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La Tortilleria
Categories: Restaurants Mexican Food Specialty Food Ethnic Food Mexican, Ethnic Food [Edit]
1009 Dufferin StToronto, ON M6H 4B2
Neighbourhoods: Brockton Village, Bloordale Village, Dufferin Grove
(416) 901-7842
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10:30 am - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
19 reviews for La Tortilleria
19 reviews in English
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Review from Chris P.
There are certain hot sauces that must always be in my kitchen and this is the place to get them. Two bottles for less than $5? Sold. Mexican Coke made with sugar instead of HFCS? Gimme now. The store isn't pretty, it's very, well, Mexican. Selection is good but not as vast as I would like, you can get all your basics and maybe an extra or two.
Basically what you should walk away with knowing is that this place is cheap and you can get all of your Mexican favourites here. -
Review from Ariel G.
12/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
T errible
O rdinary
R epugnant
T epid
I nsipid
L ame
L ousy
A bject
The grapefruit soft drink made in Mexico with real sugar was OK. With regards to the grocery store it was over-priced and they DID NOT HAVE Menudo.....Mexican...I think not!
I stopped there after seeing the menu...they almost only to Tortillas and I thought they must do them well. Save yourselves.Listed in: My List of Shame
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Review from Ada T.
Toronto, ON
10/31/2011
Disclaimer: I haven't actually been to mexico so can't tell how authentic this place is.
Coming to this store made you feel like you were on vacation and discovering new things. Groceries / food items were unique and you've never seen any of these products before. Wish I knew what to try and how to use all the spices and products here!
We had two different kinds of tacos here. The mole and the chorizo. We liked the chorizo more but the mole was also good. The taco shells were very fresh and was a little sweeter than what you'd normally get in other places. We didn't have a preference for either the sweeter shell or not, but wondered if that was what they tasted like in mexico.
They had free tortilla and salsa at the counter, which was great. Staff were friendly. They also had freshly baked bread daily which we will be trying next time!Listed in: Bloordale / Bloorcourt
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Review from Howard H.
8/1/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Auténtico? ¡Sí! Excelente? No.
In a city that is generally starved for credible Mexican, this place admirably assists in filling the cred void. Everything in the shop is authentic right down to the help.
But when you get down to it, this is pretty much a Mexican convenience store...and part of a chain at that. There's no abuelita churning the tortillas and salsa out - just good old commercial food prep.
The tortillas and salsa verde ARE fresh and tasty - definitely worth stopping in to try - just don't try to compare it to Agave Y Aguacate which features high quality food made properly by a proper chef.Listed in: Cheap Eats of Bloor West
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Review from John C.
Mississauga, ON
A must visit when your near.
Some great food also.
Real Mexican store. Dont forget to buy a Coco its the real thing. -
Review from Angela L.
5/26/2011
I made many mental notes to check La Tortilleria out before we finally remembered to go there one night with empty stomachs. We've eaten there a couple times since and it always sounds like we've just missed a rush. We're never in a hurry though, so waiting for the very casual and friendly servers to replenish the stocks isn't ever an issue.
Between pointing at the hot trays and referencing the overhead menu, my curious constant companion and I have managed to try everything from steak, pulled pork, mole, cactus, chorizo and potato, and veg in soft tacos. On my last visit when they ran out of white flour tacos, I was treated to whole wheat organic soft tacos (which are not usually for sale). A candid conversation with one of the servers revealed that I am not just untimely after all, but that they almost never have guacamole in store.
The fridges in the back offer a rainbow of exotic fruit juices and both plastic and glass bottled Mexican Jarritos soda to wash your tacos down with. Don't forget to grab a handful of complimentary tortilla chips and slap some salsa verde on top of everything before you take a seat in the elevated seating area on the side. Although the crumby plate is often sitting empty, a polite reminder will guarantee that more will be on its way before the next Spanish cover of an American pop classic is finished playing.
I'm not familiar with many of the groceries that La Tortilleria carries, but besides the cute packaging, everything seems to be highly processed. My friend decided to try one of the fresh pastries last time and reported that it was not bad. I'll stick to my little bags of tortilla chips which are perfectly sized for making a single batch of nachos. -
Review from Lola L.
1/5/2011
This is just a review of the tacos & dining--not the groceries, which looked wonderful.
Went here with a friend a couple weeks ago to try the tacos. Three for $6 and change. I got the mole, steak, and squash. The mole was the best one, with the squash coming in second. All of them were delicious, but could have been improved with salsa, which was nowhere to be seen. There was a chip bowl that looked to have once been full of nachos, but no dice. There was only one employee, who looked to be a kid of about thirteen. He was stretched pretty thin.
