leslies sandwich toronto

Leslie's Sandwich Room

Leslie's Sandwich Room, named after the Leslieville neighbourhood, is claiming to have sandwiches you won't find anywhere else in Toronto — and they don't appear to be wrong. 

Replacing what was Simply Samosas near the corner of Queen and Carlaw, Leslie's Sandwich Room is serving up house-made cold sandwiches ranging from quintessential deli recipes to experimental concoctions.

lesliesThe masterminds behind this charming yet subtly luxurious spot are chef Danny McCallum, pastry chef Katherine McCallum and chef Nora Beckett-Smith.

Katherine shares their menu was inspired by travel trips, and that global inspiration is evident in how diverse the sandwich ingredients are. leslies sandwich torontoIt's not uncommon (and it's fairly disappointing) to find sandwich shops only rotating their protein offerings, while the accompanying ingredients are all the same with every order.

Here at Leslie's, mayonnaise might be the only recurring ingredient.

That, and their house-made focaccia bread — though you'll want it in every bite, thanks to its perfectly crispy exterior, bubbly texture, and light glaze of oil and salt.

leslies sandwich toronto"We didn't want to go too crazy, we did want to be approachable," says chef Kat; "There's a lot of sandwiches on [the menu] that people would be comfortable trying, but there's some fun ones where you can open your minds and try new things."

leslies sandwich torontoIf you're that kind of person who's seeking comfort in bite-form, the La Morta ($16) is an incredibly satisfying classic.

The slightly tangy and sweet pork mortadella folds beautifully under creamy buffalo mozzarella cheese, its richness cut through by an herbaceous cilantro pesto.

Sitting within that house-made focaccia bread, it's sprinkled with pistachios for an additional textured, nutty bite.

leslies sandwich toronto

You can curb your breakfast sandwich craving any time of the day with the 7 E 11 ($15) — the "E" standing for egg.

The square "sando", generously packed into a pullman loaf and coated with bright spring onions and spicy togarashi seasoning, is inspired by the world class egg salad sandwiches found in Japan's 7-11s.leslies sandwich torontoIf even those simpler sandwiches sounded interesting to you, the Actually Tuna ($16) will actually pique your interest.

While most sandwich shops offer up a tuna salad airing on the side of sloppy and heavy, Leslie's wants you to actually enjoy a bite of tuna.

Inspired by a trip to Sicily, chef Kat wanted her menu's tuna sandwich to feel far more gourmet. leslies sandwich torontoA generous portion of cubed ahi tuna is tossed with preserved lemon and olive sauce, slathered with a tomato mayo. It's an incredibly delicate and light sandwich; nowhere near as assertive in flavour as most tuna salad sandwiches are.

If you are a lover of that classic cafeteria-style fish salad sandwich, Leslie's has an elevated rendition for you to get behind, with The Cure ($16).

Baked salmon is mixed with a generous helping of horseradish-dill mayonnaise, beets and spring greens. leslies sandwich torontoThe ingredients are inspired by classic smoked salmon board pairings, and includes rye bread croutons inside so you get that grainy, sour bite whilst Leslie's doesn't have to compromise on missing a chance to feature their stellar bread. 

Though filling and dense, the sandwich achieves a pleasantly mild flavour; softly sweet and earthy.

While it's remarkable how many of their sandwiches are light and refreshing, Leslie's Sandwich Room hasn't skimped out on offering hefty bites too.

leslies sandwich toronto

Alongside the meaty La Morta is the La Beouf ($16), with roast beef, sharp cheddar cheese, crispy shallots and horseradish rose marie (a mayo-based sauce blending tomatoes, Worcestershire, lemon juice and black pepper). 

The sandwich, weighing enough to give you a decent arm workout,is packed with succulent meats and boasts a zesty, vibrant mouthful.

To no surprise, chef Kat shares that it's already one of, if not the most popular menu items.leslies sandwich toronto

A classic pairing for sandwiches, potato chips are available as a side — but made in-house and elevated of course, like all things at Leslie's, in gold packaging.

The flavours are primarily classics, like ketchup or salt and vinegar, though one unique spin is available for the adventurous folk. 

leslies sandwich torontoInspired by a war-time recipe mixing potatoes with peanut butter and vanilla for a "dessert", those looking for a sweet and salty blend can be readily satisfied with the Peanut Butter & Vanilla chip option.

Despite the origin story being on the tragic side, there's nothing sad about their taste — a perfect balance of nutty, sugary and salty.leslies sandwich torontoPre-made salads are available as well, as a side or your main.

Make a light selection with the Mediterranean ($15), consisting of sundried tomatoes, feta, cucumber and fennel, or go with something heartier such as the Grain Salad ($15), with roasted broccoli, sweet potato, carrots and goat cheese topping faro. leslies sandwich toronto

Eats in sandwich form don't stop at savoury — desserts, like a classic ice cream sandwich, are available for grabs. 

If you, impressively, still have room in your stomach after taking down one of their sandwiches, the sweet cream ice cream and rich chocolate combo is the ultimate treat.leslies sandwich toronto

With their ideal mix of classic and bold offerings, it doesn't feel like naive optimism to think the team at Leslie's will get to stick around their namesake 'hood for quite awhile.

leslies sandwich torontoLeslie's Sandwich Room is located at 969 Queen St. East.

Photos by

Fareen Karim


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