Porta Via Restaurant & Catering

This place is my addiction — my colleagues and I go atleast once a week. The best sandwich is the Tuscan chicken but they are all amazing. Make sure to try their unique soups! Staff is friendly and food is prepped quickly.

So do you work in the area? Do you work at Bell or one of the other many head offices of big companies in the area? Want a salad or something like that?
This is essentially the place. From someone who’s worked downtown and in the burbs this feels like one of the many places like that in the PATH downtown. It is a build your own soup and salad place and they’ll be more than happy to take your $ 10 — $ 15 for it.
Is it good? Sure. The best? Probably not but it’s an option. They have a lot fresh items so it has that going for it. Most of their items are «healthy» so you can rest assured that you’re making a good decision. Be wary though all of the toppings cost extra for the salad so pick the ones you really want.
The atmosphere feels nice, with good décor and table arrangements. The utensils are also pretty good for disposables.

If you like fresh non-​processed food go here — it’s great. A downtown type eatery oasis that you would expect to find in 1^st Canadian Place located in a nondescript mundane suburban office plaza. I don’t know how it ended up here but my waistline and palette is so so happy it did.
PS Order the hot sauce for any sandwich — it’s really good.

We tried this for the first time. Been on my list for a while.
My wife and daughter shard a salad which was okay but nothing special.
I had the soup and panini. I had the Portobello soup which I did not enjoy. The panini however was good.
All in all I will give it another try to see if my opinion changes.

Limited seating and pretty straight forward lunch set up, you line up for sandwiches or salads and meet in the middle for hot beverages and soup before paying. Make sure to grab your cold drinks and salad base before you get in line. The ingredients are on the side walls, you can pick 5 to compliment your salad with house made dressing.
The toppings are what gets me excited: it was difficult for me to just pick 5!
Pickled artichokes, chick peas, avocados, portobello mushrooms, asparagus, 5 different cheeses! I didn’t even need protein lol
They have about 10 different dressings to choose from, I had the caper and olive tapenade * drool
Kale and spring salad is available! Good portions of leaves and toppings!
The house made soup was also worth the extra $ 2 with the salad. They always have a roasted tomato and their soup special today was roasted squash, I couldn’t decide so the cashier ley me try both before I picked the squash.
It was really loud but it fits the cafeteria style set up. I’d go back to try their grilled vegetable panini!
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Haha that was quick lol I went back to try their fired up vegan «grilled veggie and avocado spread panini» with their hot sauce… The lovely server put potbelly mushrooms in for me just cause I asked. Wish I worked closer to here and also they had more seating!

Food is definitely delicious and high quality. However, don’t buy the «healthy» claims as its pretty greasy and rich. If you’re looking for delicious comfort food, this is great– but don’t go if you’re trying to watch what you eat.

Great lunch spot. Soup, salad and sandwich are all great. You won’t go wrong with anything you pick. Gets really busy over lunch hour.

Came here with the bae for a quick late lunch.
Was very impressed. Super clean store, friendly staff, and fresh quality ingredients.
I wasn’t starving so we ordered the «trio» combo to share, which consists of a sandwich, salad, and soup. The beef panini with smoked mozzarella and roasted red peppers which was very delicious. Soup was a vegan tomato, nicely spiced and smooth, very warming. Really loved the fresh spring salad dressed lightly with house made balsamic dressing.
Would absolutely return here for a reasonably priced and healthy meal.

I go there at least once a week, it’s great food, clean, tasty, affordable and friendly environment, it’s a hidden spot, but you gotta try their Tuscan chicken.

Went here with a buddy of mine at lunch during work hours and I must say, pretty good stuff! Love their turkey sandwich with salad!

What a great fresh and delicious lunch option. I cannot stress how amazing the picante chicken sandwich is. It’s made with roasted garlic hummus, grilled chicken, grilled banana peppers & smoked mozza — That’s ALL!
I accompany my sandwiches with the salad (again, fresh, delicious and colourful– a bonus for salads).
The location is close to my work which is great for when we don’t have time to pack a lunch or if a group of us want a delicious group lunch.
The place itself is simple, clean and very welcoming.
The price point is reasonable for the quality of food and the portion size.
I wish they had smaller or half sandwich options because it can sometimes be very filling.
I will keep on returning :) love it.