I think this place is probably pretty good if you happen to get there when they're on the ball, but we didn't. Would've loved some salsa and chips with the tacos. It's probably a lot nicer to hang in there in the summertime.
Also, the Mexican Coca-Cola was overly sweet. Not my bag. -
Review from Nicole H.
Toronto, ON
11/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
La Tortilleria has a fantastic range of import Mexican groceries - canned goods, dried chillies, sauces, beans, desserts, snacks & drinks. Just as good as any of the little Mexican marts in Kensington Market, really - but much more handy if you don't want to head downtown.
Also on offer are the fresh salsas, tortillas & chips that other reviews talk about - while i've not purchased them, they are dead cheap and i've been meaning to try them for a while.
Prices for the whole store apart from that are pretty reasonable considering the import nature of most of the goods. Easy to get to from Dufferin Station, handy to waddle back laden down with bags of delicious groceries!Listed in: Groceries etc - Toronto
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Review from Ash B.
Toronto, ON
11/18/2011
Right place to get Mexican products. I just didn't like the fact that their products, some of them are already expired, even when my girlfriend and I asked the employee about the expiring date of the cookies that we were about to purchase, the employee afirm that, it was the make date, we trusted her; by the time we tried the cookies at home, the taste wasn't what we expected, those were so expired like cucarachas bien muertas. canned beans are more expensive here than in the mexican section at the nofrills @ duff mall. And they're always short on change it's like ttc experience only acept exact fare. The taste of the tortilla it's nothing out of this world, Maseca taste like flavour. We could do better paisanos . Si se puede!!
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Review from susan c.
2/2/2010 1 photo
I thought that Toronto had no real Mexicans but I spotted three amigos here! I first went into La Tortilleria lured by its sign for "fresh tortillas" and, in addition to the proprietor and staff who are from south of the "other" border, I found a divey little grocery store crammed full of Mexican delights like corn husks for tamales, chicharrones, packaged chorizo, chipotle in adobo, tamarind pods and dried chiles sold by weight.
I bought half a kilo of their tortillas for $1.75 (a full kilo is $3). They were just made and still warm, smelling of steamed corn. I tried samples of their homemade salsas (red, green, and brown; all hot) and chose the green one for its bracing tartness and slow-burning heat. They also make their own tortilla chips which are so crispy, fresh, and addictive, I have sworn off supermarket-brand tortilla chips.
I recently went back to try their cochinita pibil taco; shredded pork that's been slow roasted in a tomato-based sauce. It comes on two of their homemade tortillas layered with black bean puree and rice. Their homemade salsas are free for topping.
It's a skimpy portion and I'm not sure if it's meant to be that way or if the owners are trying to cut costs; still, it was pretty darned delicious. The prices are $2.50 for one, $6.49 for 3, and $8.49 for 4. I suggest sitting at the little tables they've set up to eat because the tacos are saucy and messy, and don't look like they'd travel well.
They also serve horchata ($1.50) which is made from scratch by another restaurant. Not the best I've had but much better than the stuff from concentrate. They do not skimp on the Mexican cinnamon!
I've tentatively planned a non-sexual date with Sarah "taco-shaped hole in her heart" L. so I can go back and try the four other fillings: chiles rellenos, spinach, steak, and chicken. And, of course, get more of their tortilla chips and salsa. Consider me hooked!Listed in: Food You Can Eat Without…
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Review from Erin B.
6/28/2010 7 Check-ins Here
Now THIS is authentic!
As soon as I saw the sign for Bimbo bread on the door, I knew I was in for a delicious Mexican treat. This is the sort of place that makes me feel like I can have international adventures right here in Toronto. It makes me slightly uncomfortable to not know what to expect or how to order things, but once I man up and do it... Boy am I pleased with myself!
The shelves are stocked with Mexican grocery stuff - spices, peppers, and hot sauce, but also snack cakes, hot chocolate mix, and noodles, all Mexican brands. And the 'decor', such as it is, makes a person feel like they're wandering around a grocery in Mexico - no huge attention paid to fancy shelving or staging, just yellow metal shelves stuffed with products.
There's a couple of tables in one corner, covered in plastic table cloths, just waiting for someone to drool taco innards on them. I appreciate the sentiment, but took my tacos away to eat in a park.
