Batifole
744 Gerrard E, at Howland, 416-462-9965, batifole.ca. Le Cassoulet Royal, a rustic rib-sticking baked bean casserole laced with crispy pork belly poitrine, farmer’s sausage and duck confit ($18). Open for dinner Wednesday to Sunday 6 to 10:30 pm. Closed Monday, Tuesday, holidays. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN
Buca
604 King W, at Portland, 416-865-1600, buca.ca. Orecchio di maiale, a tapas-style starter of crisply deep-fried pigs’ ear cut into crunchy strips and scented with fennel ($6). Open for lunch Monday to Friday 11 am to 3 pm, dinner Monday to Saturday 5 to 11 pm. Closed Sunday, holidays. Licensed. Access: 10 steps at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNN
Delux
92 Ossington, at Humbert, 416-537-0134, deluxrestaurant.ca. Grilled ‘n’ pressed Cubano sandwiches of slow-roasted cider-cured pork shoulder, deli-style Black Forest ham and gooey Gruyère on house-baked Cuban bread spread with grainy mustard and chipotle mayo, cornichons on the side ($10). Open for lunch Tuesday to Saturday 11:30 am to 3 pm, dinner Tuesday to Sunday from 6 pm. Brunch Sunday 10:30 am to 3 pm. Closed Monday, holidays. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNNN
Drake BBQ
1142 Queen W, at Beaconsfield, 416-531-5042, thedrakehotel.ca/bbq. Sandwiches of sweetly pulled Carolina-style Perth County pork shoulder finished with apple cider vinegar, sugar and red chili flakes on white Wonder Bread buns dressed with tart coleslaw and liberally splashed with Prison Gang Bang hot sauce ($6.95). Open Thursday and Friday 6 pm to 3:30 am, Saturday noon to 3:30 am, Sunday noon to 4 pm or until they sell out, whichever happens first. Closed Monday to Wednesday, holidays. Unlicensed. Cash only. Access: steep ramp at door, no washrooms. Rating: NNNN
El Jacal
1056 Bloor W, at Havelock, 416-244-4447, eljacalito.ca. Instant party: a half-kilo of garlicky slow-braised shredded pork carnitas sided with cactus ‘n’ iceberg salads, two hot sauces – mild coriander and the cantina’s famous red “tomorrow” sauce – and a stack o’ steamed corn tortillas ($24.86). Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 5 to 9 pm, Friday 5 to 11 pm, Saturday noon to 11 pm, Sunday noon to 8 pm. Closed Tuesday. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNN
Hoof Café
923 Dundas W, at Gore Vale, 416-792-7511, theblackhoof.com. Suckling Pig Eggs Benny over flaky buttermilk biscuits topped with sweet Carolina-style pulled pork, poached free-range eggs and pickled jalapeño hollandaise, sided with arugula and tossed with spice-rubbed pork rinds ($14). Open for breakfast/brunch Thursday to Monday 10 am to 4 pm, cocktails and nibbles 6 pm to 2 am. Closed Tuesday, Wednesday, some holidays. No reservations. Licensed. Cash only. Access: six steps at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNNN
Ka Ka Lucky
349 Broadview, at Gerrard E, 416-461-3811. Five-spiced char siu barbecued pork sold by the pound to go or eaten in house over chewy chow mein noodles and steamed Chinese greens ($6). Open daily 9 am to 10:30 pm. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN
Kenzo Ramen
372 Bloor W, at Walmer, 416-921-6787, kenzoramen.ca. Tonkotsu ramen, slippery house-made noodles in milky pork bone broth dressed with fatty roast pork, runny hard-boiled egg, fish cake and slivered scallion ($8.95). Also: 138 Dundas W, at Elizabeth, 416-205-1155. Open daily 11 am to 10 pm. Licensed. Access: barrier-free, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNN
Lou Dawg’s
589 King W, at Portland, 647-347-3294, loudawgs.com. Smoky racks of tournament-quality St. Louis-style pork side ribs in spicy house sauce ($22.95) optionally sided with jalapeño cornbread muffins and creamy coleslaw (both $2.95). Open Monday to Wednesday 11 am to 11 pm, Thursday and Friday 11 am to 4 am, Saturday noon to 4 am, Sunday noon to 11 pm. Licensed. Access: seven steps at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNNN
Owl Of Minerva/Boo Ung Ee
280 Spadina, at Dundas W, 416-599-7275. Hangover-curing Korean Gamjatang pork bone soup, great hunks of gelatinous pig’s spine in a fiery red broth thick with waxy potato sided with kimchee ‘n’ rice ($7.90). Also: 700 Bloor W, at Clinton, 416-538-3030 5324 Yonge, at Churchill, 416-221-7275. Open Sunday to Thursday 10:30 am to midnight, Friday and Saturday 10:30 am to 4 am. Licensed. Rating: NNN
Stockyards Smokehouse & Larder
699 St Clair W, at Christie, 416-658-9666, thestockyards.ca. Garlic- and fennel-kissed porchetta of slow-roasted loin, belly and crackling on a French baguette spread with aioli ($9) and optionally dressed with wilted rapini ($1.50). Open Tuesday to Friday 9 am to 9 pm, Saturday 11:30 am to 9 pm. Brunch Sunday 9 am to 3 pm, dinner 4:45 to 8 pm. Closed Monday, holidays. No reservations. Unlicensed. Access: steep ramp at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNNN
Tommaso’s Trattoria
400 Eastern, at Dibble, 416-466-0988, tommasostrattoria.com. Weekly specials of gorgeously fatty old-school porchetta stuffed with rosemary and garlic and paired with roasted potatoes and wilted rapini in horseradish vinaigrette ($12). Open Monday to Friday 7 am to 10 pm, Saturday 8 am to 11 pm. Closed some Sundays, holidays. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNN
Wish
3 Charles E, at Yonge, 416-935-0240, wishintoronto.com. Grilled garlic-crusted local pork chops marinated in olive oil and coupled with correctly lumpy mashed potatoes and Dijon cream sauce littered with chives ($19). Open for lunch Tuesday to Friday 11 am to 4 pm, dinner Tuesday to Saturday 4 to 11 pm. Brunch Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 4 pm. Closed Monday. Licensed. Access: barrier-free. Rating: NNN
