Elvira's

What is Elvira's? Located down a rear laneway behind 639 Queen Street East in Riverside, Elvira's is a regional Portuguese street-food counter operating out of a repurposed, firetruck-red shipping container. Founded by husband-and-wife chefs Luis and Carolina Lima, the unpretentious setup brings grandmother Elvira's home-style recipes to Toronto's east end. Seating is casual and compact, centering on an order window and a sunny rooftop patio perched directly atop the container.

Elvira's Menu & What to Order Ordering here starts with the Francesinha, a colossal Porto classic stacked with steak, chorizo, bacon, and ham, blanketed in melted cheese, crowned with a fried egg, and drenched in a rich, three-hour beer gravy. Those looking for quick bites should grab the golden bolinhos de bacalhau (salt cod fritters), flaky chicken-stuffed frigideiras, and crisp shrimp rissóis. Wash everything down with a tart pineapple lemonade and end with a creamy tub of natas do céu.

Know Before You Go Service is entirely walk-up with no reservations, so expect small queues forming down the alleyway during peak lunch and dinner hours on warm weekends. Arriving via transit is simplest by riding the 501 Queen streetcar to Carroll or Broadview Avenue, as laneway parking is non-existent and street spots on Queen East go fast. Note that the container runs afternoon to evening six days a week and remains closed on Tuesdays.