Taste Bender Originals

What is Taste Bender Originals? Situated along College Street just west of Spadina Avenue, Taste Bender Originals is an inventive sandwich bar and pastry workshop helmed by Chef Danny Kim (Chef DK). The compact space operates as a minimalist, high-energy counter-service stop with a few casual tables for quick sit-down dining. Everything anchors on Chef DK's cross-cultural creations, highlighted by proprietary house-baked "Ben.To.Pan" mochi-shokupan loaves and torched fusion tarts.

Taste Bender Originals Menu & What to Order Sandwiches—dubbed "Bendwiches"—are built on thick, bouncy griddled bread, led by the 316 College Street Toast, a Korean-style street sandwich packed with eggs, shredded cabbage, cheddar, and tangy TB sauce. Heartier appetites gravitate toward the signature pork Katsu Bendo and the tender, slow-cooked Triple BBB braised beef. For dessert, do not skip the Bender Smash tart, which layers coffee crème brûlée and tiramisu underneath a torched sheet of crackable Korean dalgona candy, paired with an Earl Grey Toronto Fog.

Know Before You Go Service is walk-in only with limited seating, so expect heavier takeout queues during peak weekday lunch hours and weekend afternoons. Streetcars on the 506 Carlton line stop directly outside, while metered parking is available along College and nearby residential sidestreets. The shop runs Wednesday through Sunday, closing on Mondays and Tuesdays.