Guidebook for Toronto
Entertainment & Activities
Great park with a cool "spider web" climbing structure to clamber around on, and a miniature rock-climbing wall. An easy walk from our place.
15 locals recommend
Jean Sibelius Square
50 Kendal AveGreat park with a cool "spider web" climbing structure to clamber around on, and a miniature rock-climbing wall. An easy walk from our place.
A fun park with a pirate-ship themed climbing structure, swings, and a sandbox/water play area -- plus a wading pool in the summer! Right at the end of the street, maybe a minute's walk.
15 locals recommend
Vermont Square Park
819 Palmerston AveA fun park with a pirate-ship themed climbing structure, swings, and a sandbox/water play area -- plus a wading pool in the summer! Right at the end of the street, maybe a minute's walk.
Big public park with soccer and baseball fields, a playground, and an outdoor public pool (summer only, naturally). About 1 km away from our place.
246 locals recommend
Christie Pits Park
750 Bloor St WBig public park with soccer and baseball fields, a playground, and an outdoor public pool (summer only, naturally). About 1 km away from our place.
The William Bolton arena ("Bill Bolton") houses a skating rink, with some family skate times available.
Bill Bolton Arena
40 Rossmore RdThe William Bolton arena ("Bill Bolton") houses a skating rink, with some family skate times available.
Essentials
Grocery with a wide selection of Italian foods, very strong on deli meats and cheeses.
184 locals recommend
Fiesta Farms
200 Christie StGrocery with a wide selection of Italian foods, very strong on deli meats and cheeses.
Loblaws is one of the biggest chains in Canada, and has a good wide-ranging selection that should cover most of your needs. Includes a pharmacy.
1112 locals recommend
Loblaws
585 Queen St WLoblaws is one of the biggest chains in Canada, and has a good wide-ranging selection that should cover most of your needs. Includes a pharmacy.
Everything Else
BMV
Spadina AvenueBig (three-storey) used bookstore with all kinds of stuff.
Dupont Station is on the north-south line; use it to head down to the CN Tower (Union station), the ROM (Museum station), or anywhere on the loop that runs through downtown Toronto.
44 locals recommend
Dupont station
263 Dupont StDupont Station is on the north-south line; use it to head down to the CN Tower (Union station), the ROM (Museum station), or anywhere on the loop that runs through downtown Toronto.
Bathurst Station is on the main east-west line; use it to go out to Greektown (around Pape station), or over to Yonge St. (Bloor/Yonge station), skipping over the top of the north-south loop.
88 locals recommend
Bathurst Station
Bathurst Station is on the main east-west line; use it to go out to Greektown (around Pape station), or over to Yonge St. (Bloor/Yonge station), skipping over the top of the north-south loop.
Bloor St between Bathurst and Christie is full of Korean restaurants. Not the fancy grills, but more Korean home cooking. Korean food is served with several small side dishes of marinated vegetables.
161 locals recommend
Koreatown
Bloor St between Bathurst and Christie is full of Korean restaurants. Not the fancy grills, but more Korean home cooking. Korean food is served with several small side dishes of marinated vegetables.
Food Scene
Really good Thai food. Their green chicken curry is a particular favourite of ours. And this whole stretch of Bloor (Bathurst to Spadina) is packed with great restaurants.
10 locals recommend
Thai Basil
467 Bloor St WReally good Thai food. Their green chicken curry is a particular favourite of ours. And this whole stretch of Bloor (Bathurst to Spadina) is packed with great restaurants.
The Friendly Greek is one of a bunch of great places to go for tasty Greek food, out on the Danforth (Pape Stn on the E-W Bloor line). Hit a bakery and try some loukomades (dough soaked in honey).
The Friendly Greek Mediterranean Grill
494 Danforth AvenueThe Friendly Greek is one of a bunch of great places to go for tasty Greek food, out on the Danforth (Pape Stn on the E-W Bloor line). Hit a bakery and try some loukomades (dough soaked in honey).
Ka-Chi is famed for pork bone soup (Gamja tang) - pork neck bones simmered to tenderness, with spices and vegetables. The default is very spicy, but feel free to ask for a lower spice level.
Ka-Chi
Ka-Chi is famed for pork bone soup (Gamja tang) - pork neck bones simmered to tenderness, with spices and vegetables. The default is very spicy, but feel free to ask for a lower spice level.
