Where to find the best lobster rolls in Toronto right now

Toronto may sit far from either coast, but locals have developed a serious appetite for lobster rolls — and the city's restaurants are rising to the occasion with coastal-shack-level quality.

Maybe it's my four years in Halifax talking (Go Dal Tigers!), but few problems can't be improved by a great lobster roll. Whether drenched in butter or tossed in mayo, the mix of sweet lobster, a buttery bun and — ideally — a sunny picnic table makes these coastal treats hard to beat.

Back in Toronto, I was surprised by how scarce lobster rolls seemed. They pop up on lunch menus at fancy steakhouses and seafood spots, but the best ones are meant to be eaten with paper napkins while laughing in Birkenstocks and jeans.

Lately, more local spots are joining the veteran lobster sellers, adding seafood sandwiches to their menus as seasonal specials or, happily, permanent fixtures.

If you're chasing a crustacean fix, here are some of the best places to find lobster rolls in Toronto right now — skipping the stuffy steakhouses and upscale seafood restaurants.

Schmaltz Appetizing

With its weathered wooden exterior, this Annex bagel shop wouldn't look out of place anywhere in eastern Canada. This summer they expanded into dinner service, and the star is a dazzling lobster roll perfect for the restaurant's limited outdoor seating.

Packed with a quarter-pound of lobster cut into hefty chunks, the roll runs a steep $45 — or $79 for a half-pound. On a tighter budget, the $21 Nordic shrimp salad roll satisfies the same craving, or try the $6 'Just a Wiener n' Bun.'

Corduroy Lounge

Tucked in the heart of Leslieville, this laid-back neighbourhood bar traded its usual Sunday roast for lobster rolls this summer — but you'll need to move fast to grab one.

Available only on Sundays from 3 p.m., these rolls come on homemade buns and are stuffed with a generous helping of Nova Scotia lobster for $27. The catch? They make just 60 a day.

Blue Claw Lobster Shack

A stall in a mall food court isn't exactly the coastal fantasy most of us picture when ordering a lobster roll — fair point.

Still, the rolls here, offered in several styles (cold or warm, spicy or sweet, even deep-fried), are shockingly good. So good, you can smell the buttery buns grilling from the workout studio upstairs.

Buster's Sea Cove

If fresh seafood is a maritime town's crowning culinary achievement, St. Lawrence Market is Toronto's equivalent. One of the city's most enduring lobster rolls has been served here for over 30 years.

Your patience through the frenzied ordering line pays off with a heaping pile of East Coast lobster and thin, crispy fries — even better if you can snag a seat inside to watch the crowds ebb and flow.