Wednesday, July 27, 2011

TORONTO

(includes Dundas & Kleinburg)

BAKERIES, COFFEE, ICE CREAM, JUICE & TEA

Delight Chocolates – 3040 Dundas Street West (High Park); 416-760-9995; delightchocolate.ca; artisanal chocolates.
Ella’s Uncle – 916 Dundas Street West (Little Portugal); 416-703-8881; ellasuncle.com; coffee and baked goods; good light breakfast spot.
Jimmy’s Coffee – 107 Portland Street (Downtown); 416-901-2289; jimmyscoffee.ca; charming spot for light breakfast.
Mary Macleod’s Shortbread – 639 Queen Street East (Riverdale-Leslieville); 416-461-4576; marymacleod.ca.
Sublime Cafe – 219 Augusta Avenue (Kensington Market); 416-732-0431; thesublimecafe.com; coffee shop that doubles as vintage soul record shop.



BARS & NIGHTCLUBS
Bellwoods Brewery – 124 Ossington Avenue (Ossington Strip); 416-535-4586; bellwoodsbrewery.com; former garage; serves beer brewed onsite; some snacks.
Cocktail Bar – 923 Dundas Street West (Little Italy); 416-792-7511; theblackhoof.com; dreamily-lit interior, tin ceiling, subway-tiled walls, and bold cocktail list.
College Street Bar – 574 College Street (Little Italy); 416-533-2417; collegestreetbar.com; dimly lit space with woody patio and brick walls.
Communist’s Daughter – 1149 Dundas Street West (Dufferin Grove); 647-435-0103; blogto.com/bars/communists-daughter; not easy to find but worth effort; laid-back, tiny spot with Formica tables; live music on Saturday and Sunday afternoons (jazz and country, respectively).
El Convento Rico – 750 College Street (Little Italy); 416-588-7800; elconventorico.com; 1 am drag show is must.
Dakota Tavern – 249 Ossington Avenue (Dufferin Grove); 416-850-4579; thedakotatavern.com; subterranean honky-tonk with folk music.
Embassy Bar – 223 Augusta Avenue (Kensington Market); 416-591-1132; dine.to/theembassy; low-key atmosphere with red vinyl booths and retro music (as in, Cure and 1960s reggae).
Gladstone Hotel – 1214 Queen Street West (Parkdale); 416-531-4635; gladstonehotel.com; wood-paneled bar.
Grand Electric – 1330 Queen Street West (Parkdale); 416-627-3459; grandelectricbar.com; bourbon bar that also serves tacos.
Margret – 2952 Dundas Street West (High Park); 416-762-3373; margretondundas.com; 1960s themed bar with art-house screenings.
Park Hyatt Toronto – 4 Avenue Road (Downtown); 416-925-1234; parktoronto.hyatt.com; rooftop bar.
Poetry Jazz Cafe – 244 Augusta Avenue (Kensington Market); 416-599-5299; poetryjazzcafe.com; live jazz (sometimes) on secluded back patio.
Red Light – 1185 Dundas Street West (Little Portugal); 416-533-6667; facebook.com/pages/The-RED-Light/118758611510256; retro-vintage dive bar.
16th Floor – 550 Wellington Street West (Downtown, at Thompson Toronto Hotel); 416-640-7778; thompsonhotels.com; private; try hot toddies (there are 4 types).
Thirsty & Miserable – 197 Baldwin Street (Kensington Market); 647-607-0134; facebook.com/thirstyandmiserabletoronto; former punk bar with still-gritty (named after Black Flag song), low-key atmosphere and good beer selection.



