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The Best Cheap Eats in Markham, Ontario

March 5, 2020

Markham is a great place to be hungry on a budget. There are so many great cheap eats in Markham to enjoy!

In this city, within the Greater Toronto Area, you’ll have a wide selection of excellent restaurants that serve up delicious meals at a very affordable price. Some of the best value restaurants Markham has to offer (when it comes to price vs quality) are Chinese – although there are many other cuisines to choose from as well. Even if you don’t have much to spend on dinner, you’ll be able to feast until you simply can’t eat another bite.

Looking for cheap eats in Markham? The following are some of the great options within the budget dining scene in Markham.

Papa Chang’s

Have you ever tried Taiwanese food before? At this casual spot, you can taste a number of yummy dishes such as chili braised pork, beef noodle soup and Taiwanese chicken with basil. Even the largest and most expensive dishes on the menu don’t cost more than $8 – and most of them are between $5-$7. Go with a friend – so you can share your food and try more different flavours!

Malay Thai Famous Cuisine

The food court in First Markham Place is like heaven for a hungry foodie on a budget – there are so many great choices here to try. Malay Thai Famous Cuisine is one of the highlights – a casual eatery known for its tender boneless Hainanese-style chicken, served with rice cooked in a juicy broth. It’s served with even more broth on the side, making it an incredibly satisfying meal on a cold winter night. It’s one of the most well known local cheap eats in Markham.

Northern Dumpling Kitchen

This local favourite serves up some truly excellent and affordable Northern Chinese fare. For example, their pork and leek dumplings explode with flavour and are only around a fiver. Crispy, oily and irresistible onion pancakes are only $3. Also, try the soup dumplings – they can be tricky to eat but they are oh-so-satisfying! (This is another great place to go with a few friends and share several dishes.)

Bluenose Fish and Chips

A local favourite, this family-run fish and chips shop serves up flaky, delicious halibut in an irresistible crispy batter alongside hand-cut chips. They have been around for over 20 years – and they’ve been using the same incredibly popular secret family recipe.

The prices are quite affordable and they often offer great value specials. For example, a meal deal for two that includes two haddock, an order of fries and a small salad for $22.95. So, bring a friend and have a fishy feast!

T&T Bakery & Cafe

This friendly family owned and operated cafe is located on Main Street in Newmarket. It’s always busy and it’s not hard to see why. The delicious homestyle cooking and baking will make you feel right at home. The portions are generous and comforting and everything is made fresh.

It’s not fancy, but the prices are very affordable and there are also some great daily specials. It’s always busy with customers but if you can’t find a spot, you can always take your food away.

Jim Chai Kee Noodle

If you are a fan of Jim Chai Kee Noodle, just the mere mention of the delicious juicy wontons here will make your mouth water. They are the BEST wontons you’ll ever have. Golf-ball sized and packed with delicious shrimp, they are served in a savory soup that will warm you up from the inside on a cold Toronto day.

This popular lunch spot has been open for 19 years and is still going strong! Whenever the craving strikes for a tasty, quick and cheap bowl of noodle soup, this is the place to go!

Cravins Caribbean Grill

In the mood for something with a little bit of spice? At Cravins Caribbean Grill, you can enjoy generous portions of delicious home-cooked Caribbean cuisine. The curry chicken roti is one of the most popular dishes and will rock your world.

Plus, they often have delicious lunch specials such as curried goat on the bone and the jerk pork. The portions are generous and will keep you full for the rest of the day. When it comes to cheap eats in Markham, it’s a great option.

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The Best Cheap Eats in Scarborough

January 10, 2020

There are a lot of reasons to love the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, from it’s beautiful green spaces to its excellent shopping to its diverse population and vibrant art and culture scene.

But one of the best things about living in Scarborough?

The food!

In this part of TO, you’ll find a dizzying selection of delicious grub down every street. Plus, many of these options are very affordable, which is handy when your appetite is big but your budget is small.

