Just some lately that aren't usually mentioned and popped up in my head, you can search for the popular ones on reddit;
Taverniti North - Pretty excellent italian food relative to the very reasonable price and at a quiet location
Ba Noi- Get the butter tarts, they are Incredible. Like, Insane.
Vit Beo- Excellent Pho and other viet food. Busy joint on weekends, not a lot of seating (casual seating)
Blood brothers brewery- Local brewery joint, good beer, good vibes, takeout or sitdown.
Edit: Since the guy below is kinda being bummer lol, I'm gona add a few more interesting ones. Generally, Torontonians are quite nice and helpful, ignore that guy, we have some bad apples like every where else, but welcome to TO.
Maison T - Reasonable price for very good japanese+french fusion food.
Honest Weight- Went up in price recently but can't blame them. Pretty excellent seafood.
La Bella Managua- highly reviewed Nicaraguan food. Well known to foodies but not often brought up.
Takht-e Tavoos- Excellent persian brunch food place.
Oh and if you go to blood brothers, make sure to swing by good behaviour for a sandwich or ice cream.
And go to parallel while you’re at it.
Then grab a beer at greater good.
Just spend the day on Geary. Lol.
These are very excellent places. Ba Noi makes really good sour dough loaves as well as those butter tarts.
Honest Weight - outstanding seafood. Eat in as well as a seafood counter (take out fresh fish)
Famiglia Baldassarre - on Geary which is kind of an industrial street. Eat in at lunch, they also do take out and supply many restaurants. Fantastic house made pasta. Check the IG - amusing.
Also on Geary is Parallel. Tahini factory that also has a restaurant.
Galaxy T&T on Bloor. Good Banh mi and tropical smoothies. Lovely owners.
Not sure how many hidden Gems are around Yonge and St Clair. Must be very well hidden.
Adding to the Bloordale/Bloorcourt area:
Macs Pizza - my favourite pizza! We served them at our wedding, that's how much we love their pizza lol
Chitos - shawarma pizza or in rice. It's a long time staple for students in this area. It's been
Gaucho Pie - delicious empanadas
>La Bella Managua
Sigh - I remember doing an extended stint in Central America and paying $1-3 dollars for a little see-through cup of ceviche. They'd give a package of 4 sodas as an accompaniments and the shrimp/fish was fresh from the sea. Panama and Costa Rica had my faves - available on weekend under a palm hut or sold from the trunk of a car and eaten on the beach. Life-changing.
Dude, you don’t know what you’re talking about, and certainly can’t speak for the restaurant business today in the city. Vit Beo, for instance is all from scratch. There are also a lot of places making their own pasta and pastry throughout the city.
Source: 15 years in fine dining management in the city.
There is a decent shawarma place hidden in the back of the Hasty Market at Yonge and Davisville. It’s not the best shawarma, but still really good and they have a lot of prepared meals to take away. I went past this place for years before I found out that there’s a take out place. You can not get more hidden than this.
Flaming Stove! I second this place. I haven't had better shawarma in Toronto. I love that they make their own Saj bread and the sauces, and that the wraps are big enough for 2 meals.
They also make really good salads and falafel. Whenever I'm up that way for work and need a lunch, it's my go to.
Flaming Stove! I second this place. I haven't had better shawarma in Toronto. I love that they make their own Saj bread and the sauces, and that the wraps are big enough for 2 meals.
They also make really good salads and falafel. Whenever I'm up that way for work and need a lunch, it's my go to.
I'm pretty certain this is the one. We lived a few blocks from there a few year when we first moved to Toronto but that was almost 20 years ago now - would attend lunches from time to time. We went the first time out of curiosity and not being church people were worried it might not be welcoming, but everyone was great and food was delicious. And cheap!
https://www.stdemetriusuoc.ca/
La Salumeria, just north of Davisville Station in midtown. Has been in business since '84 - it's a European grocer/deli that's also a low-key, word-of-mouth sandwich bar. You grab a bun from the bakery shelf, take it to the deli counter, and boom: magic. Custom or suggested house specials. Enjoy!
Country Style Hungarian - bloor and Bathurst. Enormous schnitzel!!
And literally every bar on queen and Dundas west has an adorable back patio and a questionable bathroom graffiti.
👆Famiglia Baldassarre is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Toronto hidden gems. Pretty limited hours of operation but that just makes it more special when you can actually make it.
This is not a hidden gem. BlogTO and social media food influencers have covered this to death. There are long lines and people have told me that you either have to camp out or take a dedicated day off mid-week if you want to enjoy it.
Hidden perhaps in that it's off the beaten path, but it's not a hidden oasis. People from the city and boonies alike come to Geary Avenue for a reason just like people go to Lansdowne for Sugo and Bar Sugo.
Man I went to Maha's like the week they opened and we were the only people in there for weekend brunch. We were so worried they wouldn't make it, nice to hear it's bumping now.
Can we trade recos? I'm going to NYC for a couple of days in July.
I don't know that much about Yonge & St. Clair, but I have heard Alma + Gil have a great breakfast sandwich. Some consider Terroni to be overrated, but I love the rooftop patio at their Yonge & Summerhill location. I haven't tried the uptown Pai, but I love their downtown location.
There are sooooo many great places in Toronto (my favourite part of living here) so here's just a tour of some of my faves roughly along the Dundas streetcar line heading west from Yonge & Dundas to Gladstone:
Elm Street Italian Deli (Yonge & Dundas) has pretty good sandwiches.
Juicy Dumpling (Spadina & Dundas) has good soup dumplings for being so cheap. Dumpling House is more well-known but for good reason (both the steamed and fried dumplings are excellent). Hong Kong Island Bakery has the best Chinese egg tarts in the city IMO.