HOTELS
Drake Hotel – 1150 Queen Street West (Parkdale); 416-531-5042; thedrakehotel.ca; 19 rooms; bit of hipster zoo; mid-century modern yacht style; good restaurant.
Fairmont Royal York – 100 Front Street West (Financial District); 416-368-2511; fairmont.com/royalyork.
Four Seasons – 21 Avenue Road (Yorkville); 416-964-0411 or 800-819-5053; fourseasons.com; angular tower with smallish rooms; chic.
Le Germain – 30 Mercer Street (Downtown); 416-345-9500; germaintoronto.com; chic and clean.
Gladstone Hotel – 1214 Queen Street West (Parkdale); 416-531-4635; gladstonehotel.com; modern boutique hotel.
Hotel Ocho – 195 Spadina Avenue (Chinatown); 416-593-0885; hotelocho.com; former textile factory dating from 1902; cutting edge design.
Pantages Suites Hotel & Spa – 200 Victoria Street (Downtown); 416-362-1777; pantageshotel.com; modern; some rooms have whirlpool.
Park Hyatt Toronto – 4 Avenue Road (Downtown); 416-925-1234; parktoronto.hyatt.com; rooftop bar.
Ritz-Carlton Toronto – 181 Wellington Street West (Downtown); 416-585-2500 or 800-542-8680; ritzcarlton.com; as for Lake View Deluxe King room, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Lake Ontario.
Thompson Toronto – 550 Wellington Street West (Downtown); 416-640-7778; thompsonhotels.com; 102 room property with roof-top pool, 3 restaurants, underground lounge.
Windsor Arms – 18 St. Thomas (Yorkville); 416-971-9666; windsorarmshotel.com; built in 1929, neo-Gothic Yorkville property; very pretty; poolside fireplace.



