Chef David Schwartz picks four Toronto sandwiches hidden in plain sight

David Schwartz, who runs three restaurants — the Chinese dining destinations Mimi Chinese and Sunnys Chinese, plus Ossington's white-tablecloth eastern European steakhouse Linny's — opened Linny's Luncheonette next door as a sandwich counter rooted in the delicatessen culture he grew up with.

"Owning and operating a sandwich shop yields me a life in which I'm thinking about sandwiches a lot—probably too much for the health of my marriage," Schwartz said. His philosophy is refreshingly spare: "Is there anything superfluous or gimmicky going on here? If the answer is no, I'm in. If the answer is yes, it's probably not for me."

Linny's Luncheonette's pastrami sandwich exemplifies his approach — nothing but meat, mustard and freshly sliced bread. At his own counter, Schwartz focuses on the same sensibilities as his steakhouse: showcasing quality ingredients without overcomplication.

But Schwartz's real passion is hunting Toronto's unexpected sandwich makers — places where sandwiches aren't the core business yet excel anyway. "These are four sandwiches made in places where sandwich-making technically isn't their core competency," he explained. "I'm not saying some of these sandwiches wouldn't make my best-of list. But that's not the point."

The Fish Store (657 College St.) has been Schwartz's obsession for 18 of its 21 years open. "This place is a national treasure and should be protected by the government," he said. "Every single sandwich has been consistently delicious. The seafood and fish are always perfectly cooked. It's grilled and stuffed into a simple Portuguese bun with a don't-ask-don't-tell secret seasoning."

He rotates between grouper, squid and scallop sandwiches, always requesting no cilantro. "How many times have you eaten fish at a restaurant that is criminally overcooked? That doesn't happen here. Not once. Ever. Of all the places I've eaten in Toronto, this is the spot I'm most confident in saying that if you don't like the food here, it is most certainly a you problem."

Petra Ave Market (150 Dundas St. W.) offers an unexpected discovery just off Dundas. "One of my favourite things about living in Toronto is that you don't have to leave the city to experience something new," Schwartz said. "Sometimes I'll drive to a strip mall in Scarborough or Mississauga scouring the city for freshly baked bread I've never seen before or a new kind of Vietnamese soup I didn't know existed. Petra Ave Market feels like it should be in Scarborough, but it sits right around the corner."