Azul

What is Azul? Tucked inside the upper food terrace of First Canadian Place at 100 King Street West, Azul is a punchy, fast-casual Mexican counter founded by chef João Medina, who also serves as executive chef at Palais Royale. Clad in vibrant blue Talavera tiles imported from Mexico, the compact counter brings artisanal street-style technique to the Financial District's underground PATH network. Seating is strictly food-hall style with open communal tables and bar perches scattered throughout the upper terrace.

Azul Menu & What to Order The kitchen sidesteps typical food-court shortcuts by slow-cooking its proteins for up to 16 hours and pressing blue corn tortillas fresh daily. The standout is the chilorio taco, packed with deeply marinated slow-braised pork shoulder and pickled onions, followed closely by the rich birria bowl layered with seasoned rice and beans. For a lighter option, the Milpa salad tosses romaine with charred corn, beans, zucchini, watermelon radishes, queso fresco, and puffed quinoa in a zippy pickled jalapeño vinaigrette. Wash it all down with a house-made agua fresca or pair your order with freshly mashed guacamole and chips.

Know Before You Go Azul operates purely on a walk-up counter basis with no reservations, catering specifically to weekday downtown workers between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.. Lines form quickly right around noon, so arrive before 11:45 a.m. or after 1:15 p.m. to breeze through the order queue. The easiest access is via St. Andrew or King subway stations, heading straight into the upper level concourse of First Canadian Place.