Touristing in Toronto?
May 18, 2015 5:14 PM Subscribe
I have a business trip to Toronto the first week of June. I've never been, and will only have about three days with some of them occupied by work but my nights free and most likely one full day to myself. Any suggestions about things to do or see?
Unfortunately I don't know what hotel I'll be at just yet, and I won't have access to a car. I'd love to find a fun little coffee shop to hang out in, maybe do some window shopping, buy some good chocolate. What else should I do or see? I'll be visiting the Art Gallery of Ontario for sure.
Unfortunately I don't know what hotel I'll be at just yet, and I won't have access to a car. I'd love to find a fun little coffee shop to hang out in, maybe do some window shopping, buy some good chocolate. What else should I do or see? I'll be visiting the Art Gallery of Ontario for sure.
Best answer: My very first answer ever was for this very question. I suggested the Distillery District then, and I suggest it now. All your criteria will be met in one lovely afternoon. Lovely shopping, coffee, fancy chocolates, clothes, jewelry, gifts, galleries, food, beer, architecture, history. Cobblestones!
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 5:25 PM on May 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 5:25 PM on May 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
I've had fantastic meals at Bar Raval (Spanish tapas and pintxos to die for, plus a great cocktail menu) and at Richmond Station (local, Canadian inspired fare and their dessert chef makes out of this world creations, and I don't like dessert).
If you like independent comic books, The Beguiling is one of the most wonderful stores ever. And, their sister store, Little Island, is the best kid's comic bookshop I've been to.
posted by quince at 5:32 PM on May 18, 2015
If you like independent comic books, The Beguiling is one of the most wonderful stores ever. And, their sister store, Little Island, is the best kid's comic bookshop I've been to.
posted by quince at 5:32 PM on May 18, 2015
Do you like parks in the summer? Check out High Park.
Museums? The ROM is one of the best in the world.
AGO is a sure bet. If you like pubs, Sin and Redemption just across the street is nice.
Queen West between Bathurst and Ossington is fun for window shopping, and then you can head up Ossington to find pretty much any kind of restaurant you might want.
posted by Dipsomaniac at 5:44 PM on May 18, 2015
Museums? The ROM is one of the best in the world.
AGO is a sure bet. If you like pubs, Sin and Redemption just across the street is nice.
Queen West between Bathurst and Ossington is fun for window shopping, and then you can head up Ossington to find pretty much any kind of restaurant you might want.
posted by Dipsomaniac at 5:44 PM on May 18, 2015
Response by poster: Not a big drinker. Going to try and keep the budget down so can't treat myself to any pricy restaurants, alas, but hopefully there are some good middle-range places that aren't chains? Parks and pubs and bookstores and coffee shops are more my speed. Antiques and art galleries and some people watching also sound good.
posted by PussKillian at 6:24 PM on May 18, 2015
posted by PussKillian at 6:24 PM on May 18, 2015
Best answer: Heading out Queen West sounds like a good idea for you. There are lots of interesting independent shops and coffee places. Trinity Bellwoods is a great park. You can wander as far west as you want, then hop on the streetcar to head back downtown. You'll pass MOCCA, which is worth a visit. They do neat exhibitions.
Also, Kensington Market is worth a visit.
posted by TORunner at 7:07 PM on May 18, 2015 [5 favorites]
Also, Kensington Market is worth a visit.
posted by TORunner at 7:07 PM on May 18, 2015 [5 favorites]
Best answer: Here are some things to check out, all in walking distance from the University of Toronto campus:
posted by yarntheory at 7:21 PM on May 18, 2015
- Bakka Phoenix is a science fiction/ fantasy bookstore with a great selection.
- If Kekou Gelato is open, it's worth a visit for the unusual mix of flavors. (I have not tried the durian. I remember the sesame being good.)
- I like the Bata Shoe Museum.
posted by yarntheory at 7:21 PM on May 18, 2015
Best answer: Yes, Kensington Market might be up your alley. The Distillery is also nice, but more on the high-end/pricier side of things while Kensington is more of a vintage shop/people-hanging-out-in-the-park-with-devil-sticks-while-smoking-pot kind of vibe. The typical suggestion is to do a walk through Chinatown and Kensington (they're right next to each other) and then if you're up for more walking head west on Queen St from there (West Queen West will have small galleries and people watching).
There are a TON of restaurants in Toronto at all price ranges and food types, as well as coffee shops of the hip indie variety. For the latter, try Dark Horse in Chinatown and Ideal Coffee (amongst many other good options) in Kensington. Chinatown is also great for cheap food and Kensington has many cheap and mid-range places.
Both the main art gallery (AGO) and museum (ROM) in the city have free admission nights that you may want to check out - although they will be pretty packed during those times. There's a gelato place near the AGO, Kekou Gelato, that does pretty good Asian-inspired gelato flavours that I haven't seen anywhere else, although I don't know if it's open yet this year.
