How a 40-year-old Toronto restaurant keeps its sandwiches affordable

A 40-year-old Toronto food icon has something to say about legacy and keeping a menu cheap in a city that’s only getting more expensive.

Toronto loves its sandwiches, no secret, but before the great sammie boom of the 2020s, key players like Papamio’s were pillars of both community and the culinary landscape.

Originally opening in 1990, the location has since changed hands from founder Michael Burt to his son, Marcus. However, that doesn’t stop Michael Burt from manning the kitchen, as you’ll only ever find the father-son duo working the grill.

“Today, everyone seems like they are in this business just to promote themselves, stack me against anyone in town, and they’ll tell you who the best sandwich is,” founder Michael Burt told yourcitywithIN while chopping onions. “Places come along, they get traction, then become a chain, all while charging you well over $22 for some ham and arugula — give me a break!”

Sandos at Papamio’s are in the ballpark of $15, insanely delicious, and are so big they need their own postal code. Notable selections include their classic Italian veal sandwich, New York Steak sandwich, and Eggplant sando, to name a few.

[Michael Burt, the original founder, carefully preps a huge sandwich order at Papamio’s]

For Marcus Burt, heir apparent of Papamio’s, a sturdy menu and location have helped this little corner shop on Dupont withstand the cannibalization of Toronto’s restaurant scene, as legacy spaces continue to shutter and new players face a shelf life of only a few years.

“You think of places like Schwartz’s Deli in Montreal; they have been serving the same sandwich for decades, but that does not exempt them from learning how tastes change. Some places today, in response to how things are, will give you a quality product but take shortcuts, and that becomes a problem,” Marcus Burt told yourcitywithIN.

Marcus Burt, who grew up on his dad’s hip watching him run the shop, learned much of the practical angle of the business; however, as he proclaims, he “couldn’t even fry an egg” for much of his life, so he went on to pursue a formal culinary education and has since brought that back to Papamio’s.

[Each sammie, made from scratch, relatively unchanged for decades in design and quality]

“I’m looking at doing some things here pretty soon; we’ll keep what people keep coming for, obviously, but we’ll experiment with some new sandwiches; it’ll be a novel experience in a weekly or daily special, but we won’t become a place of novelty,” says Marcus Burt.

While both father and son attest that their shop — found between The Annex and Seaton Village — has seen its fair share of clientele, from construction crews and university students to families, it’s the craving for something authentic and affordable that has kept them in the game far beyond chasing trends.

Even with that in mind, for Marcus Burt especially, going out and seeing what people are doing right is the duty of any restaurateur, as anyone running a kitchen, according to him, big or small, elevated or easygoing, is all in the same boat.

[Marcus Burt on the grill, sautéing fresh mushrooms and onions for Papamio’s iconic sandwiches]

“There are so many talented people out there, and it is always good as a restaurant owner to go out and try different things, just to see how people are doing, and this can be a sandwich shop or a sit-down place; there are so many places in this town improving the food scene,” says Marcus Burt.

Marcus Burt went on to shout out his neighbour down the road, Golden Horseshoe Barbeque, which just received recognition in the Michelin Guide a few weeks ago.

Even with a team-playing attitude, something has worked in Papamio’s favour, keeping their sandwiches the same price for years: it is a family-owned and operated business— including the building.

For Marcus Burt, this is a bittersweet prospect, as he knows not all restaurateurs have the benefit of being entrenched as his family has, and instead face skyrocketing rent, rising menu costs, and an already cash-strapped public, resulting in the deluge of closures Toronto is seeing.

[The foundational Italian-style sandwich that has kept Papamio’s open for generations]

“These rents get raised, and the worst part is a lot of these buildings just stay vacant after the fact. It’s unfriendly; there is no other way to put it, they wait the year and change they have until their lease renewal, and the entire time they’re on pins and needles. Still, even with all that at play, it isn’t stopping people from taking a chance,” says Marcus Burt.

As for the future, you’ll be hard-pressed to walk into Papamio’s and not be treated like royalty, and if you need proof, look out the window, as you’ll see countless neighbours walking by, either giving Michael or Marcus a wave, promising to come by with friends or the family if not doing so already.

[Marcus Burt, owner, proprietor, and culinary maestro behind Papamio’s]

A state of normalcy Marcus Burt hopes other places in the city can attain, as it’s second nature to him.

“It’s just normal to me; I’ve known a lot of people who have been coming in here for decades… I mean, walk on in and just ask; I’ll make you anything, even off-menu. Just make sure it’s not during the rush,” he says with a smile.

Papamio’s can be found at 934 Manning Ave.