Take On Toronto: Where To Eat, Drink And Stay In Canada’s Hippest City
Toronto boasts hip markets, mouth-watering cuisine and a whole lot of culture [Photo: Getty]
With more than half of its residents born outside Canada, Toronto is one of the world’s most culturally diverse cities.
And it shows – elements of all sorts of nations and peoples overlap and intertwine in the city’s different areas, which still all blend together into one big city buzz.
The slick skyscrapers of downtown grab the crowds, and this zone is certainly home to plenty of Toronto’s best attractions, and its classiest restaurants. But it would be a sin not to head a little way out of the centre to the cool and quirky neighbourhoods that fringe the high rises.
The hip and happening West Queen West is a great stop-off [Photo: Tourism Toronto]
Design fans should make tracks straight for West Queen West – a hub of independent shops, hip boutiques and the very coolest bars and restaurants. Here’s where the beautiful young things sip flat whites by day and cocktails by night, and the up-and-coming artists peddle their handiwork to the city’s tastemakers.
Kensington Market should absolutely be squeezed into your schedule [Photo: Tourism Toronto]
The bohemian Kensington Market area maintains prides itself on its rebellious edge. Here you’ll rub tattooed shoulders with artists and students browsing vintage shops and planning the revolution. To give you an idea, a plan to open a Walmart in the area was recently thwarted by 30,000 signatures. This is where the many immigrant communities first settled in Toronto. And thanks to this melting-pot vibe it’s possible to get your mitts on pretty much any cuisine you can dream up.
Because one thing all those different cultures have brought with them to Toronto is their food. You can eat your way around four corners of the earth within the limits of the city, and try some pretty wacky fusions to boot – Italian-Jamaican for dinner anyone? The food scene in the city is on a steep upward trajectory - 30 new restaurants have opened already in 2016.
Add to that a thriving art & design scene, first-rate museums, killer nightlife and great-value new flights from the UK, and you’ve got one hell of a city break on your hands. Here’s everything you need to know:
The towering heights of the CN Tower will take your breath away [Photo: Tourism Toronto]
The Sights
First things first, get yourself straight to the iconic CN Tower. Toronto’s best-known building was the world’s tallest freestanding structure until it was pipped by Dubai’s Burj Khalifa in 2007. The views from the 1,465 ft SkyPod viewing deck really are breathtaking. Give yourself plenty of time to gaze down on the urban sprawl and the wind-tipped waters of Lake Ontario. On a perfectly clear day you can just spot Niagara Falls and the borders of New York State. Got a head for heights and a craving for adrenaline? Harness up and take on the Edge Walk, a nail-biting saunter around the outside of the tower.
Art buffs mustn’t miss the Art Gallery of Ontario, fresh-faced from a revamp by architect Frank Gehry. The brutally modern metal and glass building houses the cream of Canadian art, plus a roster of not-to-miss temporary exhibits.
The Royal Ontario Museum is spectacular [Photo: Tourism Toronto]
Brush up on your science and history at the excellent Royal Ontario Museum. The Chinese and aboriginal collections are fascinating, as are the costume and textile exhibits.
Open your lungs on the Toronto Islands – a line of little land flecks with a dreamy and bucolic feel. Potter through the maple tree clusters, have a nosey at the picture-perfect cottages, and drink in the astonishing views of the city across the water.
Retail Therapy
All shapes of shopper will find somewhere to flex the plastic in Toronto.
The well-heeled and deep-pocketed should head to glitzy Bloor-Yorkville, a designer fashion hotspot home to all the big names, plus a sprinkling of cool boutiques.
Have a rummage at Kensington Market [Photo: Tourism Toronto]
Vintage queens will be in heaven in Kensington Market, Toronto’s tatty-round-the-edges but ultra-cool gem. Second hand and retro clothes shops sit one on top of the other, jostling for space with record stores and edgy tattoo parlours. Courage My Love is a local favourite. Overdo it on the $5 rails outside before stepping indoors for some fancier finds. Bungalow is surprisingly well organised for a second-hand shop, and is worth a rummage.
