Golden Mile Archives - Global Toronto Eats

Minerva Tiffins

Minerva Tiffins is moving to 16 Lebovic Avenue.

Freshest South Indian snacks in Toronto

Nestled in an industrial plaza near the Golden Mile is a little stall called Minerva Tiffins. It used to be the only tenant in the desolate food court for a long time. Today, it’s joined by three or four others but make no mistake, Minerva Tiffins is single-handedly running the show here. On the occasions I’ve visited, all the diners went straight for Minerva.

Interior of Minerva Tiffins — Minerva Tiffins

Undoubtedly, word-of-mouth and some media coverage helped, but the reason for its sustained success is its incredibly fresh-tasting South Indian food. Specifically, Andhra snacks. It’s grown so much that it’s moving to a proper restaurant of its own.

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Puff Samosa

Flakey samsas and intricate Uzbek manti

Uzbekistan is a poster child for Central Asian cuisine. It has all the representative dishes like plov (rice cooked with meat stock and the occasional dried fruit), laghman (thick, handmade noodles), and several varieties of kebab. If there is a Central Asian restaurant somewhere outside Central Asia, chances are high that it is branded as an Uzbek one.

There are a handful of decent Uzbek restaurants in Toronto. Uzbek cuisine is popular amongst Russians and hence they are usually located near Russian enclaves in North York or Vaughan. But not Puff Samosa. They chose to set up shop in decidedly non-Russian Scarborough. And an industrial park at that. Not that I am complaining. Scarborough sorely lacks Central Asian restaurants.

Puff Samosa is best described as a samsa specialist that also runs an industrial choyxona (чойхона; teahouse). It has none of the charms of a traditional choyxona and all the brutal architecture of a pre-fabricated commercial block. I visited when COVID indoor dining restrictions were in effect, so I didn’t get a chance to linger for tea. But the food alone is still worth the trip.

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Premium Sweets

Scrumptious, upscale Bangladeshi at mid-range prices

Bangladeshi restaurants are far outnumbered by North Indian restaurants in Toronto. The food they serve has distinct differences, like the use of mustard oil in lots of fish and rice dishes. The other standout are the sweets, called mishti (মিষ্টি) in Bengali. Bangladesh is part of the Bengal region and shares the same cuisine as West Bengal in India.

Premium Sweets is rare in its category: a mid-range Bangladeshi restaurant with upscale ambience. Other Bengali places in the city cater to the budget crowd. Don’t let its name fool you. Although its premium sweets are definitely a highlight, they are also a full-service restaurant. They started out in Mississauga and opened a second branch in Scarborough in 2017. It’s close to the Golden Mile, so it is a good spot to eat after outlet shopping.

Exterior of Premium Sweets — Premium Sweets

Premium Sweets interior — Interior of Premium Sweets. Second floor seating overlooks the ground level dining area.

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