Speaking of the tacos... The tacos! Are amazing! Delicious soft corn shells, made in house, and as authentic as they come. I ordered three for 6$ and change - two chicken mole (the mole was rich and complex, not over salty, the chicken was shredded a la taco stand on a Mexican street) and one squash (zucchini) and corn (fresh, crisp). And served to me by a friendly Mexican fella, which upped the 'international adventure' factor.
My only complaint about this place is that I've lived in the neighbourhood for over a year and haven't been in until now. -
Review from Kent P.
6/26/2010
1) mexican music playing on the speakers
2) real live mexicans working behind the counter
3) 3 soft tacos for $6 and change (8 types of meat/veg to choose from)
4) daily made nacho chips which are VERY good
5) fresh tortillas sold by the kilo and half kilo.... half a kilo was def. under 2 bucks.
It was a little grimy in there....but hey, it's mexican.
Great spot. -
Review from David M.
Toronto, ON
8/9/2010
Cool, authentic little Mexican grocery. I can't really add to the other reviews, except;
Mexican Coke Alert - if you're making the trip especially for this sugary treat, call first. I snapped up the last 3 355ml bottles while I was there (1.79 ea). I suggest you phone first...they don't keep a lot on hand.
416-901-7842 Dufferin
647-344-2429 St. Clair
The 546 number shown in the Yelp listing is the Head Office number.
(She only mentioned the St. Clair location as an alternate, so I wonder if the Kensington location moved?) -
Review from Sarah H.
Toronto, ON
I have read many reviews on this place and I now live in the neighborhood, so I stopped in last weekend to pick up some fresh tortillas. It was just as others had described, I got a 1/2 kilo for $1.75...amazing! I think this will be great for the summer when I have bbq's, will def pick up a full kilo to do some soft tacos & fajitas.
I didn't try any of the tacos they they sold there (as I was going home to make my own fajitas with the tortillas I just bought) but I did pick up a can of refried beans for $1.29 (all the prices seem cheaper than your local grocery store). I also liked that they had a huge selection of hot sauce.
Overall, the people working there were very nice, and I will def be back again. -
Review from Leeor J.
7/3/2010
This place is pretty authentic, but it's not really the style of tacos I'm a big fan of. The tacos they serve here come in many varieties, but all are stewed sorts of things. You can wash it all down with a glass bottle of coca-cola made in mexico (way better than coke made here IMO)
I tend to like tacos with grilled things in them or done on a spit, like pastor (I guess that's more of a Baja and sonora style of thing). I'm not sure what part of mexico these tacos originate from, but i bet they're fairly true to form. I mainly give it 3 stars for that reason.
One other thing. They do have freshly made corn tortillas daily which is nice. You can buy packs of 'em.
Tip: you can park along the wall of the place for free. there are approximately 2+ cars lengths there so if there's a spot available its yours. -
Review from Matthew S.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 4/21/2010
I've since gone back to La Tortilleria to try their tacos ($2.50 for 1, $8.50 for 4). They're a little small given the price, but really good. In a city with so few proper Mexican joints, this is a great find.
Also, for high-fructose corn syrup haters, La Tortilleria has Coke in glass bottles imported straight from Mexico. Mexican Coke is still made with real sugar and you can definitely taste the difference, though I'm still not sure which version I prefer.Listed in: South of The Border
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/8/2010 First to Review
La Tortilleria Market is the spot to go if you're feeling like cooking up a Mexican feast. The space… Read more »
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Review from Jay W.
Markham, ON
11/11/2010
When I came back to TO from LA (ie. northern Mexico), I scoured the city for a fresh corn tortilla, but all I could find were bland supermarket flour tortillas. I finally found some mass produced corn tortillas in Kensington, but they still lacked flavour, they were dry, and the texture was just off. I finally found Tortilleria and their fresh tortillas were better than the ones I had remembered on the streets of Tijuana... and they're CHEAP! Now I come here every few weeks to pick up a 1/2 kilo of their corn tortillas and tortilla chips. To prevent them from drying out after a couple of days, throw your unused tortillas into the freezer and they'll keep much longer!
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Review from Diana K.
Toronto, ON
3/1/2010
Fresh tortillas. Amazing (green) salsa. Quality tortilla chips. Stock up on the essentials and treat yourself to a great meal at home. Word of warning: don't try to pass it off as your own creation. It's too good, they'll see right through you. Just sayin' is all.
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Review from Rob M.
Etobicoke, ON
7/19/2010
Picked up a kilo of fresh tortillas for my BBQ. They were out of salsa, but I will be back for more. Will also buy a bottle of Mexican Coke too!
