Top 5 Portuguese chicken in Toronto
Published May 9, 2025 at 3:08 pm
Portuguese chicken is one of the hearty dishes that keeps Toronto going, and it’s enjoyed by many beyond just the local Portuguese community.
It’s typically grilled or roasted over the course of the day so there’s often a fresh batch on the go, and when ordering you’ll be asked your preference of sweet or spicy sauce and what sides you want. While rice and potatoes are the classic option, Portuguese churrasqueiras often also boast an impressive hot table with a wide range of options.
Here’s the top Portuguese chicken in Toronto.
The chicken at this restaurant on College Street isn’t ultra-charred like some, but the skin is very crispy and crinkly. Opt for a homemade spicy piri piri sauce on top for a mildly fiery experience that’s not far off from Buffalo chicken in terms of heat level.
4 – Bairradino
Chicken from this Lansdowne restaurant comes with a heavy char that lends a classic smoky flavour, and is glazed with your choice of sauce. This place is popular enough that a decent line can definitely form, and there’s a flow through the space with entry through one door, ordering at the hot table, and exit through another. They’ve been in business since 1993, so you know they’re doing it right.
Grab spicy chicken from this churrasquiera, and you’ll receive chicken absolutely bathed in a thick, bright orange sauce. It’s not extremely spicy, but it does have a decent kick thanks to lots of big chunks of garlic. The chicken is glistening on the inside, and pulls away easily from the bone.
They have a dine-in and takeout location on Rogers Road, as well as a takeout only spot on St. Clair West.
This St. Clair West institution has been serving some of the city’s favourite Portuguese chicken since 1986. They’re especially known for their juicy and moist rotisserie chicken with a thin, glassy, amber skin, rich and fatty in flavour.
The chicken and the traditional rice and potato sides are all well accompanied by a signature deep brown-burgundy smoky sauce with a touch of heat. Much of the real estate in this tiny spot is devoted to chicken production, leaving just a little space for standing room only.
The chunky, oily signature sauce doled out over orders of chicken from here is more sweet and tangy than spicy, but it still has a kick. Under that thick layer of sauce, the chicken is juicy and golden, with crispy charred bits. This mini empire of Portuguese restaurants has locations on College, Dundas West and St. Clair West, and has a history that stretches back to 1989.
