Kitson and Co. is a sandwich shop in the condo development that also houses Plentea . They serve a wide range of hot sandwiches and sides meant to get away from the monotony of the pizza, poutine and shawarma that dominate the fast food options in this stretch of Parkdale.

Currently run by namesake Kitson Vincent along with chef Ava Kerr (formerly of Centro), this place is a family affair, with a great deal of pitching in from Kitson's mom Martha Fusca and his siblings Elena and Francesco as well. Kitson Vincent lived in Florence for a while, honing his culinary skills and love of Italian food and techniques.

The condo development Kitson is housed in with its hip black-and-white circular logo and industrial interior is a sign of the gentrification sweeping this community: this corner used to be home to a weird strip mall that had a divey Indian restaurant in it. There's no real seating, just long ledges against the walls where you can chow down. There's standing room above the main area, too.

The variety of offerings here doesn't just extend to sandwich fillings: there are a range of breads, too. The roti ($12.50) is a secret recipe from Ava's grandmother, made from scratch and rolled out to order. This is the only vegetarian sandwich on the menu, but it's satisfying, filled with curried cauliflower, sweet potato, and chickpeas, finished with yogurt tahini and cilantro.

The fried chicken sandwich ($13) is a contender in Toronto's fierce chicken sammy game. The chicken is marinated in buttermilk, hot sauce and a few spices for twenty-four hours, and gets a simple spiced flour dredge. It's deep fried and topped with a red and green cabbage slaw along with raw jalapenos, house pickes and Louisiana hot sauce mayo on a charred bun.

That and the Philly cheesesteak ($15.50) are on Thuet buns, the only thing not made in house. They use the highest grade bone-in prime rib, and almost fully freeze it before slicing to easily get perfect chunks. They chop this steak with onions on a flat top, then add provolone. The bun goes on the flat top to steam, then the filling gets scooped inside along with Cheez Whiz and house-pickled jalapenos.

Unlike a lot of sandwich places, the sides here are nothing to sneer at, and they'll knock 40% off if you bundle them with a sandwich. Elena and Kitson both lived in Montreal, so they know what real poutine should be: hand-cut fries, homemade gravy, and squeaky curds ($8 alone).

Photos by Jesse Milns