Stamp's Lane Restaurant Inc

There's a taste of everything at Butler's Pantry: Comfort foods like mac and cheese and French toast, yes, but also khowsway from Burma, chicken bastilla pie from Morocco, and Korean bulgogi, which has been widely touted as the best in Toronto.

“We introduced foreign food, as I'll call it, to the Canadian palate long before it became popular,” says Atique Azad, who took over the original restaurant — a former bakery on Roncesvalles Avenue — in 1995. “Thai food is obviously very popular, but now everyone is talking about Burmese food. We've had khowsway for more than 15 years now. People still can't pronounce it, but they love it!”

There are two Butler's Pantry locations, the second springing up on bucolic Markham Street in 2004. Both feature the same warm, homey ambiance, friendly, enthusiastic service (Atique says he likes to give young people a chance so they can gain work experience), and an eclectic, international menu that covers brunch, lunch and dinner. Both locations sell bottles of the salad dressing for which the eateries are deservedly famous. Plus the Markham location, it should be noted, boasts a gorgeous front patio.