Toronto's Chinatown
 

What are the best dim sum and noodle places in Chinatown?

my sister lives in toronto. I find the best noodle places to be in Markham....awesome shanghainese joints. (369 is my favorite!) really good dim sum out there as well.

If you are really limited to chinatown, I like Bright Pearl and Rol San

If u r in downtown China town then for old school style dim sum, any resturants on Dundas just east of Spadina. They are the classic old school push out cart and the old school flavors.
But there are so many different China towns now in Toronto. Which one are you going to be in?

Thanks for the input. Appreciate it.

Wow, I didn't even know that there are many China towns to choose from. It will be my first time in Toronto but I'll be hotel hopping during my stay (downtown, airport area and a hotel in York Mills road,not sure what neighborhood/area that is exactly).

Which of the China towns is the biggest (best?)?

Downtown Chinatown is no longer the mecca for Dim Sum or those other Cantonese eatries. In fact, many businesses are now selling Vietnamese Pho's and bakeries. Immigrants from Vietnam, Indochina, and many newly ones from Mainland China have taken over this area (Dundas/Spadina). I very seldomly visit the place.

The mecca for Dim Sum, Noodles, HK Cafes, etc are in Markham, Scarborough, Richmond Hill to the northern suburbs and Mississauga to the Western Suburbs. And these places are really catered to the local Chinese such as myself as oppose to the tourist.

Except for NYC and SF/Oakland, there's usually just one real "Chinatown" in each metropolis (mostly near downtown). Post-1980 Chinese immigration to North America has created a post-Chinatown environment typified by Chinese-oriented strip malls and small indoor malls mushrooming across suburban communities where immigrants concentrate (i.e. where new immigrants settle and old "Chinatown" immigrants resettle). This has confused traditional terminology to a point that in SF's South Bay, clusters of Asian businesses appear every half mile but there is simply no "Chinatown", while in Las Vegas, a strip mall is named (and recognized as) "Chinatown".

And you might need a rental car to get a real overview of these suburban "Chinatowns" since malls are scattered.

Not having been there for a long time, I'd start my search of Chinese malls with a store listing of the major Asian chain supermarket (which usually serves as a mall's "anchor" store) in Canada:

http://www.tnt-supermarket.com/main-e.php

Most Chinese malls (and the biggest ones) here don't have a T&T market in them. Pacific Mall, First Markham Place, Market Village, Times Square, Commerce Gate, etc all don't have T&T's in them. T&T is hardly a representation of Chinese businesses in the GTA where they only have 4-5 branches total whereas there are over 30 Chinese Indoor/Outdoor malls throughout GTA. Also T&T is not really a good indicator you will land yourself in a Chinese Mall filled with Chinese restaurants. The branch at Promenade Shopping Centre not far from where I live is an example of one located in a Western Mall with little to none Chinese restaurant. I would definately not waste my time locating a T&T in hopes of getting a good Chinese dining when the exceptional ones are not in a shared mall with T&T and when there are also better ways of locating the restaurants such as online local Chinese listings or online reviews

What you talking about, in the mall with the T&T down the street from my office there are all kinds of restaurants full up with ethnic Chinese, the Boston Pizza, the Wendy's, the Subway, the Kelsey's ,you name it, they got it. :D

What I was saying is that a T&T situated in a certain place does not necessarily guarantee it to be in a spot located with Chinese eateries especially when there are only 4-5 branches total throughout the whole Metro. The one located at the Promenade Shopping Centre is an example of one.

Note to self, Rejuvinated doesn't get sarcasm

I think some of the replies may be leading the OP astray.

While it's true that there are large Chinese communities (with great restaurants and shopping) in the suburbs, for a tourist coming to Toronto, the first Chinatown to visit is definitely the "original" one centered at Dundas and Spadina. It the only one (other than the smaller pocket at Broadview and Gerrard) that it truly "urban", where one can walk around rather than having to drive from location to location.

Although I do agree with Rejuvenated in that the downtown Chinatowns have become much more mixed, with large Vietnamese and other Asian influxes. But that's not to say that there aren't still some great Chinese places remaining.

hot poo
 

north east corner st andrews/spadina.^