Rabba Fine Foods — the best (and often only) place in Toronto to grab dinner, gum, groceries, cat food, batteries, dish soap and/or cash at 4 a.m. within a five minute walk of where you stand.

With over 30 locations open 24/7 across the GTA, Rabbas are a local institution— but the quality of these convenient urban markets vary. Widely.

Here are my picks for the best and worst Rabba Fine Foods locations in Toronto.

Best

Front and Blue Jays Way 

This Rabba is similar to many found at the base of downtown condo and office buildings in that it is well-frequented, often by repeat customers. High turnover means a great selection of fresh produce, and the cashiers are consistently nice. An A+ Rabba, all around.

Front and Lower Sherbourne

St. Lawrence Market has an excellent Rabba, as far as locals are concerned, with yummy croissants and a bit of room to breathe while you shop. Some complain that it's a bit pricey, but that applies to pretty much every convenience store in the city.

Lakeshore and Parklawn

One of two Rabbas near the lovely shores of Humber Bay Park, this 24/7 market at 2275 Lake Shore Boulevard West is beloved by regulars for the store's nice condition and for the people who work there. 

Yonge and Isabella

This location is said to be great for getting made-to-order sandwiches and prepared foods. If you work anywhere near a Rabba, you know how important these two factors are in winning the hearts of hungry lunch-seekers.

Jarvis and Gerrard 

Ryerson students tend to treat this Rabba like a second home if they know what's up. It's got an in-house Tim Hortons, nice baked goods and, like every Rabba, it's open 24 hours a day, seven days a week — absolutely clutch for those late night study sessions and post-bar munchies.

Worst

The Harbourfront Rabba

This store on Queen's Quay is far removed from the "friendly European style" shop Rabba's founders had in mind. The prepared food selection is dismal, they often run out of things, the store is messy looking and workers, if you can get their attention, don't seem to like customers very much at all.

Nelson & Simcoe

It's always cold in here for some reason — like, painfully cold, especially near the cash register — and the cashiers aren't particularly friendly. If you like long lineups and showing ID every time you buy papers, this is the Rabba for you.

Yonge and Charles 

This store is crammed to the max, which isn't unusual in downtown Toronto. Flickering lights in cold food display sections, on the other hand, are unsettling. How fresh is that milk when it's only sporadically refrigerated?

Sherbourne and Wellesley

The Subway inside this Rabba, just north of Homewood Ave., is basically never open, which is kind of a tease if you ask me. It's also a small and crammed store with questionable hot food items at times — but hey, it's open and it's there.