RESTAURANTS
Aunties & Uncles – 74 Lippincott Street (Kensington Market); 416-324-1375; auntiesanduncles.ca; for breakfast and lunch (great grilled cheese).
Bacchus Roti – 1376 Queen Street West (Parkdale); 416-532-8191; dine.to/bacchus; superb west Indian; try chicken, squash, and spinach roti.
Banu – 777 Queen Street West (Niagara); 416-777-2268; banu.ca; hip, organic Iranian food.
Beaver – 1192 Queen Street West (West Queen Street); 416-537-2768; beavertoronto.ca; for urban brunch, if only for cheap drinks.
Bella Vista Trattoria & Wine Bar – 660 College Street (Little Italy); 416-532-2518; bellavista.sites.toronto.com.
Black Hoof – 923 & 928 Dundas Street West (Little Italy); 416-551-8854; heblackhoof.com; nose-to-tail eating taken to extremes; brilliant restaurant-bar and sister brunch-&-bar bistro (right across street); in-house charcuterie is star, with tongue sandwich drawing raves; at Café, brunch dish standouts include pancakes topped with rabbit confit and little bone-marrow doughnuts, all daring and beautiful.
Bloordale Pantry – 1285 Bloor Street West (Bloordale Village); 416-530-2999; thebloordalepantry.com; greasy spoon where hipsters hunker down with nouveau-diner food.
Brassai – 461 King Street West (Downtown); 416-598-4730; brassai.com; interpretive Mediterranean; also lounge after 10:30 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Bright Pearl Seafood – 346 Spadina Avenue (Old Chinatown); 416-979-1103; brightpearlseafood.com; Peking duck.
Buca – 604 King Street West (Downtown); 416-865-1600; buca.ca; in cavernous, former boiler room at alleyway end; authentic Italian.
Buca Osteria & Bar – 53 Scollard Street (King West); 416-962-2822; buca.ca; just like other but with seafood.
Campagnola – 832 Dundas Street West (Little Italy); 416-364-4785; campagnolotoronto.com; country Italian.
Canoe – 66 Wellington Street West (Downtown); 416-364-0054; oliverbonacini.com; highly regarded “fine dining” venue.
Caplansky’s Deli – 12 Clinton Street (Kensington Market); 416-500-3852; caplanskys.com; perfect.
Cool Hand of Girl – 2804 Dundas Street West (Roncevilles-Ossington-High Park); 416-832-1076; coolhandofagirl.com; retro-style diner that serves comfort food.
Country General – 936 Queen Street West (Niagara); 416-531-4447; thecountygeneral.ca; small; breakfast, lunch, and supper but, especially, breakfast.
Cafe Diplomatico & Restaurant – 594 College Street (Little Italy); 416-534-4637; diplomatico.ca; beautiful patio seating.
Defina – 321 Roncevalles Avenue (Roncevalles Village); 416-534-4414; pizzeriadefina.com; polished by relaxed pizza joint.
Foxley Bistro – 207 Ossington Avenue (Ossington Strip); 416-534-8520; Asian fusion.
Fran’s Diner – 20 College Street (Downtown); 416-923-9867; fransrestaurant.com; diner; Glenn Gould ate here.
Golden Leaf Chinese Restaurant – 283 Dundas Street East (Old Chinatown); 416-597-8807; dine.to/goldenleafchinese; dim sum.
Grand Electric – 1330 Queen Street West (Parkdale); 416-627-3459; grandelectricbar.com; bourbon bar that also serves tacos.
Grove – 1214 Dundas Street West (Dundas West); 416-588-2299; thegroveto.com; creative and dedicated Anglophile dining; not stodgy at all and excellent seafood, as well as meats.
Guu – 398 Church Street (Downtown); 416-977-0999; guu-izakaya.com; Japanese tapas.
Hopgoods Foodliner – 325 Roncesvalles Avenue (Roncesvalles Village); 416-533-2723; hopgoodsfoodliner.com; “believe buzz”; takes reservations and room is actually attractive, not cramped, and not too noisy; lamb heart tartare stands out, being about 10 times tastier than steak tartare.
Jimmy’s Coffee – 107 Portland Street (Downtown); 416-901-2289; jimmyscoffee.ca; charming spot for light breakfast.
Joon’s – 605 Bloor Street West (Koreatown); 416-840-0589; noodle dishes.
Kenny’s Gourmet – 1480 Major Mackenzie Drive (Richmond Hill); 905-737-0331; Chinese.
Kokkino Restaurant & Lounge – 414 Danforth Avenue (Greektown); 416-461-3562; kokkinolounge.com; souvlaki.
Korea House – 666 Bloor Street West (Koreatown); 416-536-8666; barbecue.
Lai Wah Heen – 108 Chestnut Street (Downtown-University, 2nd floor Metropolitan Hotel); 416-977-9899; laiwahheen.com; among top restaurants in world, regardless of whether Chinese.
Nyood – 1096 Queen Street West (Liberty Village); 416-466-1888; nyood.ca; pan-Mediterranean food; try Malta braised short ribs.
Oddfellows – 936 Queen Street West (Liberty Village); 416-534-5244; oddfellows.ca; boutique-like bistro; good for dinner.
Ortolan – 1211 Bloor Street West (Brockton Village); 647-348-4500; 26-seater; nightly menu changes with weather.
Pantheon Restaurant – 407 Danforth Avenue (Greektown); 416-778-1929; pantheonrestaurant.com; souvlaki.
Quatrefoil – 16 Sydenham Street (Dundas); 905-628-7800; quatrefoilrestaurant.com; Tuesday through Saturday; French; in elegant, former Victorian home.
Sejong Restaurant – 658 Bloor Street West (Koreatown); 416-535-5918; dine.to/sejongrestaurant; barbecue (cook your own).
Spice Route – 499 King Street West (Downtown); 416-849-1808; spiceroute.ca; looks like California mansion from outside; Asian fusion.
Surati Sweet Mart Ltd. – 26 Camforth Road (North York); 416-752-3366; suratisweetmart.com; India Bazaar.
Table 17 – 782 Queen Street East (Riverdale-Leslieville); 416-519-1851; table17.ca; brunch; French bistro; Neapolitan eggs are excellent.
Terroni – 720 Queen Street West (West Queen Street); 416-504-1992; terroni.com; known for thin-crust pizzas, whole wheat pasta, and model types.
Udupi Palace – 1460 Gerrard Street East (East Toronto); 416-405-8189; udupipalace.ca; delicious dosas, chaats, and other southern Indian foods.
Urban Herbivore – 64 Oxford Street (Kensington Market); 416-927-1231; fressenrestaurant.com; vegetarian.
Ursa – 924 Queen Street West (West Queen Street); 416-536-8963; ursa-restaurant.com; dark-stained wood and sexy intimacy define interior; locavore fave with tofu made onsite.
Zocalo – 1426 Bloor Street West (Bloordale Village); 647-342-1567; zocalobistro.com; locally-sourced meals.



