Near Trinity Bellwoods
Porchetta & Co. 825 Dundas W, at Palmerston, 647-352-6611, porchettaco.com.
Tiny wood-lined take-away with a one-track mind – porchetta!
Picnic this: One wicked ‘wich of slow-roasted naturally raised pork shoulder marinated in garlic, olive oil and lemon zest wrapped in thickly sliced prosciutto and a fatty outer layer of fennel-cured pork belly on a lightly toasted sourdough Portuguese pada bun ($6.45) upgraded with extra pig ($2.95), truffle sauce, bitter rapini (both 75¢) and a side of hot banana peppers (95¢) Saturday specials like deep-fried soft-shell crab Po’ Boys with prosciutto baco-bits, coleslaw and spicy mayo ($11.95). Pictured below (photo by Michael Watier).
Tuesday to Saturday 11:30 am to 9 pm. Closed Sunday, Monday, some holidays. Cash only. Access: short ramp at door, counter seating, no washrooms.
Chippy’s 893 Queen W, at Gore Vale, 416-866-7474, chippys.ca.
Upmarket fish and chip shop with a focus on fresh seafood.
Picnic this: The Double Dunk, two artery-clogging deep-fried fillets of Acadian sturgeon dressed with red cabbage coleslaw and tartar sauce sandwiched between two slices of donut-like deep-fried dough ($9) more orthodox cod ($8.50), halibut ($13.99) or scallops ($12.50, all with hand-cut chunky fries) battered with Guinness-spiked Japanese panko bread crumbs sides of mushy peas or garlicky mayo (both 90¢). Pictured below (photo by Michael Watier).
Daily 11:30 am to 9 pm. Access: barrier-free, no washrooms.
Red Tea Box 696 Queen W, at Euclid, 416-203-8882.
Over-the-top pan-Asian salad ‘n’ sandwich combos and obscenely decadent desserts.
Picnic this: To beat the heat, chilled gingery beet and purple yam soup ($6.50) N’awlins-style muffuletta sandwiches on Fred’s chipotle sourdough spread with pumpkin-seed pesto and stacked with roasted eggplant ‘n’ peppers ($9) Indo-spiced chicken breast on raisin sourdough ($9.50) crusted quinoa salmon salad in mustardy soy dressing ($13) kaffir lime tarts with mango curds ($8) to drink, fresh strawberry and rhubarb fizz ($5.75).
Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 10 am to 6 pm, Friday and Saturday 10 am to 7 pm, Sunday and holidays 10 am to 5 pm. Closed Tuesday. Access: one step at door, washrooms on same floor, four steps to terrace, and another four steps to coach house.
County General 936 Queen W, at Shaw, 416-531-4447, thecountygeneral.ca.
Wallet-friendly spinoff of fancy-pants Splendido where they’ll rent you a picnic basket made from recycled materials, a blanket and a choice of games (badmitton, boce ball or horseshoes) for a mere 10 bucks.
Picnic this: Fried deboned chicken thighs with slivered red onion, leafy coriander and chunky guacamole on Thuet milk bun sided with twice-fried frites ($14) a trio of steamed Chinese bao stuffed with Korean-style pork garnished with avocado chutney and green apple slaw ($12) Mediterranean sea bass tacos for two ($40, both dinner only).
Monday to Friday 11 am to 11 pm. Brunch Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 4 pm, dinner 5 to 11 pm. Closed some holidays. Access: barrier-free.
Near Kensington
Agave y Aguacate 214 Augusta, at Baldwin, 647-208-3091, agaveyaguacate.blogspot.com.
Ex-Splendido and JKWB kitchen vet Francisco Alejandri brings upscale Mexicana to a low-rent Kensington food court.
Picnic this: The Anita tostada, a deep-fried fresh tortilla piled with sliced avocado and minty puréed pinto beans laced with habanero peppers and crumbled chorizo drizzled with house-made crema fresca and garnished with queso and spicy guajillo sauce whitefish ceviche mixed with diced ripe tomato, white onion and avocado (both $9) tender beef tongue in mole sauce sided with cassava chips ($11) in-season Ontario strawberries topped with more crema fresca, lime juice and rosemary ($6).
Tuesday to Saturday 11 am to 7 pm, Sunday 11 am to 5 pm. Closed Mondays, holidays and Tuesdays after long weekends. Cash only. Access: three steps at door, no washrooms. Minimal seating.
Miss Cora’s Kitchen 69 Kensington, at Baldwin, 416-593-2672, misscoraskitchen.com.
Caterer extraordinaire Cora DeVries offers a rotating card of health conscious take-out.
