What are the awesome things at this awesome location?

May 6, 2008 9:09 AM

TorontoFilter: I've just moved to an apartment on Queen, just west of Spadina. I'll be here for two months - until the end of June - and I'm really excited. What should I do, where should I eat and drink, to make the most of this neighbourhood?
posted by Dasein to society & culture (21 comments total)

There's this place called Gandhi Roti ...

Oh, and there's a meetup in early June being planned, although it looks as if we're going east of Yonge St. this time. Come along!
posted by maudlin at 9:18 AM on May 6, 2008

New York Subway has great food and is steps from you. On the higher end, Fressen is one of the best restaurants in the city. Terrific place for a date as it's all tapas so you spend the night eating off each other's plates. The Horseshoe Tavern often has great concerts.

Also, it might be useful to know what you like to do in order to recommend places.
posted by dobbs at 9:20 AM on May 6, 2008

Keep heading west -- all the good stuff starts after around Queen and Tecumseh. West Queen West is where all the hipsters live in Toronto. Some people might say it's played out (for instance, the Drake Hotel) but it's the most dense concentration of good bars & restaurants in Toronto.

If you want good eats, walk west from Tecumseh and then north on Ossington; you'll pass about 10-20 great places, like Czehoski, Beaver, Sweaty Betty's.
posted by krunk at 9:23 AM on May 6, 2008

dobbs - I don't like dance clubs or modern dance shows, and there's no way I can pass as a hipster if that's necessary to fit in at a place. Other than that, I want to experience a little bit of everything.
posted by Dasein at 9:31 AM on May 6, 2008

Try and get a ticket for Toronto FC. I have a season seat and the atmosphere is mental. Most games are sell-outs, but keep an eye on Craigslist or ebay. Even if you are not a real football fan (soccer ugh..) I guarantee you'll have a blast.
posted by Frasermoo at 9:34 AM on May 6, 2008

Seriously, I'd rate New York Subway above Gandhi's (sorry, tehloki!), and the 'Shoe is immortal. It's a great place to play hooky on a weekday afternoon, too: good music, good beer, and a good mixture of people.

Further west, the Gladstone Hotel always has some neat things going on, many that are free or cheap. It's not as drop-dead hipstery as the Drake, either. And there's a string of art galleries along the path from your place to the hotel that are worth a stroll. It's not like committing time and money to a full scale public gallery or a museum: you can drop in and out and and see as much art as you like.
posted by maudlin at 9:42 AM on May 6, 2008

burrito boyz!

burrito boyz!

burrito boyz!

(have I mentioned, I lurve me some burrito boyz?!)
posted by elkerette at 9:42 AM on May 6, 2008

I recently moved out of downtown Toronto and besides the food, the one thing I miss most is QUEEN VIDEO. Not that you want to waste time at home in front of the TV, but if you ever need a quiet evening, they have anything you could possibly want to watch. Best selection I've ever seen, and I discovered a lot of great new directors and collections. Very inexpensive as well.

Trinity Bellwoods park is great, there's a lot going on there.

I remember finding out about a lot of events from reading this blog: http://www.blogto.com/ or just pick up a NOW or an Eye Weekly. You're in the hub of it all, enjoy it!

P.S. I'm a big fan of some of the smaller, hole-in the wall restaurants in chinatown on Spadina. You'd probably have to go with someone who has a favourite place there though, as I couldn't remember any of the names. I had the best "real" Chinese food of my life though at Lee Gardens, Spadina and Dundas.

One last thing -- Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market - http://www.pskensington.ca/
They close off the street and there are lots of performers, displays, giant scrabble games, dancers, etc. Very fun times.
posted by Flying Squirrel at 9:58 AM on May 6, 2008

Hipster cred isn't essential at the restaurants (I am most certainly not one!) but be prepared for a lot of people with ironic haircuts walking around Queen West.

And yeah -- Burrito Boyz. Get the halibut!!
posted by krunk at 10:08 AM on May 6, 2008

Yes, Kensington Market -- not just Sundays, but all the time. When I lived there, nothing made me happier than heading out with $10 in my pocket and coming back with bags of fresh bread, fruit, & veggies.

If you head up north to Bloor, you'll get to Greg's Ice Cream-- best ice cream ever. Try the cinnamon...
posted by cider at 10:10 AM on May 6, 2008

Nth-ing the votes for:
-Burrito Boyz (definitely halibut)
-Kensington Market (make sure you get an empanada, and also head up to Ronnies Local 069 for a pint on the patio... oh, and across the street from Ronnies there's Goed Eten, who make the best waffles EVER - make sure you try the Liege style)
-Eye and Now mags (generally don't steer you wrong)

...and may I also suggest:
-Comedy at the Rivoli on Tuesday nights - always fun and cheap
-The two best jukeboxes in all of downtown are both in your area (though both in admittedly hipster-ish places): one at Sweaty Betty's, one at the Communist Daughter
-For god's sake, make sure you make it over to the Toronto Islands at least a couple of times - rent a bike if you can, and explore!

