After Badiali, this is another hype that is 200% real in Toronto…read more
Alfie has drawn enormous buzz, online and off, since last year. The focus is Tuscan-style sandwiches on sourdough flatbread, built with fresh ingredients straight from Naples, and you can absolutely taste Naples in every bite. For Italian sandwiches, it is one of the best in the city, if not the very best.
I've visited twice, once earlier this year and once today. The first time I had the Torino ($21), and today the Chicken Milano ($21).
Torino
Prosciutto di Parma, stracciatella, truffle cream, spicy eggplant, baby arugula. This was my favourite of the two. The stracciatella and truffle cream were generously spread, and the sandwich is massive and hearty. Don't let the size fool you, though: the flavours have the finesse of a fine-dining plate. It was nutty, umami, creamy, with hints of spice and sweetness, the truffle dancing over the salty, buttery, velvety prosciutto, which was cured to perfection. Everything fused into the pillowy, tender sourdough flatbread. I honestly don't know how a sandwich could get better.
Chicken Milano
Smoked chicken breast, lemon basil pesto, stracciatella, tomato, fried onion, arugula, chili oil. Also amazing. The smoked chicken was tender, never overpowering or too salty, and kept its succulent flavour, which seems to be how Alfie treats all its proteins. The pesto melted into the arugula, adding tang and a slight bitterness, balanced by the spice and umami of the chili oil and tomato. My favourite part was the crispy onion: a wonderful, fun texture. The one flaw was that the chili oil became slightly too spicy by the end for me. I took the rest home, drizzled it with honey, and it was the best thing ever.
What makes Alfie special is that you keep thinking about it after a single visit. The flavours linger like a ghostly residue, etched in your memory, and you can't wait to return. Next time, I'm going for the Mona Lisa.
The price is on the high side, about $25 after tax and tip for a sandwich, but think of it as two meals and it feels far more reasonable.
The wait is always long (it's very busy - the market is small and only allows takeaway), but you usually don't have to queue to order, unlike at Badiali. My tip: order first, grab a coffee or ice cream at a nearby spot, then come back to pick up your sandwich.