Guidebook for Toronto
Food Scene
Hub Coffee
983 Dovercourt RdSuper close by, and all local fare!
The BEST burgers in town! Worth the trip north. Also: a mind-blowing brunch on the weekends that you will almost certainly have to line up for, since it only seats about 15 people.
85 locals recommend
The Stockyards Smokehouse & Larder
699 St Clair Ave WThe BEST burgers in town! Worth the trip north. Also: a mind-blowing brunch on the weekends that you will almost certainly have to line up for, since it only seats about 15 people.
Saving Gigi
859 Bloor St WGreat coffee and food!
The Hogtown Vegan
1056 Bloor St WExcellent vegan fare right in the neighbourhood!
Pricey dinners with a unique menu every day. The weekend brunches are cheaper and terrific!
35 locals recommend
The Epicure Cafe & Grill
502 Queen St WPricey dinners with a unique menu every day. The weekend brunches are cheaper and terrific!
A slightly nicer than average 24 hour diner. Everything is super salty and belly-pleasing.
351 locals recommend
The Lakeview Restaurant
1132 Dundas Street WestA slightly nicer than average 24 hour diner. Everything is super salty and belly-pleasing.
Not the best sushi joint in the Annex (there are MANY on this stretch of Bloor) but it is open the latest and is mega cheap. I eat here weekly.
41 locals recommend
New Generation Sushi
486 Bloor St WNot the best sushi joint in the Annex (there are MANY on this stretch of Bloor) but it is open the latest and is mega cheap. I eat here weekly.
Baldwin Village is a lovely little pocket of restaurants of all kinds. If you're in the area and feeling peckish, it's worth a stop
8 locals recommend
Baldwin Street
Baldwin StreetBaldwin Village is a lovely little pocket of restaurants of all kinds. If you're in the area and feeling peckish, it's worth a stop
Babur Restaurant
273 Queen St WNewly renovated but the point is order the Murgh Nawabi. Just do it.
Southern Accent Restaurant
Cajun cooking in a Victorian house!
Banjara Bloor
796 Bloor St WSolid Indian restaurant right in the neighbourhood.
I eat here a lot. The food isn't amazing but it has a great patio, friendly staff, and you can even watch Latin American telenovellas and music videos! Order the Tinga and a nice cold Horchata.
Mexitaco Taqueria
828 Bloor St WI eat here a lot. The food isn't amazing but it has a great patio, friendly staff, and you can even watch Latin American telenovellas and music videos! Order the Tinga and a nice cold Horchata.
Cheap Chinese food in the heart of Chinatown. Spadina between College and Dundas is where you'll find super cheap Chinese bakeries, butchers, restaruants. produce shops and dollar stores.
13 locals recommend
New Ho King
410 Spadina Ave.Cheap Chinese food in the heart of Chinatown. Spadina between College and Dundas is where you'll find super cheap Chinese bakeries, butchers, restaruants. produce shops and dollar stores.
Hadley's
940 College StA great barbecue place.
A former loft space that's been turned into a swanky little restaurant with an in-house bakery. If you like panacotta, for the love of god get the panacotta.
60 locals recommend
Woodlot
293 Palmerston AveA former loft space that's been turned into a swanky little restaurant with an in-house bakery. If you like panacotta, for the love of god get the panacotta.
Affectionately called Hooker Harvey's, it's in a neighbourhood known for prostitutes and a few off-Yonge strip clubs. Don't let people scare you though, it's totally safe and Harvey's is awesome.
43 locals recommend
Harvey's
3400 Danforth AveAffectionately called Hooker Harvey's, it's in a neighbourhood known for prostitutes and a few off-Yonge strip clubs. Don't let people scare you though, it's totally safe and Harvey's is awesome.
Essentials
Sobeys Dupont
840 Dupont St24hours and right next door!
Everything Else
It has something for everyone: vintage clothes shopping, fresh produce, tiny bars and restaurants, and it's in the middle of a whole bunch of other great neighbourhoods
1698 locals recommend
Kensington Market
It has something for everyone: vintage clothes shopping, fresh produce, tiny bars and restaurants, and it's in the middle of a whole bunch of other great neighbourhoods
The gay village. Self explanatory. If you want to check it out some time, I will gladly go with you!
115 locals recommend
Chelsea Area
The gay village. Self explanatory. If you want to check it out some time, I will gladly go with you!
This is actually a pointer for "The Ossington Strip" which is an up and coming, ultra hip part of the city. It's right off west Queen west where there are other art galleries and hipster hangouts.
54 locals recommend
The Ossington
61 Ossington AveThis is actually a pointer for "The Ossington Strip" which is an up and coming, ultra hip part of the city. It's right off west Queen west where there are other art galleries and hipster hangouts.
The centre of the commercial downtown core with loads of tourist shopping and restaurants.
308 locals recommend
Dundas Square
Dundas SquareThe centre of the commercial downtown core with loads of tourist shopping and restaurants.