Sunrise House on the north side of Bloor is a small place, and one of our favourites. Try the bulgogi with pork and squid - a sweet and spicy mixture served with rice on the side.
25 locals recommend
Sunrise House
661 Bloor St WSunrise House on the north side of Bloor is a small place, and one of our favourites. Try the bulgogi with pork and squid - a sweet and spicy mixture served with rice on the side.
Chinatown runs along and around Spadina, from about College down to Queen. A semi-infinite number of restaurants to choose from.
740 locals recommend
Chinatown
292 Spadina Ave.Chinatown runs along and around Spadina, from about College down to Queen. A semi-infinite number of restaurants to choose from.
Hard to describe the tasty food on offer, here. "Fusion home cooking", maybe? It's good, whatever you call it.
58 locals recommend
Chadwick's Craft Kitchen & Bar
268 Howland AveHard to describe the tasty food on offer, here. "Fusion home cooking", maybe? It's good, whatever you call it.
Love butter chicken or chickpea curry? Of course you do, you're a person of discernment, I can tell. But do you wish they came wrapped in a burritoesque naan bread shell? Roti Cuisine has you covered.
20 locals recommend
Roti Cuisine Of India
308 Dupont StLove butter chicken or chickpea curry? Of course you do, you're a person of discernment, I can tell. But do you wish they came wrapped in a burritoesque naan bread shell? Roti Cuisine has you covered.
Tasty Italian sandwiches, just around the corner from our place ... Open only for weekday lunches, 11am to 3pm.
Amore Fine Foods
934 Manning AvenueTasty Italian sandwiches, just around the corner from our place ... Open only for weekday lunches, 11am to 3pm.
Real Thailand Restaurant
570 Bloor St WGood pad thai and other Thai staples, off the menu or as a buffet.
Shopping
Local pharmacy. Also sells cosmetics, video games, postage stamps, and baguettes, because why not?
154 locals recommend
Shoppers Drug Mart
620 Keele StLocal pharmacy. Also sells cosmetics, video games, postage stamps, and baguettes, because why not?
Arts & Culture
The Second City theatres in Toronto and Chicago are world-famous, and have produced an incredible number of top comics. Take in a show, or try their Monday evening drop-in improv class!
156 locals recommend
The Second City Toronto
110 Mercer StThe Second City theatres in Toronto and Chicago are world-famous, and have produced an incredible number of top comics. Take in a show, or try their Monday evening drop-in improv class!
Sightseeing
They have dinosaurs. Well, dinosaur skeletons -- actual dinosaurs roaming the halls would be a huge safety hazard, don't be silly. Suits of armour and mummies, too.
2332 locals recommend
Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queens ParkThey have dinosaurs. Well, dinosaur skeletons -- actual dinosaurs roaming the halls would be a huge safety hazard, don't be silly. Suits of armour and mummies, too.
Art Gallery of Ontario
317 Dundas St WA nice collection of art.
One of the best science museums in the world: a huge space with all kinds of displays and exhibits, and an Omnimax (IMAX) theatre. You can easily spend a day seeing it all.
426 locals recommend
Ontario Science Centre
770 Don Mills Rd.One of the best science museums in the world: a huge space with all kinds of displays and exhibits, and an Omnimax (IMAX) theatre. You can easily spend a day seeing it all.
A bit expensive, but it's a really nicely set up aquarium. We love the underwater tunnel where the sharks and rays and so forth swim all around you. And the wall of jellyfish is a lot of fun.
2071 locals recommend
Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
288 Bremner BlvdA bit expensive, but it's a really nicely set up aquarium. We love the underwater tunnel where the sharks and rays and so forth swim all around you. And the wall of jellyfish is a lot of fun.
It's a Toronto cliché for a reason: our most famous feature. Most natives have either never been to the top, or went there decades ago on a school trip ... but we're fond of the Tower anyway.
3509 locals recommend
CN Tower
290 Bremner BlvdIt's a Toronto cliché for a reason: our most famous feature. Most natives have either never been to the top, or went there decades ago on a school trip ... but we're fond of the Tower anyway.
A Toronto landmark: an early 20th century mansion that some rich guy built in the shape of a bleeping castle. Can be fun to look around, though perhaps not if you're used to seeing actual castles.
1217 locals recommend
Casa Loma
1 Austin TerraceA Toronto landmark: an early 20th century mansion that some rich guy built in the shape of a bleeping castle. Can be fun to look around, though perhaps not if you're used to seeing actual castles.