The grilled veggie trio is my favourite. The mixture of veggies and goat cheese, wow!
The best soup that I have tried there is the beet soup. Soo good. Yummy!

Honestly the best spot for a high quality sandwich or salad. Everything is fresh from the meats, vegetables and the breads. It’s really as good as it gets. It’s more expensive than Subway but you really can’t begin to compare the offering of Porta Via to any other fast food sandwich shop.
The staff are friendly and helpful. The line moves very quickly. I have been coming here for months and can’t get enough.
Keep up the good work guys!

I was blown away by this place. Unreal.
Since my first time going I’ve made an effort to go back as much as possible even though I live on the other side of the city. I now find myself looking for an excuse to have a meeting in Mississauga or Etobicoke just so I can come here for lunch.
The paninis are out of this world. Tuna is to die for. Salmon is unreal. The marinated beef just melts in your mouth. Not to mention the home made purée soups. Wow.
For about $ 12 you get an amazing panini, soup and drink.
Hands down there is no better place for lunch. It is amazingly healthy and I leave feeling completely satisfied. not too full and not hungry.
The staff is amazing and even though the line up is often out the door the wait is never long.
I would highly recommend this place to anyone who is in the west end and is looking for a great lunch. I will be a customer for life. 5 Stars all the way.
AMAZING.

A new lunch place a friend took me to. I’m sad that my experience wasn’t as great as two of my fav reviewers (laura c. and madelaine d.).
I don’t contest that the food shoudn’t be great, it definitely looked it. And i don’t contest that the mix of ingredients looked too good to be true. Seriously, Spicy Moroccan Butternut Squash with Pineapple soup… it sounds like an orgasm waiting to happen.
But unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. I had the havarti chicken and the failed orgasm soup mentioned above and it wasn’t anything special.
I think what really soured me to it (though it was my first time so I still gave it 3 stars), was the fact that the sandwich «artist» and I seemed to miscommunicate… a lot. Everything I said, had to be repeated, where the artist seemed to get what i said, but then 20 – 30 seconds later question what I had asked for. Ok, I can chalk it up to being behind the counter and maybe my voice wasn’t carrying as well as the guy in front of me or the girl behind me.
But what killed the meal for me was that everyone else got their sandwiches grilled from what I can tell (without asking). Even though I told them that I’d be staying to eat, they packed up the meal. I didn’t think anything of it until i sat down and opened the box to find a cold sandwich. Not as good being cold, imho, but then, I haven’t tried a heated one. Maybe I look like a cold sandwich kinda guy :(
And the soup. What a downer… I don’t even know how to explain my failed expectations but I’ll try (insert painful childhood memory). It’s like… when you go to a sesame street show as a kid, and your favourite character is Elmo and after the show you try to rush backstage to meet him, but when you get there you see elmo ripping his own head off… and there is some guys head there… and all you can think is… elmo ate someone’s head, and ripped off his own.
Yes, that traumatizing and disappointing!
I’ll definitely try this place again and will make sure to ask for grilled this time. And maybe I’ll stick to the salads.

Got take out today and I just have to tell everyone how awesome the Smoked Salmon, with artichoke aioli, grilled zucchini and havarti. Who came up with this? Must be a genius.
Soups today was Spicy Moroccan Butternut Squash with Pineapple, or Vegan Tomato and Sweet Potato Purée. Aren’t you drooling now?
Sandwich, Soup and a large coffee cost me $ 12. I love this place.

I actually couldn’t be more please right now! Discovering Porta via has definitely made my whole day. To be quite honest, I’m feeling a little giddy about it.
There are about 20 different sandwiches on the menu, all of which are full of fresh, colourful, flavourful, quality ingredients. The salads are just brilliant and the soups (we tried both) were awesome!
The place is set up a little like subway or quiznos, except cleaner, classier and way WAY better tasting!
After you pick your sandwich and your bread off the menu one of the ‘sandwich artists’ whips it up behind the glass counter and puts it in a panini press. A minute later you have a fresh warm sandwich, hot delicious soup and a salad… all for $ 10. They also had samples of the other soup.
There’s a small shady patio with four tables outside and a couple rows of clean white tables inside. The Tuscan Chicken sandwich was amazing as was the Tomato and Chickpea Soup. The Brie and Beef sandwich was good too but given the choice between the two go definitely with the Tuscan sandwich.
I am already scheming a way to get back to the area for another lunch. Porta Via, ladies and gentlemen, is lunch time perfection!

