Toronto remains a top contender.

When host Shannon Sharpe asks Lee to rank his top five cities for food, the influencer places Toronto in fourth place, after New Orleans, Houston and Chicago, with Miami rounding out the list.

"We go to spots that are more on the unknown level, places that only locals know about, the 'if you know, you know'-type places that have great food and great customer service, but could need the marketing," Lee explains in the video.

"So, when I'm picking these places on my top five, it's more on the accessibility [side]," he adds. "What's the easiest to just jump on a plane and get some great food?"

According to Lee, Toronto is one such place, with the bulk of restaurants he visited during his time here existing far outside of the downtown core — including one in Ajax — and operating largely as family-run, independent operations, whose businesses have been irreversably aided by the so-called "Keith Lee effect."

If you ask me, I think Toronto deserved an even higher place on that list, but maybe I'm biased.