And for parks, try High Park in the west end (easily accessible by subway) or take a ferry ride out to the Toronto islands. Ferry docks are also easily accessible by transit. Highly recommended to take the ferry on a week day if you can, otherwise if the weather is nice you might be in for a long wait.
For fancy chocolate, maybe Nadege (they have one location right next to Trinity Bellwoods on Queen West) or Soma (King West or in The Distillery).
Feel free to memail me if you have any specific questions.
posted by scribbler at 7:22 PM on May 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
There are a TON of restaurants in Toronto at all price ranges and food types, as well as coffee shops of the hip indie variety. For the latter, try Dark Horse in Chinatown and Ideal Coffee (amongst many other good options) in Kensington. Chinatown is also great for cheap food and Kensington has many cheap and mid-range places.
Both the main art gallery (AGO) and museum (ROM) in the city have free admission nights that you may want to check out - although they will be pretty packed during those times. There's a gelato place near the AGO, Kekou Gelato, that does pretty good Asian-inspired gelato flavours that I haven't seen anywhere else, although I don't know if it's open yet this year.
And for parks, try High Park in the west end (easily accessible by subway) or take a ferry ride out to the Toronto islands. Ferry docks are also easily accessible by transit. Highly recommended to take the ferry on a week day if you can, otherwise if the weather is nice you might be in for a long wait.
For fancy chocolate, maybe Nadege (they have one location right next to Trinity Bellwoods on Queen West) or Soma (King West or in The Distillery).
Feel free to memail me if you have any specific questions.
posted by scribbler at 7:22 PM on May 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Do you like theatre? There are a number of good shoes on at Soulpepper.ca
posted by stray at 9:16 PM on May 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by stray at 9:16 PM on May 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
I used to live not far from Toronto, and yes, it has some of the best and easiest to find restaurants around. When I'd go in to kill a day Kensington Market was usually on my list, as was wandering the shopping area of the city. Sorry I can't be more help: I'm terrible at touristy things, unless you want to know about the best game and book stores in the city.
posted by Canageek at 9:21 PM on May 18, 2015
posted by Canageek at 9:21 PM on May 18, 2015
There's comedy, too - can recommend the Comedy Bar on Bloor (west end) and the Black Swan on Danforth (east end). Unfortunately, I think you're going to just miss most of the big festivals (which isn't to say there aren't smaller ones going on, there probably are), but check listings for evening (and day) types of things that are to your liking. It's finally spring, so the patios are hopping. (3rd walking Queen W to Kensington Market.)
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:35 PM on May 18, 2015
posted by cotton dress sock at 9:35 PM on May 18, 2015
If you like parks, there's also the Toronto Islands - the ferry ride is tons of fun.
posted by warriorqueen at 3:32 AM on May 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by warriorqueen at 3:32 AM on May 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
It's some years since I've been, but if you like shoes you might enjoy the Bata Shoe Museum.
It didn't blow me away because I don't much care for shoes, but from an "objective" point of view it's pretty cool.
posted by tel3path at 5:36 AM on May 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
It didn't blow me away because I don't much care for shoes, but from an "objective" point of view it's pretty cool.
posted by tel3path at 5:36 AM on May 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: On a practical note: for your free day, you can get a day pass for the subway/streetcar network for about $10 (equivalent of 4 trips). Then you can just hop on and off depending on where you want to go.
I love both the AGO (art!) and the ROM (dinosaurs!). Kensington market is great, Queen west is great, Distillery district is great for window shopping but as noted tends toward the high end.
There are tons of options for great food at every price. Ramen shops have exploded here the past couple of years: Santouka Ramen and Santosei Ramen are excellent (both on Dundas and walking distance from the AGO). I like Tokyo sushi (Bay St and St Joseph. They don't have a website, and there are other restaurants by the same name). Sin and Redemption is nice and has consistently decent food but I feel like it's gotten both more expensive and more boring over the past few years. If you are interested in european beer then I would recommend it, but you say you're not a big drinker. Also they got rid of their delicious vegetarian burger. Jerks.
If you want more suggestions of places to eat, memail me or update the question when you know where you are staying. I have been eating my way through the city on a grad student budget and have many opinions.
My pick for fancy chocolate is SOMA (locations in the Distillery and on King St west. The King St location is accessible by streetcar. If you go north on Spadina a few blocks from SOMA, Dark Horse espresso bar has great coffee and a really nice light-filled interior. Also walking distance from the AGO, in the other direction.
posted by quaking fajita at 7:26 AM on May 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
I love both the AGO (art!) and the ROM (dinosaurs!). Kensington market is great, Queen west is great, Distillery district is great for window shopping but as noted tends toward the high end.