This hidden little spot is a great place for fresh gourmet panani’s in the area for lunch.
Fresh breads, gourmet toppings and a good selection of sandwiches. Smoked salmon, veal, chicken, beef, you have a number of choices and I’ve never had a bad sandwich here.
They have a variety of white and multigrain breads which you can choose from, and are all fresh.
The soup here is also really good. They usually have two flavors, and the soup is thick and tasty.
It’ll going to cost you $ 9 – 11 depending on the sandwich. Portions are not especially large, your standard sandwich size.
It’s a small place so it gets a bit busy and seating is limited, and it’s a bit pricey (considering a footlong sub can be had for $ 6, but you’re paying for quality here), but otherwise, a place I like going to once in a while for a healthy, fresh lunch.

When you think of soup and a sandwich you usually instantly think of coffee shops, subway, or grocery stores. I mean there aren’t that many places to get a nice gourmet sandwich out there; and yes, subway gourmet sandwiches are quite far away from gourmet.
Portal Via is hidden inside a small business plaza and delivers a Italian inspired menu with a variety of soups, sandwiches and salads. For somewhere close to 10 dollars you can get your choice of sandwich and a soup or salad next to it. This also is the case for a salad if you so choose.
When you first step into the store, you will notice a very urban décor filled with black-​brown furniture, clean and elegant wooden chairs and enough right angled corners to ponder how perpendicular everything is. Defiantly a nice classy place to have a quiet lunch with a co-​worker. No patio though. That sucks.
The variety of sandwiches isn’t mind blasting, but it isn’t a joke either. On your menu is your usual choices of bird, cow or fish with an assortment of sauces and spreads to mix things up a bit. I actually found the variety of spreads very appealing with choices including sun dried tomato pesto, avocado mayo and a chipotle jalapeño spread. Add in fresh grilled vegetables like zucchini, eggplant and a wide assortment of breads and you got yourself a sandwich worthy of taking a picture of (sorry I devoured mine before I could take a picture… It never had a chance). As for the breads, instead of having your basic white, brown or Parmesan, they mix it up with actual different breads like foccacia, chiabatta or Swiss triangles
The soups are different everyday, once I had a red curry soup that was delicious but today I tried the salad.
Now here’s the reason I didn’t give this place a ⁵⁄₅. The salads are just that. I’ll give it to them for using fresh ingredients but I don’t see the same creativity in their salads as I do their sandwiches. Basically it’s an Italian mixed greens mix with your choice of toppings and a variety of sauces. I’d like to see some more creative salad lunch-​entrée (yes I just made up that word) salads like chicken almondines, Asian inspired chicken salads or others.
All in all I would highly suggest this place for a quiet lunch. Best way to describe this place in a nutshell… Classy Italian deli plus IKEA.

There are some pretty fantastic panini’s/sandwiches here and the prices are extremely reasonable. For a boxed lunch of a sandwich and salad you looking at around $ 9.00 depending on the ‘wich. My company usually orders in from Porta Via but today I had the opportunity of picking up lunch for a few coworkers and getting the full Porta Via experience.
The restaurant is modern and sleek with just a slight air of sophistication which pairs well with their gourmet sandwiches. The staff were very friendly and polite and my order was waiting for me when I arrived. I had called ahead and they told me 15 minutes, but when I arrived 7 minutes later the order was ready.
Today I had the sirloin sandwich. With its sliced meat, cheese, and caramelized onions, I was in heaven. The side salad was pretty straight forward with a composition of mixed greens, but the vinaigrette dressing is what upped the ante.
Check this place out. Its location doesn’t appeal tot he average person; neither its hours of M-​F 8am to 4pm; but if you work in the area its a great place for lunch.