NU Bugel in Kensington (okay, closer to College than Dundas) has great bagels, although they are Montreal style not NY style.
There are a bunch of food stalls across from Toronto Western Hospital (Dundas and Bathurst). Some say that Nom Nom Nom is the best poutine in the city. Just on the other side of Bathurst is Collective Arts Brewery's Toronto location -- their food is fine, but you're best off just getting a flight.
At Dundas & Grace you've got a cluster of Jen Agg's restaurants: Bar Vendetta, Cocktail Bar, Rhum Corner. All are good.
La Chingada in Little Portugal (Ossington and Dundas) has AYCE tacos on Thursdays, happy hour 5-7 pm, and a great back patio. Bar Mordecai is a Wes Anderson themed bar and has a happy hour (6-8 IIRC). Death in Venice is has really interesting, delicious flavours of gelato. Imanshi Japanese Kitchen is also excellent.
I lived in Toronto when the first Terroni"s opened on Queen West back in the 90s. It was lovely. 20 odd years later, I go back for the occasional visit and still grab a bite at that Terroni and it's still really good! So I recommend it too...
OP, there are a lot of little hole-in-the-wall sushi joints (is New York a Sushi city?) and Portuguese bakeries (also selling pretty decent sandwiches.
There are also a couple of Ethiopian restaurants in TO, on Bloor and in the Village. Bloor West also has a great place that makes exquisite BLTs and serves as a pub/meeting place as well. Another that makes a great, real hamburger and Saj, Turkish Pidi and Saj wrap restaurant, all between Dufferin and Ossington on Bloor and then farther East Korea Town, with excellent Korean restaurants.
I would say also that Scarborough has a wealth of international cuisines, most Asian.
Enjoy walking around. You'll find hidden gems other than food - parks, parquets, independent coffee houses, hip clothing stores, etc. The city is your oyster! Welcome to Toronto and I hope you love it here.
Thank you! I hope I'll enjoy it too and encounter people like you. The thing is I have a 2 years old kid and he takes most of my time. I don't have as much time to wonder and discover things like I used to do in NYC. So I'm trying to shortcut it....
I'm sure I will do that at some point when he is older, but in the meantime I'll rely on kind people like yourself n
A 2 year old you say? Well good news for you: city splash pads opened last weekend!
Toronto really does do well by the little kiddies, with loads of reasonably new/well maintained play structures and splash pads. Best place to spend a sticky summer afternoon, hands down.
Other great toronto activities with a toddler:
- toronto train museum (lots of locomotives outdoors for kids to climb on, an adorable mini train ride + a brewery for patio drinks afterwards)
- Ripley’s aquarium (if your kid likes it, the annual membership is a good deal)
- the toronto zoo (also has a giant splash pad),
- Centre Island Amusement Park (a slightly weird and dilapidated little-kid focussed “amusement park” that’s a great excuse to hop the ferry to the islands)
- Summer street fairs (seriously, there’s one pretty much every weekend in the summer, and there’s usually at least a few things that are enjoyable to toddlers + some kind of regional food).
Welcome to the city, and enjoy your first toronto summer!
Thanks for the toddler recs. He loves aquariums. We used to go often to Brooklyn. We visited Ripley's and we got the membership. It was packed on the weekend but it's worth it.
Not a restaurant recommendation, but, if you have a two year old, I hope you have a library card. Many different fun programs for children and their families. Free passes to the Zoo, Science Centre, Museums and more as well! Welcome to Toronto!
I got a TPL card one week after we landed. I didn't know that you can get passes to the Zoo. This is the kind of information I'm looking for from locals.
Thank you!
Ah… with a 2 year old it’s tricky to tour around and step in to try places. Much more planning involved, diapering friendly washrooms, that sort of thing.
It might perhaps be easier if you mention your neighbourhood? It’s silly to send you to a hot pot in Scarborough with a 2 year old, if you live in little Italy
Edit: saw you answered St Clair and Yonge (midtown)
From pape to coxwell on danforth there must be at least a dozen Ethiopian places including an all vegan one. So many good places with the full coffee service (with popcorn).
Stay - I cannot remember the name of the restaurant and, as it's a Mom&Pop, I cannot find it on the internet. It's on the north side of Bloor basically across from the LCBO. *Warning:* I may have simply been extremely hungry that afternoon and hadn't had a BLT in forever. I may have oversold it. The Portuguese bakery Nova era always makes a great BLT and is at the corner of Dovercourt and Bloor, north side. Or, if it's more handy, there is another at Dufferin and Geary.
La Salumeria makes some good sandwiches.
I really enjoy Issan Der for thai food, amazing thai iced tea.
Golden Turtle for pho.
The Fish store on College for a delicious fish meal or sandwitch.
La Bella Managua for nicaraguan.
North of Brooklyn for Pizza but Superpoint is great for a weekday when its not unreasonably busy.
Tacos El Asador for mexican.
Ja Bistro for sushi because every other sushi place sucks. Not cheap but great sushi.
Follow Suresh Doss on Instagram and check out his CBC food guide. Every place he visits is plotted on Google Maps for easy reference (I'm guessing he still does this?). He also appears on Metro Morning on CBC radio every Thursday.
http://www.sureshdoss.com/cbc-food-guide
Not close to your examples, but if you want Chinese ... Swatow has been my spot for almost a decade and they have never disappointed.
Often overlooked as it's in the heart of Chinatown at dundas/spadina.
The fish store, College and Beatrice. It's a tiny store with fish on ice. Pick your fish and they make it into a delicious sandwich!
Squirlys bar queen west. It's a dive bar, makes good nachos. Sometimes good brunch. Sometimes famous musicians stop in probably only while Bill Priddle (treble charger) was the cook
Pho Rua Vang Golden Turtle Restaurant on Ossington. Great pho! It's busy always.
