Guidebook for Toronto
Food Scene
Crafted By Te Aro
Local independent coffee shop.
The Lakeview Restaurant
1132 Dundas Street WestMid-price old-fashioned diner open 24/7!
Union
72 Ossington AveExcellent French-style bistro.
Best pho (Vietnamese soup) in Toronto. One of the last two remaining Vietnamese restaurants on the Ossington strip. Cash only.
119 abantu bendawo batusa
Pho Rùa Vàng Golden Turtle Restaurant
125 Ossington AveBest pho (Vietnamese soup) in Toronto. One of the last two remaining Vietnamese restaurants on the Ossington strip. Cash only.
Tasty, inexpensive Portuguese baked goods. Go for the custard tarts!
19 abantu bendawo batusa
Venezia Bakery
114 Ossington AveTasty, inexpensive Portuguese baked goods. Go for the custard tarts!
Pizzeria Libretto
221 Ossington AveThe most authentic Neopolitan pizza in Toronto.
Perhaps the best hamburgers in the neighbourhood. Enjoy the patio in the warm months.
25 abantu bendawo batusa
BQM Burger and Craft Beer Ossington
210 Ossington AvePerhaps the best hamburgers in the neighbourhood. Enjoy the patio in the warm months.
Toronto’s best poutine? It’s either Poutini’s or Smoke’s. We vote for here.
63 abantu bendawo batusa
Poutini’s House of Poutine
1112 Queen St WToronto’s best poutine? It’s either Poutini’s or Smoke’s. We vote for here.
Good soups, salads and sandwiches. Lunch on weekdays, brunch on weekends.
Cafe Bernate Business Closed
Good soups, salads and sandwiches. Lunch on weekdays, brunch on weekends.
The other great pizzeria in the neighbourhood. Always busy. Check out the great back patio in the summer.
445 abantu bendawo batusa
Terroni
720 Queen St WThe other great pizzeria in the neighbourhood. Always busy. Check out the great back patio in the summer.
Carmen
922 Queen St WExcellent Spanish cuisine, go for the paella.
Tourist hip central for Queen Street West. Of course you’re staying with us, but check out the bars, cafe and restaurant. Live music in the basement.
538 abantu bendawo batusa
The Drake Hotel
1150 Queen St WTourist hip central for Queen Street West. Of course you’re staying with us, but check out the bars, cafe and restaurant. Live music in the basement.
Foxley
207 Ossington AveAsian fusion food.
Fishbar
217 Ossington AvenueFish and seafood.
Refurbished diner that started the West Queen West renaissance.
58 abantu bendawo batusa
Rose and Sons
176 Dupont StRefurbished diner that started the West Queen West renaissance.
Fresh seafood of all kinds, with master oyster shuckers. Fish and chips for the more squeamish of us.
74 abantu bendawo batusa
Oyster Boy
872 Queen St WFresh seafood of all kinds, with master oyster shuckers. Fish and chips for the more squeamish of us.
Local independent coffee shop and vendor of organic produce and an eclectic variety of sweet treats.
15 abantu bendawo batusa
The Lucky Penny General Store and Cafe
189 Shaw StLocal independent coffee shop and vendor of organic produce and an eclectic variety of sweet treats.
Tampered Press
Dundas Street WestLocal independent coffee shop.
Cheap like borscht. Okay, they don’t actually serve borscht, but they have seriously good, fresh, made-to-order soups.
67 abantu bendawo batusa
RaviSoups
322 Adelaide St WCheap like borscht. Okay, they don’t actually serve borscht, but they have seriously good, fresh, made-to-order soups.
The neighbourhood’s other, older, boutique hotel. Good eats, art exhibits, poetry readings, live music and a working cage elevator.
194 abantu bendawo batusa
Gladstone Hotel
1214 Queen St WThe neighbourhood’s other, older, boutique hotel. Good eats, art exhibits, poetry readings, live music and a working cage elevator.
Essentials
One of Toronto’s first independent organic food stores. Lots of organic, free-trade and gluten-free goodies.
970 Queen St W
970 Queen Street WestOne of Toronto’s first independent organic food stores. Lots of organic, free-trade and gluten-free goodies.
