Toronto is a patchwork of neighborhoods, and the best way to discover its soul and flavor is to meander along its streets. On foot you can best appreciate the sights, sounds, and smells -- those elements that lend a particular area its unique character. These are some of the most interesting neighborhoods.
Downtown West
Chinatown -- Stretching along Dundas Street west from Bay Street to Spadina Avenue and north and south along Spadina Avenue, Chinatown is home to some of Toronto's 350,000 Chinese-Canadian residents. Packed with fascinating shops and restaurants, it even has bilingual street signs.
In Dragon City, a large shopping mall at Spadina and Dundas, you'll find all kinds of stores. Some sell Chinese preserves (like cuttlefish, lemon ginger, whole mango, ginseng, and antler), and others specialize in Asian books, tapes, records, fashion, and food. Downstairs, a fast-food court features Korean, Indonesian, Chinese, and Japanese cuisine.
As you stroll through Chinatown, stop at the Kim Moon Bakery, 438 Dundas St. W. (tel. 416/977-1933) for Chinese pastries and a pork bun, or go to one of the tea stores. A walk through Chinatown at night is especially exciting -- the sidewalks fill with people, and neon lights shimmer everywhere. You'll pass windows where ducks hang, gleaming noodle houses, record stores selling the Top 10 in Chinese, and trading companies filled with Asian produce. Another stop might be the New Asia Supermarket, 299 Spadina Ave. (tel. 416/591-9314), around the corner from Dundas Street.
To get to Chinatown, take the subway to St. Patrick and walk west.
Little Italy -- Along College Street between Euclid and Shaw, Little Italy competes with West Queen West for the hottest spot in the city. The area hums at night, as people crowd the coffee bars, pool lounges, nightclubs, and trattorias. Notable restaurants in the area include Sottovoce, Chiado, and Veni Vidi Vici. There are also some great boutiques in the area, such as Ewanika, 490 College St. (tel. 416/927-9699), which features chic, tailored clothing for women who don't normally like suits, and Mink, 550 College St. (tel. 416/929-9214), a glittering oasis of faux gemstones. To get there, ride any College Street streetcar west to Euclid Avenue.
Queen Street West -- This street has over the years been known as the heart of Toronto's avant-garde scene. That would be a serious stretch today. Sure, it's home to several clubs -- the BamBoo and the Rivoli, in particular -- where major Canadian artists and singers have launched their careers (see chapter 9), but it's also where you'll find mainstream shops such as Club Monaco, Gap, and Le Chateau. Edgy? Queen Street West would love to be, but it just isn't anymore. (See West Queen West, below, if you want a walk on the -- somewhat -- wilder side.)
Queen Street West officially starts at Yonge Street, but it doesn't really pick up, style-wise, till you cross University Avenue; it ends at Bathurst Street. There are lots of great bistros in this neighborhood, such as Le Sélect and the Taro Grill. This is also prime shopping territory, with one-of-a-kind clothing boutiques such as Price Roman, 267 Queen St. W. (tel. 416/979-7363), and Peach Berserk, 507 Queen St. W. (tel. 416/504-1711). You'll also find a number of fine antiquarian bookstores, antiques and/or junk shops, nostalgic record emporiums, kitchen supply stores, and discount fabric houses.
To start exploring, take the subway to Osgoode and walk west along Queen Street West.
West Queen West -- Queen Street West beyond Bathurst Street used to be a no-man's land -- not because it was dangerous, but because little of importance was believed to be that far from the downtown core. How times have changed: West Queen West, as the neighborhood is now known, is one of the liveliest 'hoods in the city (one magazine dubbed it the coolest in the country -- not that a typically modest Torontonian would tell you that!).
West Queen West is all funky fun. It's got great shops for housewares and antiques, such as Quasi Modo, 789 Queen St. W. (tel. 416/703-8300), and excellent small art galleries, such as the Stephen Bulger, 700 Queen St. W. (tel. 416/504-0575). It's also got some fine-but-affordable dining, at spots like Swan and Cities. To start exploring, take the subway to Osgoode and walk west along Queen Street West, or take the streetcar over to Bathurst.
Downtown East
The Beaches -- This is one of the neighborhoods that makes Toronto a unique city. Here, near the terminus of the Queen Street East streetcar line, you can stroll or cycle along the lakefront boardwalk. Because of its natural assets, it has become a popular residential neighborhood for young boomers and their families, and there are plenty of browseable stores along Queen Street. Just beyond Waverley Road, you can turn down through Kew Gardens to the boardwalk and walk all the way past the Olympic Pool to Ashbridge's Bay Park. To get to the Beaches, take any Queen Street East streetcar to Woodbine Avenue.
Midtown West
Yorkville -- This area stretches north of Bloor Street, between Avenue Road and Bay Street. Since its founding in 1853 as a village outside the city proper, Yorkville has experienced many transformations. In the 1960s, it was Toronto's Haight-Ashbury, the countercultural mecca for young suburban runaways otherwise known as hippies. In the 1980s, it became the shopping ground of the chic, who dropped their money liberally at such boutiques as Hermès, Chanel, and Cartier, and at the neighborhood's many fine art galleries. In the early 1990s, the recession left its mark -- a fact that became glaringly obvious when Creeds, a Toronto institution, shut its doors. The restored town houses began to look a little forlorn, but today the energy is back. Bloor Street and Hazelton Lanes continue to attract high-style stores, including a branch of Tiffany's.
Stroll around and browse -- or sit out in the sun at one of the many cafes on Yorkville Avenue or Cumberland Avenue, and watch the parade go by. Make sure you wander through the labyrinths of Hazelton Lanes, between Avenue Road and Hazelton Avenue. You'll find a maze of shops and offices clustered around an outdoor court in the center of a building that is topped with apartments -- one of the most sought-after addresses in the city. The courtyard plays host to outdoor dining in summer and skating in winter.
While you're in the neighborhood (especially if you're an architecture buff), take a look at the red-brick building on Bloor Street at the end of Yorkville Avenue that houses the Toronto Reference Library. Step inside and you'll find one of Toronto's most serene spots. To reach Yorkville, take the subway to Bay.
Mirvish Village -- One of the city's most illustrious characters is Honest Ed Mirvish, who started his career in the 1950s with a no-frills department store at the corner of Markham and Bloor streets (1 block west of Bathurst). Even from blocks away, neon signs race and advertisements touting bargains hit you from every direction. Among his other accomplishments, Mirvish saved the Royal Alexandra Theatre on King Street from demolition, established a row of adjacent restaurants for theater patrons, and developed this block-long area with art galleries, restaurants, and bookstores. He was responsible for saving and renovating London's Old Vic, too.
Stop by and browse, and don't forget to step into Honest Ed's. To start your visit, take the subway to Bathurst.
The East End
The Danforth/Greektown -- This eclectic area along Danforth Street east of the Don River is hot, hot, hot. It swings until the early hours, when the restaurants and bars are still crowded and frenetic. During the day, visitors can browse the traditional Greek stores -- like Akropol, a Greek bakery at no. 458 (tel. 416/465-1232) that displays stunning multi-tiered wedding cakes in the window. The neighborhood is becoming more ethnically diverse, and its new character is reflected by stores like Blue Moon, no. 375 (tel. 416/778-6991), which sells beautiful crafts from the developing world (the store supports only producers that provide healthy working conditions and fair pay); and El Pipil, no. 267 (tel. 416/465-9625), which has colorful clothing, knapsacks, and jewelry. To get to the Danforth, ride the subway to Broadview and walk east.