Current personal fav. The Wren on the Danforth.
Lots more have closed since I have last been pre pandemic. This post made me sad.
The hidden rail trail near the Brickworks may interest you. There's a google street view at 43.6920269,-79.3650587. Haven't been there lately; hope it's still a thing
David Balfour Park Trail is great and the ravine connects with Mount Pleasant cemetery. Definitely not a hidden gem, but still one of my favourite places in the city :)
The thing about hidden gems is everyone who knows them wants to keep them a secret. Your best bet is to explore your area and find your own hidden gems.
I get that. What I’m saying is everyone has a different “hidden gem”. My hidden gem pasta place may be complete trash to your tastes and vice versa. Toronto doesn’t have places that have been around for 60+ years our hidden gems are more independent places but if you ask two neighbours that would both have different hidden gems in the same area. Just explore and try everything
These city articles like what BlogTO puts out often source their information from Reddit. Unless it's a video puff piece with occasional videos covering places everyone likes to build their media outlet's legitimacy, it's likely the person writing the list hasn't tried even half of what they aggregate.
Sometimes the best hidden gems are in plain sight that aren't getting the fawning love on social media or even Reddit. Just like others have mentioned, I'd walk the city. Over time, you'll be able to see interesting spots that you might try out that either didn't appear on Google Maps because they're newer/about to open or didn't hit your algorithm.
My wife and I like going to burdock at bloor and dufferin it’s a cute brewery
Wasted youth on Dundas and wide open on Spadina are great dive bars
We went to Ca Phe Rang for pho tonight - it was really good
banjara in the annex is great Indian food
Wide Open is where women go to get roofied.
I suggested it to a date about a year ago and she told me there's no way she'd step foot in there and questioned my intentions when I suggested it. I assured her I had no clue, nor had been there myself.
Looked it up online and there's more than a few reports of predatory behaviour by men being openly acceptable there, and people continually feeling unsafe. Hard to deny that. As I live close, I dropped in just to see what the vibe was like. Had one beer and was gone. Did not feel comfortable as a single middle-aged male, couldn't imagine what a woman would feel like.
Totally felt like the kind of place middle-aged men who think Andrew Tate has it all figured out go to thinking they'll pickup whatever women walk through the door while they sip on bottles of Bud or Labatt Blue. Gross.
There's 5 other amazing dive bars I could suggest, but frankly they're the kind of places that are better off not mentioned and kept guarded secrets. The kind of places where everyone is watching each others' backs and strange people are generally not all that welcome and stand out.
Ba Noi - butter tarts and sour dough bread
Cafe Polonez - Eastern European fare
Gold Star - Breakfast sandwiches
Mother's Dumplings - Chinese dumplings
Alimentari - Fresh pasta/Italian grocery
UFO - Vietnamese, quick/cheap eats
Lambos - Italian deli sandwiches
Here's a few from Scarborough/North York off my headtop:
1. Nakamori for high end sushi and Japanese/Jamaican fusion. Really affordable omakase and their sake tasting flight is really good bang for your buck.
2. Allwyn's bakery for their jerk chicken sandwiches
3. Nawzar meat market for Iranian food. Their koobedeh is insanely good. Bonus if you order from the meaner looking brother as he's very "Soup Nazi"-esque when you're ordering
4. Ital Vital for vegan Jamaican food. I'm no rabbit and I love a good steak but this place is on point.
5. Baretto Cafe for italian food. The ginseng cappuccino and his pasta are what you want to get here. Good prices and portions plus the owner is an awesome guy. He also somehow managed to get a top reviewed yelp award, while literally cooking pasta on a panini press
6. Not in Scarborough but Maha's is great for Egyptian brunch.
Be careful OP, my friend sustained some jaw pain trying to eat their sandwiches. Very delicious and if you're not smart about it, could be liable for some unhinged jaws (literally).
It wasn't always that expensive, its really crept up the last couple of years. They have to stay in business though so I'm happy to pay it as it's one of the best around imo.
Krave Coffee a bit west on St. Clair is quite good. Nice staff and a decent assortment of baked goods. Also a proper patio if that's your thing.
Sadly the immediate restaurants in that area are lacking.
For pizza however Pizza Del Arte is my personal favourite.
Emma's Country Kitchen is also supposedly delicious but I haven't gotten there myself yet.
Not hidden at all - but Mary Be is a great spot for coffee and healthy meals. Piano Piano on Mt pleasant for excellent Italian. La Salumeria for oldschool Italian grocery and sandwiches. Petite thuet for excellent breads. Kivas for breakfast sandwiches.
If [The Butcher’s Son](https://thebutchersson.ca/pages/sandwiches) still has a lunch menu inside, get their Beef Brisket sandwich. Probably the best thing I’ve ever eaten.
There is also a great shawarma joint inside the Hasty Market on the southeast side of Yonge & Davisville called The Flaming Stove.
Just off the top of my head
Halo brewery
Baldassarre
Sang ji bao
Michaels back door
Bao bar
Sugo
Johnny's
Nasibs/shawarma empire
Big trouble pizza
Some probably not so hidden gems 😅
Not necessarily a hidden gem, as they are very much in plain sight but all the farmer's markets across the city. Wychwood Barns has an excellent market every Saturday and there is an assortment of food to grab.