SERVICES
Ferry – 9 Queen Quay West (Harbourfront); 416-397-2628; toronto.ca/parks/island; for ferry to outlying islands.
6 by Gee Beauty – 2 Roxborough Street West (Rosedale); 416-486-0080; 6bygeebeauty.com; try oxygen facial; runs concept store in adjacent premises.



SHOPPING
A2Zane – 753 Queen Street West (Niagara); 416-803-7754; a2zane.com; modern bags.
Chandan Fashion – 1439 Gerrard Street East (East Toronto); 416-462-0277; chandanfashion.ca; silk fabrics.
Commute Home – 819 Queen Street West (Annex); 416-861-0521; commutehome.com; cavernous showroom that mixes industrial objects with neomodern furniture.
Daniel Faria Gallery – 188 St. Helens Avenue (Bloordale Village); 416-538-1880; danielfariagallery.com; art.
Devil’s Workshop – 890 Queen Street West (Niagara); 416-855-4321; thedevilsworkshop.ca; jewelry.
Dubai Jewelers – 1407 Gerrard Street East (East Toronto); 416-465-1200; dazzling array of Indian gold jewelry.
Dufferin Grove Farmers’ Market – 875 Dufferin Street (Brockton Village & Dufferin Grove); 416-392-0913; dufferinpark.ca.
Fresh Collective – 401 Roncevalles Avenue (Roncevalles Village); 647-352-7123; freshcollective.com; local “mini-chain” that sells one-of-kind clothing by local designers.
Future of Frances Watson – 1390 Queen Street West (Parkdale); 416-531-8892; thefutureoffranceswatson.blogspot.com; vintage-inspired clothing.
Good Egg – 267 Augusta Avenue (Kensington Market); 416-593-4663; goodegg.ca; cookbooks and high-end kitchen paraphernalia.
I Miss You – 63 Ossington Avenue (Ossington Strip); 416-916-7021; blogto.com/fashion/imissyou; vintage wear.
INabstracto – 1160 Queen Street West (West Queen Street); 416-533-6362; inabstracto.com; vintage furniture shop with emphasis on mid-century modern.
Klaxon Howl – 694 Queen Street West (Niagara); 647-436-6628; klaxonhowl.com; homegrown men’s label.
Kol Kid – 674 Queen Street West (Niagara); 416-681-0368; kolkid.ca; high-end children’s clothing.
Lady Mosquito – 1022 Queen Street West (Ossington Strip); 647-344-3266; ladymosquito.ca; South American “baubles.”
Machine Age Modern – 1000 Queen Street East (Riverdale-Leslieville); 416-461-3588; machineagemodern.com; teak dining tables, Georg Jensen clocks, and other vintage modern treasures.
Made – 867 Dundas Street West (High Park); 416-607-6384; madedesign.ca; gallery store that represents young product designers.
Made You Look – 1273 Queen Street West (Parkdale); 416-516-9595; madeyoulook.ca; Canadian-designed jewelry.
Mariclaro – 457 Roncevalles Avenue (Roncevalles Village); 416-533-9161; mariclaro.ca; in former car repair shop; clothing by locals, Willa Murray and Sven Schlegel.
Monkey’s Paw – 1229 Dundas Street West (Dundas West); 416-531-2123; monkeyspaw.com; antiquarian (used) book store.
Paul Petro Contemporary Art – 980 Queen Street West (West Queen Street); 416-979-7874; paulpetro.com; raw space showcasing young artists.
Penny Arcade Vintage – 1177 Dundas Street (Little Portugal); 647-346-1386; pennyarcadevintage.com; modern and vintage undergarments.
Robber – 863 Queen Street West (Niagara); 647-351-0724; robberstore.com; indie women’s fashion designers.
Ruins – 960 Queen Street West (West Queen Street); 416-725-0723; ruinstoronto.com; clothing store.
Scrap Metal Gallery – 11 Dublin Street, Unit E (Bloordale Village); 416-588-2442; scrapmetalgallery.com; contemporary art.
6 by Gee Beauty – 2 Roxborough Street West (Rosedale); 416-486-0080; 6bygeebeauty.com; concept store; candles, perfume, etc.
Sorauren Park Farmers’ Market – 260 Sorauren Avenue (Roncesvalles Village, at Fermanagh Avenue); 416-533-6363; westendfood.coop/farmers-market.
St. Lawrence Farmers’ Market – 95 Front Street East; 416-392-7120; stlawrencemarket.com.
Stop’s Green Barn Farmers’ Market – 601 Christie Street (Wychwood); 416-651-7867; thestop.org.
Sublime Cafe – 219 Augusta Avenue (Kensington Market); 416-732-0431; thesublimecafe.com; vintage soul record shop that doubles as coffee shop.
Sweetpea’s – 163 Roncevalles Avenue (Roncevalles Village); 416-537-3700; sweetpeablooms.ca; flower shop that also sells locally produced designed crafts, such as quilts and lavendar sachets.
Verso – 1160 Queen Street West (West Queen Street); 416-605-6894; versocollection.com; offbeat collection vintage industrial furniture, lighting, scientific oddities, art, objects, and rare toys.



