Toronto's Top Neighbourhoods

Our Local Expert Says:

The Gladstone plays host to a continuous cycle of niche arts events throughout the year. It's first and second floors support small artists of all sorts as they sell and perform their cultural wares. Good weekend brunch can be sourced in the dining room — which fills up with hipsters and young professionals each weekend.

Description:

The Gladstone Hotel is located in Toronto, Canada. Three km from High Park, in the Queen Street West art and design district, six km from downtown Toronto Features. Event facilities Business services Restaurant, bar Guestrooms. Flat-screen TVs with premium cable Voice mail Wireless Internet access.

Our Local Expert Says:

Check out Kensington on the last Sunday of each summer month, when the streets are shut down to car traffic and there are open-air concerts and art displays. These Pedestrian Sundays are definitely the most lively and interesting day of the week.

Description:

Kensington Market is one of Toronto's most diverse neighbourhoods. It is designated as a national historic site in the city and is best to explore by foot or bike. The Market itself has a variety of goods and is home to a happening art scene. In the 1960s and 70s, it became Toronto's home for counter-cultural thinking and a meeting point for eco-politics. Visitors to Kensington can relax and let the neighbourhood move them along - through the bakeries, butchers, bulk vendors, cafes and vintage clothing shops that line every square inch of storefront space.

Our Local Expert Says:

The street is prime for people watching and shopping. Grab a coffee or a beer in the summer and sit outside on one of the many patios to watch as some of Toronto's most eclectic residents cruise by.

Description:

Queen West, and particularly the strip between University and Spadina avenues, is well-known as Toronto's hub for trendy fashions and young hipster crowds. Out of town youth eagerly flock to this part of Queen to hang out near the Much Music headquarters and to shop and eat their way through the big name designer shops and cafes that line the street.

West Queen West, which lies west of Bathurst Street, draws a more alternative, artistic crowd and, while increasingly gentrified, it remains relatively untouched by large bands of visitors. Uber-trendy designer, vintage and decor shops as well as galleries and really good independent cafes dominate the streetscape here. This is a great part of the city to grab leisurely brunch before spending the afternoon roaming the neighbourhood's bookstores, boutiques and taking a stroll through Trinity Bellwoods Park.

Our Local Expert Says:

Talk about customer appreciation: week day happy hour deals run from 9-11:30am and 1:30-4pm daily. Dishes of every size are available for $1.88 a piece. On weekends and holidays, between 9am and 11am, enjoy your meal for 15% off. And: should you head to Bright Pearl Seafood during the week of your birthday, you can receive a free dim sum combo. Enjoy!

Description:

Have you ever had authentic Chinese food? Not the all-you-can-eat-buffet, order-in kind. Everything you need to experience is at Bright Pearl. For those who don't know, Dim Sum is an extensive (and I mean huge - 150 items to be exact) selection of Chinese delights from delicious dumplings to scrumptious short ribs. This restaurant has won both Best of Toronto Central Chinatown and Toronto Public Health's Dining Guide List awards. You cannot miss the building with its distinctive imperial lion statues in the front.

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Although it's never been considered terribly trendy or fashionable, this strip is still likely to provide you with a great deal or an unusual treasure. Pronounced 'Spa-dye-nah', here you'll discover wholesale outlets, factories and a culturally diverse array of grocers, as well as fur and leather discount stores. Many of the Chinese eateries tucked away along this stretch of downtown are first rate. While bargain hunting in the Spadina-Kensington area, where the European-style Kensington Market is located, be sure to step into the numerous cheese and fish shops.

Our Local Expert Says:

Queen's Quay (pronounced key) has a great lake front trail that is great for cycling, rollerblading, or walking. It is always bustling with locals and tourists and is particularly nice in the early evening as the sun begins to set.

Description:

Queen's Quay is part of Toronto's harbor-front neighborhood and it is one of the most active places in the summer. There is a festival almost every weekend through July and August so plan ahead and check the schedule to see what grabs your interest. The area also has several art galleries and shops as well as a small manmade beach on Lake Ontario. The neighbourhood has also been changing in recent years; a condo boom in the city has drastically increased the number of residents calling Queen's Quay their home.