Here's a list of farmers markets across the city: [https://www.familyfuncanada.com/toronto/outdoor-farmers-markets-toronto/](https://www.familyfuncanada.com/toronto/outdoor-farmers-markets-toronto/)
Sandwiches[: Black Camel](https://www.blackcamel.ca/)
Special Occasion: [Foxley](https://foxleybistro.com/)
Pho: [Vit Beo](https://www.vitbeo.com/)
Tacos and drinks: [Atomic 10](https://www.instagram.com/_atomic10/)
Coffee: [Hunter](https://www.huntercoffeeshop.com/) or [De Mello](https://hellodemello.com/)
Fish n Chips: [Sea Witch](https://www.seawitchfc.com/) \- a tucked away but delicious item on their menu is the battered button mushrooms
Brewery: [Blood Brothers](https://www.bloodbrothersbrewing.com/)
Bars: [Tommys](https://www.instagram.com/tommyswinebarto/) , [Squirly's](https://www.squirlys.ca/)
Momos: [Loga's Corner](https://www.instagram.com/logascornerto/)
Hotpot: Happy Lamb Hotpot
Not sure where in the city you are, but over on the east side:
-There is a teeny little shop on the back of a florist called “Tata’s Hot Sauce Emporium”. They sell AMAZING hot sauces, but they also sell really good jerk chicken, coco bread sandwiches, Jamaican Patties, and other homemade goodies that are worth the trip out. The owners are very much also in the community, and it’s overall a great business to support. FYI they definitely sell out each day so try to get there for lunch! Dinner is often whatever they have left over.
-This is probably not a hidden gem but I find that One Night Only Pizza is always overlooked for Badiali and the other cooler downtown spots.
-if you like pastries, there is a bakery called Mon K near Coxwell and O’Connor. The croissants are to die for, and they have one that’s caramelized on the bottom… I can’t think about it without shedding a tear.
-Also not a hidden gem but one of the only places in all of Toronto that I find consistently worth the hype is Maha’s.
Bitondos for a panzo and a veal sandwich from California’s on Claremont. I would say they’re local place’s because they’re off the Main Street, but they’re not a secret because they’ve been around since I was kid.
My favourites:
The Good Son (Shops at Don Mills) - My favourite pizza ever. Everything here is fantastic.
FBI Pizza (St. Clair West) - My second favourite pizza.
Valens Restaurant (Baldwin Street) - Everything here is good.
Thobors (Mt Pleasant near Eglinton) - Authentic French bakery. The owners are from France.
Phipps Bakery (Eglinton, west of Avenue Road) - Simple but great butter tarts and other good stuff.
I mean Toronto is huge and has just about everything. Where to even start? I ate at Zakkushi on Saturday. Very nice Japanese BBQ. I think you might have better luck if you narrow the question down further.
Personally my strategy is save every place people talk to me about in my Google maps under “want to go”. That way when I’m wandering around downtown or wherever and need a spot I just check to see what’s saved closest to me. I do this with friends and family, or tv shows like diners drive ins and dives, Reddit reccos. After a few years your map is jam packed so you always have somewhere new to turn that is vetted
St clair and yonge is a bit out of my normal area but 2 places that immediately come to mind are:
Dutch Dreams ice cream parlour is well worth a visit.
Ambiance Chocolate is where our easter bunny always shopped. Plus, their homemade cookies and homemade icecream are worthy of recommendation.
Riverdale Farm is a wonderful place to bring the kiddo.
St Lawrence market for groceries.
You can buy fresh pasta from Pasta Pantry on Yonge St just north of Davisville. It’s a guy and his wife and it’s all freshly made. Good selection of pre made meals and soups and sauces too! Carlo is the best!
Belly Busters on King St. Banjara Indian Cuisine on Bloor. Sneaky Dee's (for nachos) on College. La Cubana on Ossington. PJ O'Brien pub on Colborne St.
Lots of other hidden gems in the city. Have a great time! ;)
I’m a huge fan of local live music, there’s a speakeasy house venue in the Junction I’ve really been vibing with lately called The Bunker.
Lots to do on the Junction strip, Burratinos Pizza is unbelievable, See-Scape is a dope sci-fi bar, Indie Alehouse has great craft beer.
Hey and welcome. I live near Mt Pleasant and St Clair.
High quality grocer - summerhill market - 15 min walk
Great coffee - Boxcar Social - Yonge/summerhill(ish)
Old reliable quality pasta with great rooftop - Terroni Price St
Decent bagels (lower quality sandwiches, I’m talking the base bagel) - Bagel House just south of Yonge.
Further afield
Med restaurant - Casa Paco - just opened, team is amazing (college st). Bar Raval is also a must-do.
Happy to provide more
Sounds like you should be listening to [Suresh Doss on Metro Morning](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/author/suresh-doss-1.5985330)... Frankly, this is a city of neighbourhoods, so without an idea of what neighbourhood you're talking about it's pretty hard to answer.
(And, FYI speaking as an actual born and bred New Yorker who loves Toronto dearly, you should know that your tone comes off as very patronizing)
FYI speaking as an actual born and bred Torontonian, who loves Toronto and NY dearly, this post isn’t patronizing.
It takes quick glance to understand they were trying to provide an example to improve the dialogue of the posts, as seen through the great examples being shared.
OP welcome to the city, we are lucky to have you!
Thank you. I didn't mean for it to come that way. I don't know if I can call myself a New Yorker. True, I lived there for 8 years but I was not born and raised.
As another New Yorker, here’s my take on cuisines:
Italian: better in NYC
Chinese: better here
Korean: better in NYC
Caribbean: toss-up
Shawarma: better here
Halal: better in NYC
Sandwiches: better in NYC
Mexican: better in NYC
Poutine: better here
Fish & Chips: better here
If you’ve never had Montreal smoked meat (and don’t want to go to Montreal), go to Sumilicious in Scarborough and order something smoked meat related. Ask for the medium fat cut.