Here are a few of the best cheap eats in Scarborough. (Warning, reading this may cause drooling.)

Mona’s Roti

Mona’s Roti is owned by the Khan family and Mona herself has been proudly serving up some of the best roti in Toronto for decades. She runs the place with the help of her daughters, Melissa and Reesa. The dishes are wonderfully affordable and deeply satisfying – such as Dhal Puri stuffed with split peas or a veggie roti with spinach, pumpkin, chickpeas and juicy curry mango. Don’t miss the oxtail stew – only available Thursday through Saturday and fall-off-the-bone-good.

Johnny’s Charbroiled Hamburgers

Johnny’s has been serving up classic charbroiled burgers for 50 years – so you know you can’t go wrong. They are simple, juicy and delicious – and they only cost $3.30. You can pair that with a milkshake for another three bucks, or make it a double for only $1.65. You can’t go wrong!

Plus, there’s the fries – which were once praised for their crispness by Scarborough famous native Mike Myers. It’s a Scarborough institution – so it’s certainly worth giving it a try the next time your hamburger cravings strike.

Chris Jerk

At this Scarborough Caribbean bistro you can try a fusion cuisine that you might never have thought of – jerk shawarma. The juicy jerk-marinated meat turns slowly on a spit, Middle Eastern style. It is then served with spicy sauce in wraps, dinners and even on poutine. You can fill yourself up for less than $10 and you’ll get addicted to the flavourful, spicy and vibrantly seasoned jerk sauce. (Try the Jerk Quarter Chicken Dinner for $8.95 with a portion of vegetables and caramelized plantains over basmati rice and beans.You won’t be disappointed.)

Samosa King

There’s nothing quite like a Samosa. The deep fried pastry, the rich, curried filling, the satisfying flavor. These mouth-watering, crispy vegetarian samosas are irresistible – and they are only $1 for 5 of them. Talk about cheap eats! This might be one of the best cheap eats in Scarborough – so be sure to give them a try. The menu also has other wonderful South Indian specials, such as Vegetable Thali, Meat Thali, Egg Masala Dosa and more. It’s a great place to have a quick snack, or to share a bunch of different dishes with a group of friends.

Babu

This takeout spot has been serving up some of the city’s best Sri Lankan food for over 25 years. A wonderfully filling and affordable dish is the Lamprais for $8.45, which includes five different curries, dried eggs and eggplant pickle – all wrapped in a banana leaf. It’s a steaming, aromatic package with enough food inside to feed several people. The Kothu Roti is also divine – make with a vibrant blend of spices along with veggies, curry and egg. (Not to mention the butter naan which is baked in the traditional charcoal tandoor oven.)

Shawarma Empire

Hidden in a humble strip mall in Scarborough, this popular eatery still boasts a steady line throughout the day. That’s because the big juicy shawarma they serve has quite a reputation. All the dishes are made from scratch in-house, without any preservatives – so it’s fresh and juicy. They even make their own falafel in house, grinding and soaking their own chickpeas. The flavorful, perfectly cooked meat (beef or chicken) is served with all the fixin’s – including pickled turnip, lettuce and the unforgettable garlic sauce. It’s cash only, so make sure you have enough in your wallet before you join the line.

Pho Metro

Sometimes, you simply crave the warm, rich, satisfying broth of a steaming bowl of Vietnamese Pho. Pho Metro is a very affordable and delicious place to dine on vermicelli, pho and other hearty and satisfying Vietnamese dishes. The meals here are very affordable and will fill you up. For example, Vermicelli with grilled chicken and a spring roll is $10.45 and comes with a heaping serving of carrot, cucumber, herbs and bean sprouts. Plus, there are plenty of great lunch specials offering excellent value.

These are just a few of the wonderful cheap eats in Scarborough to enjoy. Hungry yet? Check out our short term fully furnished rentals in Scarborough so you can be close to all of this delicious food.

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