Here are 10 Toronto food joints with prices under $10 despite rising inflation

Soaring inflation rates have touched every aspect of daily life – particularly the cost of food.

On Wednesday, Statistics Canada declared its annual inflation rate rose 7.7 per cent in May – its highest level in nearly 40 years.

Meanwhile, the price of nearly every grocery item climbed by 9.7 per cent, pushing the cost of food up at many restaurants too.

However, some local storefronts have managed to keep their costs low.

Here’s a list of 10 spots in Toronto offering meals for $10 or less.

Chew Chew’s Diner

Chew Chew’s Diner is an east-end joint on the corner of Carlton and Sherbourne streets where staff flip eggs on at a breakfast bar grill and customers sip coffee in red leather booths.

They serve weekly specials under $7 and breakfast combos, including three eggs, your choice of sausage, bacon or ham, home fries, coffee and toast with jam for less than $10 before 11 a.m. on weekdays – and that combo of sides applies to all of their entrees.

Owner Danny Adiev of Chew Chew’s Diner cooks up to 600 meals a week for Toronto's homeless community. (CTV Toronto/ Hannah Alberga)

Square Boy

Square Boy is a family-owned institution with a decades-old philosophy of keeping their prices as low as possible for their loyal Danforth community.

Even compared to Square Boy’s specials in the ‘80s, the prices of their chicken souvlaki ($7.75), chicken burger ($5.50) and hamburger ($5.50), all paired with fries and pop or pita, have only climbed a couple of dollars each.

La Chilaca

La Chilaca is a Mexican street-style taqueria in Kensington Market hailed as one of the most authentic burrito and taco spots in the city.

An individual shrimp, grilled steak, chicken, fish or campechano taco ranges from $3 to $5 while a burrito packed with black beans, cheese and veggies costs $8.

For $10, they also serve lamb, chicken, pork or tofu tortas.

La Chilaca Taqueria is located in Toronto's Kensington Market. (CTV News Toronto/Corey Baird)

Logas Corner

Logas Corner is nestled in Parkdale’s Little Tibet neighbourhood and is known for their momos.

A styrofoam container filled with 10 steaming momos – beef, chicken, veggie or potato – is $7, paired with their own homemade hot sauce.

Mamajoun

Mamajoun is an Armenian pizzeria in Scarborough that serves dough dusted with flour topped with spiced meat and a squeeze of lemon juice.

A pie with ground beef costs $5.50 while a zaatar, tomato and green olive pizza is just a few cents more at $5.75. 

Mamajoun (CTV News Toronto/ Hannah Alberga)

Babu

Babu is a 30 year old take-out counter with two locations in the Greater Toronto Area – one in Markham and the other in Scarborough.

For about $10, customers can order a four veggie curry combo with rice. Other dishes like kadai or chili chicken cost $8.95.

Entertainment Kitchen

Entertainment Kitchen is part of the Oakwood and Eglinton avenues Caribbean food strip.

On Wednesdays, curry goat with rice and peas and steamed vegetables only costs $5 while jerk chicken with the same sides is $10 on any day of the week.

Juicy Dumpling

Juicy Dumpling is a take-out counter that sits on the ground floor of Dragon Mall at Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street.

The Chinatown storefront serves a dozen steamed mini soup dumplings filled with pork for $2.99. For just a dollar more, you can get four pork buns or four pan fried chicken dumplings.

Bitondo Pizzeria

Bitondo Pizzeria is a Little Italy staple on a residential block of Clinton Street, just south of College Street’s main stretch of restaurants.

A slice of pepperoni pizza costs $5 while a cheese panzo is just under $10.

Progress Bakery

Progress Bakery is a Portuguese storefront that has sat at the corner of Dovercourt and Hallam for more than a decade.

While the pastries are the primary draw, a veal, pork belly or chicken sandwich is just under $10 and is packed into one of the bakery’s fresh buns, baked every morning.