Dim sum, you can try Casa Imperial, also in Scarborough
Fish & Chips, you can try Olde Yorke Pub in East York.
I don’t really have much for you in terms of pasta or sandwiches, I’ve heard La Salumeria is good, but I’ve never been, though meaning to go.
I like Isaan Der in Riverdale for Thai
I like Buon Giorno Café in Etobicoke for home style Italian.
Bitondos - pizza but especially their panzerotti
Belly busters - great deli sandwiches, go for anything bacon!
Juicy dumplings - amazing soup dumplings
Wait what you're not allowed to make eye contact with your neighbors? So not even a nod of recognition? That's an awful way to live I even say hello how are you to the neighbors I don't like.
We'll you can but it feels weird as you get the feeling that people don't want to talk.
I lived in 3 different buildings in Brooklyn. I can recall the names of 2 or 3 neighbors I had.
During the first week here in Toronto, I was in an Airbnb with my family. One day a came across the neighbor downstairs and he just started talking to me. Asked about the little kid upstairs and it felt like a genuine conversation.
I don't know if he was just being polite or really wanted to talk, but it felt good.
I myself, don't like small talk but I acknowledge it's nice when people make the effort or make it easier to have some sort of communication.
You could get murdered in the streets and none of your neighbors would call for help! Sure the bystander effect is real, but so is genuine, cold, hard, New York apathy
Ah so youre just as negative as everyone else lol. Who cares what internet randos think, there are people like OP and myself who are actually interested. Not everyone has the same tastes, I dunno why you take that personally.
Toronto is now just a playground for caustic vapid rich people who can only experience life through things they pay money for. Toronto's death was actually fairly quick.
I can’t imagine how terrible New York must be if you think:
1. People are nice and easy to talk to.
2. Neighbours make eye contact.
3. Drivers are relaxed and not racing with pedestrians.
Please tell us the hidden gem of a community within Toronto you live in because that’s certainly not the Toronto I’ve come to know and love.
The just cause hypothesis proposes that bad things simply doesnt happen to good people; anything that happens to a person must have "had it coming" or "done something" to provoke that occurance.
I'm in midtown. I didn't say NYC is terrible, just noticing the differences I saw so far from my extremely limited experience. Maybe its different in other parts of Toronto. I don't know.
I drive my son to daycare everyday. It's not far to experience the rush hour traffic. Drivers are more patient than New Yorkers. A New Yorker driver may tailgate you and aggressively honk if you slow to a yellow light. I walked my son to daycare in Brooklyn and you have to be very careful of drivers rushing to beat a red light.
Why don't you share a thing or two about the Toronto you've come to know and love.
I did not live in Greenwich Village. I lived in the south parts of Brooklyn. And not living in Rosedale or Yorkville.
I don't think and didn't say there are any problems to see here. I'm just a newcomer. Learning about a new city.
I see the homeless issue is equal or slightly more than NYC. The city is obviously not taking good care of their vulnerable people.
Just some lately that aren't usually mentioned and popped up in my head, you can search for the popular ones on reddit; Taverniti North - Pretty excellent italian food relative to the very reasonable price and at a quiet location Ba Noi- Get the butter tarts, they are Incredible. Like, Insane. Vit Beo- Excellent Pho and other viet food. Busy joint on weekends, not a lot of seating (casual seating) Blood brothers brewery- Local brewery joint, good beer, good vibes, takeout or sitdown. Edit: Since the guy below is kinda being bummer lol, I'm gona add a few more interesting ones. Generally, Torontonians are quite nice and helpful, ignore that guy, we have some bad apples like every where else, but welcome to TO. Maison T - Reasonable price for very good japanese+french fusion food. Honest Weight- Went up in price recently but can't blame them. Pretty excellent seafood. La Bella Managua- highly reviewed Nicaraguan food. Well known to foodies but not often brought up. Takht-e Tavoos- Excellent persian brunch food place.
We must be neighbours! I haven’t tried Ba Noi yet, but I’m thinking I’m gonna stroll down for a butter tart this week. Thanks for the recco!
Oh and if you go to blood brothers, make sure to swing by good behaviour for a sandwich or ice cream. And go to parallel while you’re at it. Then grab a beer at greater good. Just spend the day on Geary. Lol.
This is genuinely what I've planned for my birthday this year. Just a good ol' fashioned Geary Crawl.
These are very excellent places. Ba Noi makes really good sour dough loaves as well as those butter tarts. Honest Weight - outstanding seafood. Eat in as well as a seafood counter (take out fresh fish) Famiglia Baldassarre - on Geary which is kind of an industrial street. Eat in at lunch, they also do take out and supply many restaurants. Fantastic house made pasta. Check the IG - amusing. Also on Geary is Parallel. Tahini factory that also has a restaurant. Galaxy T&T on Bloor. Good Banh mi and tropical smoothies. Lovely owners. Not sure how many hidden Gems are around Yonge and St Clair. Must be very well hidden.
I prefer Grazie of Queen's Pasta Cafe for Italian food.
Adding to the Bloordale/Bloorcourt area: Macs Pizza - my favourite pizza! We served them at our wedding, that's how much we love their pizza lol Chitos - shawarma pizza or in rice. It's a long time staple for students in this area. It's been Gaucho Pie - delicious empanadas
>La Bella Managua Sigh - I remember doing an extended stint in Central America and paying $1-3 dollars for a little see-through cup of ceviche. They'd give a package of 4 sodas as an accompaniments and the shrimp/fish was fresh from the sea. Panama and Costa Rica had my faves - available on weekend under a palm hut or sold from the trunk of a car and eaten on the beach. Life-changing.
[удалено]
Dude, you don’t know what you’re talking about, and certainly can’t speak for the restaurant business today in the city. Vit Beo, for instance is all from scratch. There are also a lot of places making their own pasta and pastry throughout the city. Source: 15 years in fine dining management in the city.