Our Local Expert Says:

Harbourfront has a really comprehensive website that outlines all of the upcoming events. It's worth heading down to Harbourfront for one of the festivals, especially the Hot and Spicy Food festival if you're in Toronto in August. Harbourfront's events are always packed with entertainment, good food and lots of people.

Description:

Open-air concerts, food fairs and festivals of every description typify summertime at Harbourfront. During the more inclement months, a full facility including theatres, art galleries, lecture and workshop spaces, and concert venues keep patrons' cultural cravings sated.

This ten acre waterfront property provides access to two Toronto marinas and the boardwalk; it is also host to an estimated 4000 events each year. The Harbourfront Centre, located in the heart of the property, is a non profit organization committed to making its milti-disiciplinary arts and cultural events available to as diverse a group as possible. The Centre offers a full slate of educational programs to cover all age ranges and interests: from school groups to niche craft workshops, lectures and reading series.

Harbourfront is accessible by the Queens Quay West streetcar from Spadina Avenue and Union Station. It is also an access point for ferries to Toronto Islands.

Description:

Mariposa Cruises is one of the largest operators of hospitality cruises in Canada. In Toronto, they run a fleet of six ships of various sizes and shapes. They offer one-hour narrated tours of the harbour and islands, which will allow you to take in Toronto's amazing skyline, with views of the CN Tower, the Rogers Centre (SkyDome), the Island Airport, Harbourfront and the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse. There are five departures daily through the summer. Mariposa also offers two-hour lunch cruises, three-hour dinner cruises, a two-hour Sunday Brunch Cruise, and a variety of special events throughout the year. All meals are buffet-style and prepared fresh by the cruise line's chefs.

Description:

The Toronto Islands are a very short ferry ride away from downtown and are the largest urban car-free community in North America. They offer the best views of Toronto's skyline. The largest island is Centre Island and is home to the Centreville amusement park. For a bit of a slower pace, check out the residential communities on one of the other islands. There are about 250 cottages on Ward's Island that are closely monitored and protected by the Province. Ward's Island is off the beaten tourist path and has some cute cafes to relax and have a coffee.

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Toronto's Entertainment district is full of clubs, theatre, and restaurants. With over 300 clubs packed into eight blocks, the district includes something for everyone from The Second City comedy club to the Royal Alexandria Theatre. Spend the day shopping on Queen St. W. then head south to the entertainment district in the evening, eat a relaxing dinner and then hit the clubs with the locals. If you plan ahead, you can also catch a show as Toronto has an excellent theatre scene. Dress to impress as this is the area to see and be seen!

Description:

What do Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Mike Myers, and Gilda Radner have in common? Aside from being great comedians, they all got their start at the Second City club in the Old Fire Hall. The club has since moved to where the action is, near Blue Jays Way, north of the SkyDome, but the impromptu wit and cutting satire are still there. For a full evening out, enjoy dinner at the adjoining restaurant, and then make your way to the theater to laugh off the calories. Make sure to check out the post-show improv when audience suggestions influence the hilarious direction of the show. Tickets range in price.

Our Local Expert Says:

Rogers Centre does a behinds the scenes tour where visitors can see how the Rogers Centre runs on a day-to-day basis. Highlight of the tour is the visit to the Centre's press box.

Description:

Home to the Toronto Blue Jays since the 1989 season, as well as the Argonaut Canadian Football League squad, this $500-million-plus architectural marvel (formerly known as SkyDome) is the first stadium to have a fully retractable roof. Seating more than 50,000 for baseball, the stadium boasts the world's largest JumboTron scoreboard, a 346-room hotel with some suites facing the field, and a Hard Rock Café with field-view seating. Guided tours operate daily depending on the event schedule.

Description:

The Gooderham Building - also known as the Flatiron building due to its shape - is one of the city's more iconic pieces of architecture. Its narrow wedge shape is forced by the junction of Wellington and Front streets at the east end of the city's financial district, and built in 1892, it is the oldest flatiron-shaped building in North America. There is a mural on its back wall, painted by renowned Canadian artist Derek Michael Besant as a trompe l'oeuil - it appears to give the building more windows than it actually has. The mural is of the Perkins Building which is located across the street. The building is currently occupied by business offices, but there is a pub in the basement with a large patio and views of one of the oldest sections of the city.