Google any of those items, and you'll have no trouble finding them (too lazy to link 'em right now). Also, don't be put off by all the gutter punks and insane weekend crowds in your immediate vicinity. Go west (or up to Kensington) and all will be well.
posted by freudenschade at 11:24 AM on May 6, 2008

You are at a crossroads of a lot of goodness, and lot of distinct neighbourhoods. Chinatown on Spadina is great. Kensington is great. (I live out her in hipsterland between the Drake and the Gladstone. Used to live in Chinatown/Market, around where you are now. Chinatown/Market is better).

nthing Gandhi and NY Subway. I believe they have some shared ownership. Toronto Rotis are great - there are lots of really good places, and they are all pretty different from each other.

There is tons of great interesting stuff to see/do/buy/eat in chinatown. Furams Dessert is great: http://www.yummybaguette.com/magasin.php-id=16.htm . Bright Peal for Dim Sum. At Chinese Traditional Bun, they have a meat dish that comes with plastic gloves so you can eat with your hands.

Book shopping at Pages is not far from you.

What are you looking for? There's so much goodness around you, it's hard to know where to start...
posted by ManInSuit at 11:35 AM on May 6, 2008

(Also - more yays for Burrito Boyz, for everything about Kensington Market, and for getting to the islands.)
posted by ManInSuit at 11:47 AM on May 6, 2008

Oh! Also you are not far from Active Surplus. I will try to stop posting now.
posted by ManInSuit at 11:51 AM on May 6, 2008

Dimsum at the bright pearl Spadina and dundas. Happy hour before 11am and after 1:30.
Pho Hung at the same intersection.
Nthing BurritoBoyz & Kengsinton Market
Take sailing lessons or rent a runabout at QQY at Harbourfront. you can also rent canoes and kayaks in the area.
Wander north to bloor and bathurst and check out Koreatown.

I've just realized that almost all of my advice regarding travel involves food.
posted by captaincrouton at 12:27 PM on May 6, 2008

Whoa whoa whoa. Get thee to Swatow (on Spadina, half a block north of Dundas) -- TONIGHT!
posted by Mrs Hilksom at 2:47 PM on May 6, 2008

Throwing one out there for Prague (north side of Queen, just west of Bathurst -- next to rotate this! I think). Reasonably priced. Ask for a side of sauerkraut.

Ideal Coffee -- go to the Ossington location (west side of the street south of Dundas), and make sure to go next door to Bar a Soupe for, you guessed it, soup.

Thursday and Friday nights and Saturday afternoons/early evening are good times to check out art openings -- West Queen West and Ossington have a bunch of great spaces -- MOCCA, Katherine Mulherin, Magic Pony, and XPACE are just a few.

Augusta House is a bar that just opened up in the Market, and seems to have potential (and free pool, if that's your thing). It's on the west side of Augusta, a few doors north of Dundas, next to the Boat. Some nights it's a music/dance venue, other nights it's just a drinking and hanging out venue.

I also approve of all other suggestions made thus far.
posted by Felicity Rilke at 9:16 PM on May 6, 2008

In Kensington I recommend:

- Big Burrito
- Rice Bar (great brunch on weekends)
- That organic place near the above 2 that always plays music too loud
- Tutti Frutti (health food store)
- House of Spice (bulk spices, nuts, etc.)
- The Mexican Grocery store also on Augusta

Close to you is Rotate This, which is one of the best record stores in the city. Soundscapes is a bit better but further (College and Manning).

Type Books is further West (around Shaw, I think) but is excellent. Spectacles is a great eyeglass place if you wear glasses. Commute Home always has some great furniture to look at that no one can afford. Decibal is at Queen and University (just west about 1.5 blocks) and has nice men's clothes.
posted by dobbs at 5:28 AM on May 8, 2008

Oh and Swipe is a neat bookstore on either Richmond or Adelaide, just west of Spadina.
posted by dobbs at 5:28 AM on May 8, 2008

Swipe just moved to 401 Richmond, just east of Spadina, as of last week.
posted by nathaole at 7:13 PM on May 8, 2008

West of Bathurst, you can fix up a beater bike at CBN. There's a great skate park at Bathurst & Dundas. Just south of King near Bathurst there's a secret movie theater that plays only trash/pulp film...

We're in a good neighborhood, I'm just a block north of Trinity-Bellwoods park.
posted by anthill at 8:41 PM on May 10, 2008