SIGHTS & SITES
Art Gallery of Ontario – 317 Dundas Street West (High Park); 416-979-6648; ago.net; recently reopened, renovated by Frank Gehry; stunning.
Beaches – antique district on boardwalk.
Bellevue Square Park – 5 Bellevue Avenue (Kensington Market); 416-392-8188; toronto.ca/parks; has swimming pool.
Bloor/Yorkville – Koreatown, etc.
Entertainment District – world’s tallest building, CN Tower.
Greek Town – 2nd largest Greek community outside Greece.
India Bazaar – on Gerrard St. East; North America’s largest Indian bazaar.
Kensington Market – diverse neighborhood.
Kiever Synagogue – 25 Bellevue Avenue (Kensington Market); 416-593-9702; kievershul.com; built in 1927 by Ukrainian Jews.
Koreatown – ethnic neighborhood.
Little Italy & Corso Italia – actually more Portuguese than Italian.
McMichael Canadian Art Collection – 10365 Islington Avenue (Kleinburg); 905-893-1121; mcmichael.com; houses extensive collection paintings by Tom Thomson, Group of 7, and 1st Nations and Inuit artists.
Mount Pleasant Cemetery – 375 Mount Pleasant Road (Davisville Village); 416-485-9129; mountpleasantgroup.com; Glenn Gould (section 38, Row 1088, Plot 1050).
Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art – 952 Queen Street West (West Queen Street); 416-395-0067; mocca.ca; huge, warehouse-style gallery.
Old Cabbagetown – exclusive, gentrified neighborhood.
Old Chinatown – ethnic neighborhood.
Rosedale – wealthy suburb.
Royal Ontario Museum – 100 Queens Park (Yorkville); 416-586-8000; rom.on.ca; architectural crowdpleaser (with Daniel Libeskind addition); Canada’s largest natural history and world culture museum.
St. Lawrence Market – Downtown; merchant district.
Trinity Bellwoods Park – 1053 Dundas Street West (Trinity Bellwoods, between Queen Street West & Dundas Street West); 416-392-0743; trinitybellwoods.ca; filled with dogs, children, well-dressed residents, and yoga practitioners.

No comments:

Post a Comment