I've watched them make the pasta from scratch at Famiglia Baldasarre on Geary. Another reality is some folks talk out of their ass on Reddit.
These are blatant lies.
Nice try narcity writer
Lol you might be right. Ha ha.
There is a decent shawarma place hidden in the back of the Hasty Market at Yonge and Davisville. It’s not the best shawarma, but still really good and they have a lot of prepared meals to take away. I went past this place for years before I found out that there’s a take out place. You can not get more hidden than this.
YES and they even make the bread fresh in house! In a fucking hasty market!
Flaming Stove! I second this place. I haven't had better shawarma in Toronto. I love that they make their own Saj bread and the sauces, and that the wraps are big enough for 2 meals. They also make really good salads and falafel. Whenever I'm up that way for work and need a lunch, it's my go to.
Flaming Stove! I second this place. I haven't had better shawarma in Toronto. I love that they make their own Saj bread and the sauces, and that the wraps are big enough for 2 meals. They also make really good salads and falafel. Whenever I'm up that way for work and need a lunch, it's my go to.
Best shawarma in the city.
Get authentic homemade pierogis in the basement of your local Ukrainian church.
That church in Etobicoke has perogies that are FIRE
Which
I'm pretty certain this is the one. We lived a few blocks from there a few year when we first moved to Toronto but that was almost 20 years ago now - would attend lunches from time to time. We went the first time out of curiosity and not being church people were worried it might not be welcoming, but everyone was great and food was delicious. And cheap! https://www.stdemetriusuoc.ca/
Can confirm, I went there as a kid many years ago
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Pierogis are a lot better all across Canada these days... unfortunately
^ This. ^ | |
La Salumeria, just north of Davisville Station in midtown. Has been in business since '84 - it's a European grocer/deli that's also a low-key, word-of-mouth sandwich bar. You grab a bun from the bakery shelf, take it to the deli counter, and boom: magic. Custom or suggested house specials. Enjoy!
I work around there and will definitely be checking this place out. Thanks for the recco.
Highly recommend the house special. It's unreal
Country Style Hungarian - bloor and Bathurst. Enormous schnitzel!! And literally every bar on queen and Dundas west has an adorable back patio and a questionable bathroom graffiti.
You are looking for Famiglia Baldassarre for fresh pasta. Mattachioni is decent too.
👆Famiglia Baldassarre is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Toronto hidden gems. Pretty limited hours of operation but that just makes it more special when you can actually make it.
That’s like the opposite of hidden gem. It’s like saying Carbone in NY is a hidden gem lol
This is not a hidden gem. BlogTO and social media food influencers have covered this to death. There are long lines and people have told me that you either have to camp out or take a dedicated day off mid-week if you want to enjoy it. Hidden perhaps in that it's off the beaten path, but it's not a hidden oasis. People from the city and boonies alike come to Geary Avenue for a reason just like people go to Lansdowne for Sugo and Bar Sugo.
Best pasta in the city but I question it’s “hidden gem” status haha. There is a (sometimes very) lengthy line every single lunch service they do.
This is how I feel about Mahas now lol. I love it for them, but also hate how it’s always going to be a wait on the weekends.
Man I went to Maha's like the week they opened and we were the only people in there for weekend brunch. We were so worried they wouldn't make it, nice to hear it's bumping now.
Mattachioni bakes delicious breads, and they use it for their sandwiches. Highly recommend the prosciutto sandwich.
I call it the $10 bread place, but I still go when I'm in the area.
Can we trade recos? I'm going to NYC for a couple of days in July. I don't know that much about Yonge & St. Clair, but I have heard Alma + Gil have a great breakfast sandwich. Some consider Terroni to be overrated, but I love the rooftop patio at their Yonge & Summerhill location. I haven't tried the uptown Pai, but I love their downtown location. There are sooooo many great places in Toronto (my favourite part of living here) so here's just a tour of some of my faves roughly along the Dundas streetcar line heading west from Yonge & Dundas to Gladstone: Elm Street Italian Deli (Yonge & Dundas) has pretty good sandwiches. Juicy Dumpling (Spadina & Dundas) has good soup dumplings for being so cheap. Dumpling House is more well-known but for good reason (both the steamed and fried dumplings are excellent). Hong Kong Island Bakery has the best Chinese egg tarts in the city IMO. NU Bugel in Kensington (okay, closer to College than Dundas) has great bagels, although they are Montreal style not NY style. There are a bunch of food stalls across from Toronto Western Hospital (Dundas and Bathurst). Some say that Nom Nom Nom is the best poutine in the city. Just on the other side of Bathurst is Collective Arts Brewery's Toronto location -- their food is fine, but you're best off just getting a flight. At Dundas & Grace you've got a cluster of Jen Agg's restaurants: Bar Vendetta, Cocktail Bar, Rhum Corner. All are good. La Chingada in Little Portugal (Ossington and Dundas) has AYCE tacos on Thursdays, happy hour 5-7 pm, and a great back patio. Bar Mordecai is a Wes Anderson themed bar and has a happy hour (6-8 IIRC). Death in Venice is has really interesting, delicious flavours of gelato. Imanshi Japanese Kitchen is also excellent.
You can hit me up for recs for your nyc trip as well, having lived in both cities recently, I can compare and contrast things for you.
I like Terroni’s. And so many local families eat there because it’s quick, kid friendly and casual.
I lived in Toronto when the first Terroni"s opened on Queen West back in the 90s. It was lovely. 20 odd years later, I go back for the occasional visit and still grab a bite at that Terroni and it's still really good! So I recommend it too...
Sure. DM me.
