This new Toronto sandwich shop is hidden inside a convenience store
Toronto's newest banh mi restaurant is the definition of a hidden gem: it's literally tucked inside a neighbourhood convenience store.
Sandwich shops in Toronto are a dime a dozen, and that number only seems to grow by the day. Now, don't get me wrong: I am a sandwich fanatic. If it can be placed between two pieces of bread, odds are, I'm opting for that.
So, when I say that sandwich shops in Toronto are a dime a dozen, I don't mean to suggest it's a bad thing, only that newcomers greatly benefit from some element of novelty to rise above the noise, like how Slammie Sammies is attached to a carwash, or one member of Tutto Panino's founder team happens to be Charlotte Day Wilson.
They're not gimmicks, per se, and the sandwiches these spots serve are certainly strong enough to stand on their own, but sometimes it just helps when you've got an intriguing edge to stand out.
In the case of Leslieville's so-new-it's-only-soft-opened Oi Banh Mi, the quality that helps it stand out is also what keeps it hidden: the sandwich shop operates out of a window attached to a Queen East convenience store.
According to the sandwich shop's Instagram bio, it's "Toronto's first Banh Mi walk-up window experience," and, as far as I'm aware, they've got a pretty legitimate claim to that title.
Here, you can expect to sink your teeth into classic banh mi, loaded up with cold cuts, sausage, tofu, pork belly and beyond, alongside always-popular Vietnamese coffee to wash it down, all for no more than $12.
It sure beats picking up a chocolate bar and a bottle of pop at the convenience store for the same price, if you ask me.
The restaurant's grand opening is set for Saturday, Dec. 6, at 9 a.m., so, for however hidden this gem has been during its soft opening phase, expect word to get out soon.
Oi Banh Mi is located at 900 Queen St. E.
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