Picnic this: Whole-wheat pizza slices dressed with roasted baby tomatoes, fresh basil, mozzarell’ and ‘shrooms savoury puff pastry pies stuffed with ham, Swiss cheese and Dijon mustard (both $4.50) vegan multi-berry muffins ($4) gluten-free flourless chocolate cupcakes ($3).
Daily noon to 6 pm. Cash only. Access: one step at door, no washrooms.
Jumbo Empanadas 245 Augusta, at Baldwin, 416-977-0056, jumboempanadas.com.
Terrific oversized Chilean turnovers.
Picnic this: Cornish-pasty-like empanadas generously stuffed with chicken, red pepper, black olives and hard-boiled egg beef with additional raisins vegetarian with spinach, red pepper, mushroom, onion and basil pesto (all $4.50) sugar-crusted pastel de choco, a fabulously sweet pie of cornmeal mush thick with chunks of beef, chicken, black olives, hard-boiled egg and raisins ($8.50).
Monday to Saturday 9 am to 8 pm, Sunday 11 am to 6 pm. Closed holidays. Access: four steps at door, washrooms in basement.
Fresco’s Fish and Chips 213 Augusta, at Deninison, 416-546-4557, frescosfishandchips.com.
Beatles-obsessed chip shop with an eco conscience. Even the oil they use is turned into biofuel.
Picnic this: Sustainable Ocean Wise salmon in potato-chip batter or pan-seared with house-cut spuds deep-fried in trans-fat-free oil, creamy coleslaw, lemon wedges and house-made tartar sauce ($12.99) vegan and gluten-free poutine topped with either rich mushroom gravy and convincingly cheesy Daiya “cheese” or mild-mannered veggie chili ($5.98 small/$10.98 large) deep-fried dill pickles ($4.95/$9.50). Too lazy to pick up your order? They’ll deliver to the park!
Monday to Thursday 11:30 am to 9:30 pm, Friday 11:30 am to 10 pm, Saturday noon to 10 pm, Sunday and some holidays noon to 8 pm. Closed some holidays. Access: barrier-free, no washrooms.
Near Christie Pits
Bristol Yard 146 Christie, at Pendrith, 647-716-6583.
Terrific Brit-style café introduces lunch service.
Picnic this: Two-fisted sandwiches like the Churchill – slow-roasted beef dressed with caramelized onion, wild lettuce, heirloom tomato and horseradish mayo on house-baked Yorkshire pudding ($10) the Francis Bacon with lettuce, tomato and house-made HP on rustic farm bread ($7) real-deal chip butties ($4.50) a proper pork pie slice with pickled onion, wedge of Stilton and salad ($10).
Lunch Wednesday to Friday noon to 4 pm, dinner Wednesday to Saturday 5 to 10 pm. Brunch Saturday and Sunday 11 am to 3 pm, dinner Sunday 6 to 10 pm. Cash only. Access: one step at door, washrooms on same floor.
Madras Masala 796 Bloor W, at Crawford, 647-342-4359, madrasmasalatoronto.com.
South Indian offshoot of next-door Banjara.
Picnic this: Thin, crisp crepe-like rice ‘n’ lentil flour dosas stuffed with spicy onion-potato curry and sided with soupy sambar, minced coconut and coriander chutneys spiked with Tamil chilies the wafer-thin Spring Dosa with stir-fried peppers, carrot, and cabbage sweet ‘n’ sour Hakka-style deep-fried cauliflower (all $9.99).
Monday to Saturday 11:30 am to 10:30 pm, Sunday and holidays noon to 10:30 pm. Access: three steps at door, washrooms on same floor.
Mexitaco 828 Bloor W, at Shaw, 416-537-6693, mexitaco.com.
Bloordale’s favourite family-run Mexican cantina.
Picnic this: Soft tacos stuffed with the likes of shredded pork pastor topped with diced pineapple and onion lime-marinated cochinita pibil pork with pickled red onion sautéed peppers with onions and mushrooms (all $8.99 for three) make sure you ask for everything to be packed separately, including the tortillas, or it will all be mush by the time you hit the park.
Sunday to Wednesday noon to 10 pm, Thursday noon to 11 pm, Friday and Saturday noon to midnight. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement.
Nosso Talho 1042 Bloor W, at Rusholme, 416-531-7462, nossotalho.com.
Portuguese supermarket and grocery store with takeout counter.
Picnic this: Remarkably moist 2-pound rotisserie chickens in sealed recyclable containers ($5.99) loaves of crusty broa cornbread ($2) a half-dozen Pastel de Nata eggy custard tarts in flaky puff pastry ($5.99), in lieu of a bottle of vinho verde (Avelda 2011, $15.95) 12 cans of buzz-inducing guarana ($7.99).
Monday to Friday 8 am to 8 pm, Saturday 7 am to 6:45 pm, Sunday 8 am to 4:30 pm. Closed holidays.
