New Toronto sandwich shop is going viral just weeks after opening

A Toronto sandwich shop that opened its doors in late December is already getting the star treatment, earning a huge amount of online attention in its first weeks.

Time for a confession. When I first reported on Queen West's Mico Italian Sandwiches, I had my reservations.

It's not that I didn't believe in the product or genuinely think the sandwiches would be as tasty as they look, but it's just that Toronto has so many sandwich shops. 

Delicious though they all may be, each time a new one opens, I can't shake the fear that the bubble is bound to pop eventually.

On top of that, local sandwich shops are coming along with celebrity co-founders or preexisting followings built from fruitful pop-ups these days, so a sandwich industry outsider may reasonably imagine it's more difficult than ever for a humble upstart to break through the noise.

I'm pleased to report that that hasn't been the case with Mico, though.

Opening its doors in the last week of December, the sandwich shop garnered near-instant attention from real-life diners and aspiring ones alike, many of whom, owner Domenico tells blogTO, have come from the restaurant's burgeoning TikTok account.

"We officially opened about three weeks ago, and the reception so far has been very positive, especially on days when the weather is great," Domenico tells blogTO.

"A large portion of our customers have found us through TikTok, and we've noticed that many people are driving from quite far just to come try our sandwiches."

@micosandwiches Bongiorno, guys! Waiting for you at our shop. #italianfood ♬ оригинальный звук - micosandwiches

To date, Mico's TikTok videos have earned over 37k likes, with the shop's most popular video nearing one million views and several others with views in the five- and six-figure range.

Funnily enough, Domenico tells blogTO, the restaurant's greatest challenge so far has been getting the word out to the immediate community that the sandwich shop is open. 

"That said, the feedback has been incredibly encouraging," he adds. "People have been loving our sandwiches, our bread, and the service. Our bread in particular is something we're really proud of — it's different and unique, and customers seem to really appreciate that."

So, despite still being in the early days of the business, Domenico says he's "very happy with how things have been going," and is excited to watch the shop continue to grow, "especially as more locals discover us."

Will the restaurant ultimately have what it takes to seriously compete with Toronto's sandwich shop elite? Only time will tell, but thousands of TikTok viewers certainly seem to think so.

You can try Mico Italian Sandwiches for yourself at 679 Queen St. W.