Our Local Expert Says:

Fresh Pizza from St. Lawrence Pizza is great to grab on the go. Two levels of stalls brim with produce, artisanal cheeses, bread and meats. Make a picnic to take to the waterfront, or grab what you need for an decadent dinner-in.

Description:

The St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood is close to the financial district and it is home to an eclectic mix of people. The absolute must see in the neighbourhood is the market itself. It's consistently ranked in the top markets globally and is divided into North and South markets. The South market is the main area and has a main floor and basement. A St. Lawrence (and Canadian) staple is the peameal bacon sandwich which can be found in a number of locations with the perennial favourite being Paddington's Pump. Also worth tasting at the market is the fresh pasta and pizza from St. Lawrence Pizza.

Our Local Expert Says:

On a summer evening, the Distillery patios are a great place to hang out and soak in Toronto’s history.

Description:

The Distillery District has exploded onto the Toronto map as a major centre for the city's theatre and live culture scene. The area boasts a number of performance venues and is the official home of many of Toronto's acclaimed small theatre companies.

Visitors can wander freely through the brick-laid, pedestrian-only streets, and they can explore the art studios and gallery spaces that fill the former Gooderham & Worts buildings. A burgeoning restaurant industry and the local Mill St. microbrewery attract foodies to the area, while the thriving cultural production scene makes the Distillery district a stronghold of information (and important destination) for anyone interested in the what's-what of the Toronto art world.

Don't forget to drop by SOMA Chocolatemaker, where you can sip on the richest, most chocolaty hot chocolate in the city, test one of the scrumptious handmade chocolates, and even watch them being made through the glass-paneled chocolate kitchen.

If oysters in the half shell and great wine are your thing, you my want to check out Pure Spirits Oyster House & Grill for a slice of heaven.

The Distillery district is framed to the west by Parliament Street and to the... read more

Description:

Bloor Street, one of the city's major arteries, becomes the Danforth east of the Bloor Viaduct. The Danforth is essentially the heart of Greektown. Home to dozens of fabulous Greek restaurants spanning all price brackets, the Danforth also hosts a variety of unique shops, churches, and parks. And, with the subway running just underneath, you can wander as far as your interest takes you, then hop back on the subway into town. Every August, it plays host to the Taste of the Danforth, a festival that springs up around dozens of cookstalls and fabulous food out on the street.

Description:

Located in Toronto's East End, this area is a small enclave that large numbers of Greek descendants call home. While the entire Danforth neighbourhood and the communities that it supports are primarily of Greek heritage, the dominant intersection for Greektown is at Pape and Danforth. Known for its nightlife and fabulous late-night restaurants, this is a favourite spot for Torontonians with an after-hours craving for loukaniko (home-made wine sausage.) Summertime means the annual Taste of the Danforth, a street party and beer garden backed with native music and sample food from over 80 restaurants.

Our Local Expert Says:

The Gladstone plays host to a continuous cycle of niche arts events throughout the year. It's first and second floors support small artists of all sorts as they sell and perform their cultural wares. Good weekend brunch can be sourced in the dining room — which fills up with hipsters and young professionals each weekend.

Description:

The Gladstone Hotel is located in Toronto, Canada. Three km from High Park, in the Queen Street West art and design district, six km from downtown Toronto Features. Event facilities Business services Restaurant, bar Guestrooms. Flat-screen TVs with premium cable Voice mail Wireless Internet access.

Description:

Forest Hill Village is one of Toronto's most affluent neighborhoods and is not a typical tourist destination. What is striking about Forest Hill is that although it is in the middle of the city, it has a very suburban feel. It's worth taking a bit of a wander around, checking out some of Toronto's priciest real estate and just enjoying a break from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the city. The neighborhood is noticeably quiet and as soon as you step off the subway, it feels like another world.