Food - Stores
STORES CARRYING MEXICAN PRODUCTS
A long time ago, you had to trek to a specific part of the city to find Latin American stores in the hope they would carry Mexican products, or at least something that was close enough. Nowadays, it is much easier to find Mexican productions, including some supermarkets.
Emporium Latino
243 Augusta Ave. (Kensington)
They have a good selection of canned and packaged goods, beans, corn and some cheeses. They also have a good selection of dried chiles and some fresh chiles and Mexican vegetables (like tomatillos). You can get chiles rellenos, Salvadorean style, to eat in or to go.
Similar to Emporium Latino, but decidedly more Mexican. You can get several brands of packaged tortillas and many of Mexican candies. They also serve a selection of tacos at the back.
Freshly made tortillas! They also make their own green and red salsas and authentic tortilla chips. Some dried chiles and packaged products, Mexican cheeses (Oaxaca, Cotija, Panela, Asadero). They make their own chorizo, which I really like, and they sell Pancho's Bakery products.
Pancho's Bakery
3 Locations
Master Mexican baker that set up a bakery. They serve different types Mexican breads (bolillos, teleras, etc.) and pastries (conchas, orejas, etc.) They have freshly made churros! They also sell holiday breads (pan de muerto, rosca de reyes). The churros are sometimes availble in the churro-mobile, especially on Harbourfront during the Day of the Dead celebrations.
El Trompo
277 Augusta (Kensingon)
It's a restaurant, not really a store, but they do sell chorizo by the kilo. This is one of two places that I get chorizo.
FreshCo
Several Locations
This is the place where I always get fresh poblano peppers. The ones they have here are always fresh and very large. They also sell hominy for pozole and menudo.
Tierra Azteca
1115 Bloor St. W. (at Dufferin)
Chinese supermarkets
Several Locations
No Frills
Several Locations
A selection of Mexican packaged products, and it's not all the way downtown. They also serve food made on the premises.
Although it seems unlikely to find Mexican products in Chinese supermarkets, some specific products are carried regularly. The one thing that you can count on is jícama, which the Chinese use in their cuisine. Great mangos, too. On some locations, I have also been able to find Mexican zucchini, guanábana, mamey and chicozapote. I like to go to one called Btrust.
Some locations cater to Latin American clientele and would have some products. In the one at Eglinton and Mavis (Mississauga), I've been able to find very good queso fresco, packaged tortillas (for emergencies) and guanábana.
Café Latino
3038 Hurontaio St. (Mississauga)
Sabor Hispano
35 King St. E. (Mississauga)
Varied selection of Latin American products, including Mexican ones. Corner of Hurontario and Dundas
Another store in Mississauga, not very far from Café Latino. The owner has said that if he doesn't carry something, he'll get it for you.