There are tons of options for great food at every price. Ramen shops have exploded here the past couple of years: Santouka Ramen and Santosei Ramen are excellent (both on Dundas and walking distance from the AGO). I like Tokyo sushi (Bay St and St Joseph. They don't have a website, and there are other restaurants by the same name). Sin and Redemption is nice and has consistently decent food but I feel like it's gotten both more expensive and more boring over the past few years. If you are interested in european beer then I would recommend it, but you say you're not a big drinker. Also they got rid of their delicious vegetarian burger. Jerks.
If you want more suggestions of places to eat, memail me or update the question when you know where you are staying. I have been eating my way through the city on a grad student budget and have many opinions.
My pick for fancy chocolate is SOMA (locations in the Distillery and on King St west. The King St location is accessible by streetcar. If you go north on Spadina a few blocks from SOMA, Dark Horse espresso bar has great coffee and a really nice light-filled interior. Also walking distance from the AGO, in the other direction.
posted by quaking fajita at 7:26 AM on May 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
The Zoo has Giant Pandas and can be reached by bus or train. Admission is $28 and hours are 9-7 daily in the summer, so it would have to be during your free day.
posted by soelo at 7:34 AM on May 19, 2015
posted by soelo at 7:34 AM on May 19, 2015
Best answer: The art gallery is best for your day off with a walk to nearby Kensington or down to queen west as noted above. Cafe Plenty near the art gallery had superb drip coffee. It also has delicious sandwiches and salads which aren't cheap but are worth it at slightly over $10. Towards Kensington market on dundas are the restaurants Asian Legend, ka-chi, and Anne's Magic Kitchen which are all good to grab lunch. As also noted above there are good ramen places near the AGO but go to the one on Baldwin Street near the gallery as it's on the way to Kensington and Baldwin is a cute street. However in the gallery itself you can get good Mac and cheese and a beer in the downstairs cafeteria.
posted by biggreenplant at 9:54 AM on May 19, 2015
posted by biggreenplant at 9:54 AM on May 19, 2015
Absolutely visit the St. Lawrence Market on Front Street, voted the #1 food market in the world by National Geographic. Don't miss the lower level!
posted by yawper at 11:50 AM on May 19, 2015
posted by yawper at 11:50 AM on May 19, 2015
SOMA for chocolate, TYPE books for the obvious, Queen West will also scratch your window shopping itch. If you're here on a Sunday, the St. Lawrence Market has antiques in the morning. There are more independent coffee shops than you can shake a stick at...you may want to just walk around and see what you run into.
There is a SOMA on King, I believe, in addition to the Distillery District location (personally, I hate the Distillery and think it's an expensive tourist trap, but to each his own).
posted by Miss T.Horn at 5:05 PM on May 19, 2015
There is a SOMA on King, I believe, in addition to the Distillery District location (personally, I hate the Distillery and think it's an expensive tourist trap, but to each his own).
posted by Miss T.Horn at 5:05 PM on May 19, 2015
Best answer: St. Lawrence market has a North Market (rotating things) and a South Market (open Tuesday through Saturday, combination awesome groceries and fresh food). If the weather is nice, I would recommend planning for lunch on a park bench with something purchased/assembled at St. Lawrence Market (back bacon sandwiches) or Kensington Market (roll from bakery + cheese from cheese shop).
There's a Cloud Garden downtown. The Eaton's Centre is fun if you like people watching--and if it gets to crowded you can go out to Trinity Square.
posted by sarahkeebs at 10:19 PM on May 19, 2015
There's a Cloud Garden downtown. The Eaton's Centre is fun if you like people watching--and if it gets to crowded you can go out to Trinity Square.
posted by sarahkeebs at 10:19 PM on May 19, 2015
Response by poster: Have just been told I'll be staying at the Marriott Toronto Downtown Eaton Centre Hotel. I'm getting excited - my current area doesn't have a ton of good Chinese food options so dim sum and Chinese egg custard tarts are top of mind, plus ramen. Also discovered that there is a Muji branch there so I can finally explore. I'd love to go into the Fluevogs branch and see if any of their shoes fit my extra-wide feet, since I think they're super cute but have to be wary about purchasing expensive shoes.
It looks like I'll be within walking distance of Kensington Market so some strolling and eating and window-shopping sounds ideal. Thanks, everyone, and I don't leave for a few more days so if anyone has a few last-minute recs, I'd love to hear it.
posted by PussKillian at 12:44 PM on May 27, 2015
It looks like I'll be within walking distance of Kensington Market so some strolling and eating and window-shopping sounds ideal. Thanks, everyone, and I don't leave for a few more days so if anyone has a few last-minute recs, I'd love to hear it.
posted by PussKillian at 12:44 PM on May 27, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
If you like cocktails, The Hoof Cocktail Bar is the best in the city imo. 923 Dundas West.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 5:23 PM on May 18, 2015