Possibly the world's biggest bargain store. A Toronto icon/landmark and a marker for The Annex, a student neighbourhood along Bloor. Lots of coffee shops, sushi restaurants & used bookstores!
68 locals recommend
Honest Ed's
581 Bloor Street WestPossibly the world's biggest bargain store. A Toronto icon/landmark and a marker for The Annex, a student neighbourhood along Bloor. Lots of coffee shops, sushi restaurants & used bookstores!
Yorkville and the Bay-Bloor area is where you'll find the high end commercial area and the ritzy boutique shops. This place comes alive during the TIFF in the first couple weeks of September.
651 locals recommend
Yorkville
Yorkville and the Bay-Bloor area is where you'll find the high end commercial area and the ritzy boutique shops. This place comes alive during the TIFF in the first couple weeks of September.
It's in the heart of the University of Toronto, and also where i work. ALSO: if you have never eaten poutine before, skip Smoke's and get the poutine from the greasy truck in front of the steps. NOW.
100 St George St
100 Saint George StreetIt's in the heart of the University of Toronto, and also where i work. ALSO: if you have never eaten poutine before, skip Smoke's and get the poutine from the greasy truck in front of the steps. NOW.
Sightseeing
Historic neighbourhood, really scenic with lots of boutique stores
1704 locals recommend
Distillery Historic District
55 Mill StHistoric neighbourhood, really scenic with lots of boutique stores
The price is a bit steep since they did the Frank Gehry renovations, but it's free on Wednesday evenings!
2262 locals recommend
Art Gallery of Ontario
317 Dundas St WThe price is a bit steep since they did the Frank Gehry renovations, but it's free on Wednesday evenings!
It's about $30 to go up. I've never been, because "I can go any time I want to", but ACTUALLY mainly because I would pee myself from acrophobia! But you should totally go.
3509 locals recommend
CN Tower
290 Bremner BlvdIt's about $30 to go up. I've never been, because "I can go any time I want to", but ACTUALLY mainly because I would pee myself from acrophobia! But you should totally go.
Shopping
Glad Day Bookshop
499 Church StThe oldest LGBT bookstore in North America! Check it out!
Arts & Culture
An awesome and cheap rock venue featured in the film Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.
58 locals recommend
Lee's Palace
529 Bloor St WAn awesome and cheap rock venue featured in the film Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.
Check out their drop-in schedule if you want to learn how to dance all kinds of different styles!
18 locals recommend
Dovercourt House
805 Dovercourt RdCheck out their drop-in schedule if you want to learn how to dance all kinds of different styles!
One of the historical hubs of West Queen West. Now it's a little bit posh, but there are still great arts and culture events held here all the time!
9 locals recommend
Vivoli
665 College StreetOne of the historical hubs of West Queen West. Now it's a little bit posh, but there are still great arts and culture events held here all the time!
It's the Royal Ontario Museum! With wacky architecture! A bit pricey since the renos but it's half-price on Fridays now.
2332 locals recommend
Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queens ParkIt's the Royal Ontario Museum! With wacky architecture! A bit pricey since the renos but it's half-price on Fridays now.
Drinks & Nightlife
The Lakeview Restaurant
1132 Dundas Street WestA legit country western bar.
Excellent mixed crowd dance parties multiple days a week, of all different genres.
41 locals recommend
The Piston
937 Bloor St WExcellent mixed crowd dance parties multiple days a week, of all different genres.
They'll try to upsell you like no tomorrow but hold your ground and enjoy this sweet shisha bar.
The Chicago Don
901 Bloor St WThey'll try to upsell you like no tomorrow but hold your ground and enjoy this sweet shisha bar.
I avoid the entertainment district like the plague. It's loud, sloppy and really straight, but it's the mainstream nightclub scene.
Check out College St. for a similar but better bar/club scene.
211 locals recommend
Entertainment District
The PATH - SkywalkI avoid the entertainment district like the plague. It's loud, sloppy and really straight, but it's the mainstream nightclub scene.
Check out College St. for a similar but better bar/club scene.
Loads of bars and clubs on College between Ossington and Bathurst.
Rico is a raucous basement with loud Latin-American music. Hipsters, bachelorettes, middle aged men. Midnight drag shows to die for.
12 locals recommend
El Convento Rico
750 College StLoads of bars and clubs on College between Ossington and Bathurst.
Rico is a raucous basement with loud Latin-American music. Hipsters, bachelorettes, middle aged men. Midnight drag shows to die for.
One of my favourite venues for a great show/dance party. In the heart of Parkdale on Queen between Dufferin and Roncesvalles, where everything is awesome but still a little grimy / ungentrified.
13 locals recommend
Wrongbar
1277 Queen St WOne of my favourite venues for a great show/dance party. In the heart of Parkdale on Queen between Dufferin and Roncesvalles, where everything is awesome but still a little grimy / ungentrified.
A fantastic scotch bar, run by a true blue Scot! She's pretty much the best person in the world.
39 locals recommend
The Caledonian
856 College StA fantastic scotch bar, run by a true blue Scot! She's pretty much the best person in the world.