Porchetta & Co Exchange Tower
Porchetta & Co might be known as Toronto's favourite porchetta sandwich-slinging restaurant but this location in the Financial District has an extended menu to better serve the early morning and lunchtime crowd.
Situated right across from a McCafe in the Exchange Tower, Porchetta definitely has no shortage of competition.
The local brand's advantage, however, is offering five greasy morning sammich alternatives coupled with distinctly local roaster Sam James' Cut drip coffee ($2.50) to lure in the suits. The buttermilk fried chicken ($6.95) is a dripping, hot honey-soaked sandwich that is definitely not a guilt-free eat – though let's be real: none of Porchetta's meal options are great options for the diet-conscious crowd.
Egg and melty cheddar come on an English muffin for a compact but messy meal that will definitely require a napkin or five.
The hot pastrami sandwich ($6.95) is definitely a tidier option, though the A1 steak sauce might prove a problem if you don't want to dirty up the dress shirt for the post-lunch meeting.
Topped with caramelized onions, egg, and mozzarella, it's the first Porchetta option to ever come with pastrami. Considering how well they do porchetta it's not surprising this smoked meat is just as satisfying.
Let it be known: the hash browns ($1.95) offered here make McDonald's hashes taste like piecey potato bits – fight me.
If you want a taste of that classic porchetta sandwich but breakfast version, get the shaved porchetta on an English muffin ($6.95).
Smoked provolone, egg, hot sauce that's not hot at all and – to fancy it up – a healthy dose of truffle adorn this drippy sandwich.
Or you can just the real thing. Porchetta's Exchange Tower spot offers all six of its standard sandwiches for $9.95 each, like the pastrami banh mi and of course, the famous "house special".
Truffle sauce, parm, and a thick layer of seedy dijon mustard with its infamous porchetta featuring bits of crackling make this tried-and-true meal a Toronto classic.
But frequent Porchetta patrons will know the Nashville hot chicken sandwich to be a close second, if not a first choice for some.
Sandwiched between two whiter-than-white pieces of bread which the owner Nick says might as well be Wonderbread are thick chunks drool-inducing crispy yet tender chicken.
The mixture of lettuce and mayo make the whole thing Big Mac-esque, heightened with the sweet presence of some classicly flavoured bread and butter pickles.
The P&Co poutine could possibly make for a Friday afternoon snack, with some mozzarella cheese curds from the Cheese Boutique, gravy, and crackling: perfect for when you've already mentally checked out from work and plan on getting nothing else done for the rest of the day.
There are definitely a few morning winners on Porchetta's breakfast menu, and if you're going to grab something greasy to start off your day, you might as well cross over from McDee's to go all out. Make sure to load up on the Sam James for afterwards.
Hector Vasquez