It’s pretty much a known fact that one of the best ways to get to know a city is to sample its street food. This isn’t the way to get the full story in Toronto, unfortunately, as there is a pretty strict regulation of street food vendors here. However, the scene is undeniably developing regardless, and while there are plenty of new/cool food trucks stopped around town at any given time (follow @foodtrucksTO on Twitter to see where they all are while you’re in town), you must not leave without having the original “street meat”.

It’s exactly what it sounds like: grilled sausages on toasted buns, with all the self-serve fixings you desire, ranging from ketchup, mustard and relish to sauerkraut, olives and banana peppers – served hot and fresh from a stand on the street. I am personally a spicy Italian sausage girl, all the fixings. You’ll run into a stand eventually on any main street or intersection, but there are vendors at Queen/Duncan (pictured), Queen/Spadina, Bay/King, King/John, and in the University of Toronto campus on St. George St., to name but a few.

If you leave without having street meat, you’ve missed out on a classic Toronto experience. And be careful: a sausage and a hot dog are not the same thing – sausages are larger, juicier and generally superior. I’ve had my share of street meat around the world, and frankly, Toronto’s remains the best in my books!