Simit & Chai Bakery Cafe

There’s only one place in Toronto where you can find authentic Turkish simit; it’s at Simit and Chai in Toronto’s posh King West neighbourhood. Owners John and Dee Ulger opened the café because they wanted to bring a taste of their native country, Turkey, to Toronto.

For those who are unfamiliar with simit, it is a traditional Turkish bagel. “[Turkey] is where the bagel originated from,” says John. “Sizes change, but the way it’s done is consistent since the early 16th century, or late 15th century. It’s actually considered the first fast food, and it was the food of the Silk Road.” Traders travelling by camel on the Silk Road would start in Istanbul and make a quick stop in Izmit for supplies. Simit was the perfect food to take on the road because it was nutritious, tasty and transportable.