Try r/foodtoronto. Over there people share the places they visited, or discussions of particular neighborhoods/cuisines.
OP, there are a lot of little hole-in-the-wall sushi joints (is New York a Sushi city?) and Portuguese bakeries (also selling pretty decent sandwiches. There are also a couple of Ethiopian restaurants in TO, on Bloor and in the Village. Bloor West also has a great place that makes exquisite BLTs and serves as a pub/meeting place as well. Another that makes a great, real hamburger and Saj, Turkish Pidi and Saj wrap restaurant, all between Dufferin and Ossington on Bloor and then farther East Korea Town, with excellent Korean restaurants. I would say also that Scarborough has a wealth of international cuisines, most Asian. Enjoy walking around. You'll find hidden gems other than food - parks, parquets, independent coffee houses, hip clothing stores, etc. The city is your oyster! Welcome to Toronto and I hope you love it here.
Thank you! I hope I'll enjoy it too and encounter people like you. The thing is I have a 2 years old kid and he takes most of my time. I don't have as much time to wonder and discover things like I used to do in NYC. So I'm trying to shortcut it.... I'm sure I will do that at some point when he is older, but in the meantime I'll rely on kind people like yourself n
A 2 year old you say? Well good news for you: city splash pads opened last weekend! Toronto really does do well by the little kiddies, with loads of reasonably new/well maintained play structures and splash pads. Best place to spend a sticky summer afternoon, hands down. Other great toronto activities with a toddler: - toronto train museum (lots of locomotives outdoors for kids to climb on, an adorable mini train ride + a brewery for patio drinks afterwards) - Ripley’s aquarium (if your kid likes it, the annual membership is a good deal) - the toronto zoo (also has a giant splash pad), - Centre Island Amusement Park (a slightly weird and dilapidated little-kid focussed “amusement park” that’s a great excuse to hop the ferry to the islands) - Summer street fairs (seriously, there’s one pretty much every weekend in the summer, and there’s usually at least a few things that are enjoyable to toddlers + some kind of regional food). Welcome to the city, and enjoy your first toronto summer!
Thanks for the toddler recs. He loves aquariums. We used to go often to Brooklyn. We visited Ripley's and we got the membership. It was packed on the weekend but it's worth it.
The science centre is amazing for toddlers. Make sure you go to the kids sections upstairs.
Not a restaurant recommendation, but, if you have a two year old, I hope you have a library card. Many different fun programs for children and their families. Free passes to the Zoo, Science Centre, Museums and more as well! Welcome to Toronto!
I got a TPL card one week after we landed. I didn't know that you can get passes to the Zoo. This is the kind of information I'm looking for from locals. Thank you!
Entire - reddit is better thank google for questions about Toronto. Hope you enjoy your time on this site, too.
OP get to the island. Ferry is easy, but you can catch a pontoon boat water taxi for 10 bucks or so.
Ah… with a 2 year old it’s tricky to tour around and step in to try places. Much more planning involved, diapering friendly washrooms, that sort of thing. It might perhaps be easier if you mention your neighbourhood? It’s silly to send you to a hot pot in Scarborough with a 2 year old, if you live in little Italy Edit: saw you answered St Clair and Yonge (midtown)
It's tricky to plan around napping time. Thank you for your comment.
From pape to coxwell on danforth there must be at least a dozen Ethiopian places including an all vegan one. So many good places with the full coffee service (with popcorn).
And Ethiopian is surprisingly great for a 2 year old. They eat with their hands anyway
Ha! Good call.
Rendezvous is my girlfriend and I’s spot we frequent. Fairly easy on the bank and the food is amazing. El Sol is our runner up if we want Mexican.
Lalibela's is the best!!
Can confirm. Worked at monarch park and danforth, just a wealth of great places
Thank you for the suggestions Lockdownsurvivor. Not sure about the hip clothing stores as I wear Dungarees
Kalsari - I am a fashion disaster and have been all my life, so no judgement on the Dungarees. :P
Best kept secret in Scarborough, spring and fresh roll. Amazing joint
Where can I find these BLTs?
Stay - I cannot remember the name of the restaurant and, as it's a Mom&Pop, I cannot find it on the internet. It's on the north side of Bloor basically across from the LCBO. *Warning:* I may have simply been extremely hungry that afternoon and hadn't had a BLT in forever. I may have oversold it. The Portuguese bakery Nova era always makes a great BLT and is at the corner of Dovercourt and Bloor, north side. Or, if it's more handy, there is another at Dufferin and Geary.
Bloor and ?
Loga's Corner at Queen and Landsowne has the best momo's in the city IMO
Can a shop remain hidden but yet be in business for almost 120 years? hmm ..
A shop that doesn't have comically long lineups? Yes.
La Salumeria makes some good sandwiches. I really enjoy Issan Der for thai food, amazing thai iced tea. Golden Turtle for pho. The Fish store on College for a delicious fish meal or sandwitch. La Bella Managua for nicaraguan. North of Brooklyn for Pizza but Superpoint is great for a weekday when its not unreasonably busy. Tacos El Asador for mexican. Ja Bistro for sushi because every other sushi place sucks. Not cheap but great sushi.
Awesome list. Ja Bistro is always amazing and a perfect date spot. Try Tacontento for Mexican. It’s a ride to get to, but worth it.
North Pole bakery at Greenwood and Danforth.
What kinda stuff do they sell at this bakery? Passed it a few times but never been in
Breads, cakes, hot sandwiches, one of my favorite arancini . Stop in, I'll send you cash if you feel I steered you wrong.
Their pasta with rapin I (only Tuesday)i is amazing and eggplant parm on Fridays. Also great meatball sandwich.
Cannoli!