Kit out your pad and fill up your wardrobe in the achingly cool design shops in West Queen West. The arty district is a bit of a hipster mecca, but don’t let all that trendy facial hair put you off. Head to Drake’s General Store for beautiful homeware, treats for your skin and very fine foods. Just up the road sits Brodawka and Friends, selling jewellery, homeware and accessories with a focus on boutique Canadian labels. Fashion-wise, wander up Ossington Avenue, which is dotted every very steps with fashion boutiques and quirky shops. Style Garage will give you way too many interior design ideas, with its locally designed custom furniture in contemporary styles.
Chinatown is a stop-off you need to hit up [Photo: Tourism Toronto]
But if that all sounds a bit sensible, head to Chinatown to waste a few bucks in the trinket shops. They sell a curious mix of everything and nothing – and are great fun for a browse.
Fill Your Belly
Here’s where the fun really starts.
The food spectrum reaches from messy but marvelous street food to swish fine dining, so you can fill up on something delicious no matter the size of your wallet. Traditional Canadian restaurants – think lamb, seafood, and lots of it – sit alongside fusion eateries and international offerings.
A dish at Canoe [Photo: Tourism Toronto]
For a lavish take on Canadian fare make tracks for Canoe. This 54th floor fine dining spot takes the very best of Canada’s rich landscapes and serves it up with flair, bags of flavor and exceptional service.
Keep your eyes peeled for celebrities at Sotto Sotto. As the pictures on the walls will tell you, it’s been graced by A-listers including Canada’s own Ryan Gosling and Drake. The food is hearty Italian – made with heart and letting top quality ingredients speak for themselves.
The revolving restaurant at the top of the CN Tower is a heavenly treat. Drink in the views as you gently spin over the city, enjoying archetypal Canadian dishes. Don’t expect innovation – this is tradition done well.
Inside St Lawrence Market [Photo: Tourism Toronto]
For a bite during the day, St Lawrence Market buzzes with the sound of the city’s gourmands picking up ingredients for dinner as well as a selection of international delicacies to eat right there.
Kensington Market is where you’ll find the quirkiest fusion bites and messiest dude food spots. Join the queue at breakfast time at Nu Bugel for the chewiest bagels piled high with toppings. Come dinner, wander down Kensington Road or Baldwin Street and you’ll be spoilt for choice – Jamaican at Golden Patty, Mexican at Seven Lives Tacos and massive messy patties at The Burgenator to name but a few.
After Hours:
After all that food there’s no doubt you’ll have worked up a thirst.
Drake’s 150 is a cocktail joint worth visiting [Photo: Tourism Toronto]
Downtown in the Financial District, Drake’s 150 is a kitch but cool cocktail joint that stands out from its rather stuffier neighbours.
Over in West Queen West, join the creatures of the night at The Beaver. Think drag nights, the hottest DJs and plenty of booze. Just up the road El Almacen Yerba Mate Café is an Argentian hangout where you can dip your toes in tango dancing in the evenings.
For hard liquor, Ronnie’s in Kensington Market is for you. It’s a little ragged for sure, but the atmosphere is fun and laid back. Best of all, you can order cheese toasties from the restaurant over the road if you’ve overdone it on the sauce.
Rest Your Head:
The Delta Toronto juts up in the skyscraper forest of downtown, and is an excellent central base for exploring the city. Standard rooms start from £164 per night based on two people sharing, room only.
A room at The Drake Hotel [Photo: Tourism Toronto]
Over in West Queen West, The Drake Hotel is part boutique hotel, part art gallery. The décor is refreshed constantly with new pieces by Canadian artists by the in-house curator. Hit the roof terrace for drinks under a retro mural or nurse a cocktail in the downstairs bar under a video art installation. There are only six rooms, each individually decorated.
How To Get There:
WestJet for flies from London Gatwick to Toronto from £426 per person return, see www.WestJet.com
Visit www.SeeTorontoNow.com for more about the city.