Arts & Culture
Small commercial contemporary art gallery with a roster of prominent Canadian artists.
Paul Petro Contemporary Art
980 Queen St WSmall commercial contemporary art gallery with a roster of prominent Canadian artists.
Craft Ontario Shop
1106 Queen St WContemporary craft exhibits by Ontario and Canadian artisans.
Camera Bar
Check out their free Saturday movies, posted in the window. Intimate, 50-seat theatre.
Headquarters for the Toronto International Film Festival, with five screens showing art movies daily, year-round.
582 abantu bendawo batusa
TIFF Bell Lightbox
350 King St WHeadquarters for the Toronto International Film Festival, with five screens showing art movies daily, year-round.
Home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and of TIFF gala presentations during the film festival.
312 abantu bendawo batusa
Roy Thomson Hall
60 Simcoe StHome of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and of TIFF gala presentations during the film festival.
Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema
506 Bloor St WHome for the Hot Docs film festival.
The Theatre Centre
1115 Queen St WLocal live theatre.
Factory Theatre
125 Bathurst StLocal live theatre.
Theatre Passe Muraille
16 Ryerson AveLocal live theatre.
Stephen Bulger Gallery
1356 Dundas St WCommercial contemporary photography gallery.
Commercial art gallery. Specializes in paintings with very bright colours.
13 abantu bendawo batusa
Angell Gallery
1444 Dupont StCommercial art gallery. Specializes in paintings with very bright colours.
Commercial gallery with usually interesting work by established and up and coming artists. A few works in our home are from Katharine’s gallery.
Katharine Mulherin Contemporary Art Projects
Commercial gallery with usually interesting work by established and up and coming artists. A few works in our home are from Katharine’s gallery.
Shopping
1033 Queen St W
1033 Queen Street WestOh no! You’ve run out of toothpaste.
Planet of Sound
1020 Queen St WAn audiophile’s dream. You need a new pair of headphones for the plane, don’t you?
You’ve worn out your shoes walking around the neighbourhood and need a new pair.
34 abantu bendawo batusa
gravitypope Toronto
1010 Queen St WYou’ve worn out your shoes walking around the neighbourhood and need a new pair.
Everything Else
1117 Queen St W
1117 Queen Street WestFull-service post office.
West End YMCA
931 College StYou don’t want to skip your workout, do you?
Trinity Community Recreation Centre
155 Crawford StNice pool for a recreational swim.
7-Eleven
873 Queen St WYou’ve run out of gas. Your closest fill up is here.
Former neighbourhood high school, now a community cultural hub. Various artists’ studios and a cafe.
180 Shaw St
180 Shaw StreetFormer neighbourhood high school, now a community cultural hub. Various artists’ studios and a cafe.
Oh, no, you’re out of cash! The nearest Green Machine ATM to the rescue.
94 abantu bendawo batusa
TD Canada Trust Branch and ATM
15 York StOh, no, you’re out of cash! The nearest Green Machine ATM to the rescue.
Sightseeing
A well-used and well-loved community park, great for a stroll and some people watching. See if you can spot one of the elusive white squirrels.
743 abantu bendawo batusa
Trinity Bellwoods Park
790 Queen St WA well-used and well-loved community park, great for a stroll and some people watching. See if you can spot one of the elusive white squirrels.
Drinks & Nightlife
The local bar that jump-started Ossington Avenue as we now know it. Tons of local flavour.
67 abantu bendawo batusa
Sweaty Betty's
13 Ossington AveThe local bar that jump-started Ossington Avenue as we now know it. Tons of local flavour.
Ossington Avenue’s uber-popular nano-brewery with small restaurant and outdoor patio. So hip it hurts.
373 abantu bendawo batusa
Bellwoods Brewery
124 Ossington AveOssington Avenue’s uber-popular nano-brewery with small restaurant and outdoor patio. So hip it hurts.
Reposado
136 Ossington AveMore brands of tequila than you ever thought possible.
The Lakeview Restaurant
1132 Dundas Street WestLive bands in an unpretentious down-home bar.