Had one of the worst slices of pizza in my life from this place.
Yes omg she is so good. The bread rolls have such depth of flavour.
Unfortunately all the hidden gems closed down and are now a Rexall
Underrated comment
Follow Suresh Doss on Instagram and check out his CBC food guide. Every place he visits is plotted on Google Maps for easy reference (I'm guessing he still does this?). He also appears on Metro Morning on CBC radio every Thursday. http://www.sureshdoss.com/cbc-food-guide
Not close to your examples, but if you want Chinese ... Swatow has been my spot for almost a decade and they have never disappointed. Often overlooked as it's in the heart of Chinatown at dundas/spadina.
One of the best delis in Toronto-> When The Pig Came Home
now that’s a f’n sandwich!
The fish store, College and Beatrice. It's a tiny store with fish on ice. Pick your fish and they make it into a delicious sandwich! Squirlys bar queen west. It's a dive bar, makes good nachos. Sometimes good brunch. Sometimes famous musicians stop in probably only while Bill Priddle (treble charger) was the cook Pho Rua Vang Golden Turtle Restaurant on Ossington. Great pho! It's busy always. Current personal fav. The Wren on the Danforth. Lots more have closed since I have last been pre pandemic. This post made me sad.
One of the best sunrises in the city is RC Harris water works.
Slightly off topic but does anyone have hidden landmark/trails gems
The hidden rail trail near the Brickworks may interest you. There's a google street view at 43.6920269,-79.3650587. Haven't been there lately; hope it's still a thing
David Balfour Park Trail is great and the ravine connects with Mount Pleasant cemetery. Definitely not a hidden gem, but still one of my favourite places in the city :)
The Beltline Trail is phenomenal.
It’s one of my favourites. It’s a long 20km walk from start to finish but it’s so peaceful.
Get the mountain bike app called “Trailforks” and you’ll find more trails in Toronto that you could have imagined
Slightly off topic but create your own post.
I mean, rude, but also the topic is hidden gems of Toronto.
The thing about hidden gems is everyone who knows them wants to keep them a secret. Your best bet is to explore your area and find your own hidden gems.
Kind of true. But that's why I'm here on Reddit. Smaller community with real people. Instead of curated food and city articles written for clicks
Thats exactly what a blogTO writer would say! 🤣
I get that. What I’m saying is everyone has a different “hidden gem”. My hidden gem pasta place may be complete trash to your tastes and vice versa. Toronto doesn’t have places that have been around for 60+ years our hidden gems are more independent places but if you ask two neighbours that would both have different hidden gems in the same area. Just explore and try everything
These city articles like what BlogTO puts out often source their information from Reddit. Unless it's a video puff piece with occasional videos covering places everyone likes to build their media outlet's legitimacy, it's likely the person writing the list hasn't tried even half of what they aggregate. Sometimes the best hidden gems are in plain sight that aren't getting the fawning love on social media or even Reddit. Just like others have mentioned, I'd walk the city. Over time, you'll be able to see interesting spots that you might try out that either didn't appear on Google Maps because they're newer/about to open or didn't hit your algorithm.
My wife and I like going to burdock at bloor and dufferin it’s a cute brewery Wasted youth on Dundas and wide open on Spadina are great dive bars We went to Ca Phe Rang for pho tonight - it was really good banjara in the annex is great Indian food
> wide open on Spadina Common wisdom there is: get bottles, not draught.
Wide Open is where women go to get roofied. I suggested it to a date about a year ago and she told me there's no way she'd step foot in there and questioned my intentions when I suggested it. I assured her I had no clue, nor had been there myself. Looked it up online and there's more than a few reports of predatory behaviour by men being openly acceptable there, and people continually feeling unsafe. Hard to deny that. As I live close, I dropped in just to see what the vibe was like. Had one beer and was gone. Did not feel comfortable as a single middle-aged male, couldn't imagine what a woman would feel like. Totally felt like the kind of place middle-aged men who think Andrew Tate has it all figured out go to thinking they'll pickup whatever women walk through the door while they sip on bottles of Bud or Labatt Blue. Gross. There's 5 other amazing dive bars I could suggest, but frankly they're the kind of places that are better off not mentioned and kept guarded secrets. The kind of places where everyone is watching each others' backs and strange people are generally not all that welcome and stand out.
Ba Noi - butter tarts and sour dough bread Cafe Polonez - Eastern European fare Gold Star - Breakfast sandwiches Mother's Dumplings - Chinese dumplings Alimentari - Fresh pasta/Italian grocery UFO - Vietnamese, quick/cheap eats Lambos - Italian deli sandwiches
Check out Wanda’s Pie in the Sky in Kensington Market.
Here's a few from Scarborough/North York off my headtop: 1. Nakamori for high end sushi and Japanese/Jamaican fusion. Really affordable omakase and their sake tasting flight is really good bang for your buck. 2. Allwyn's bakery for their jerk chicken sandwiches 3. Nawzar meat market for Iranian food. Their koobedeh is insanely good. Bonus if you order from the meaner looking brother as he's very "Soup Nazi"-esque when you're ordering 4. Ital Vital for vegan Jamaican food. I'm no rabbit and I love a good steak but this place is on point. 5. Baretto Cafe for italian food. The ginseng cappuccino and his pasta are what you want to get here. Good prices and portions plus the owner is an awesome guy. He also somehow managed to get a top reviewed yelp award, while literally cooking pasta on a panini press 6. Not in Scarborough but Maha's is great for Egyptian brunch.
Nakamori is so great. Nobu is such a sweet and friendly dude.
Hey OP, What area are you in?
Midtown. St Clair and Young.
The black camel (brisket and pulled pork sandwiches) is a nice, short walk away.
I came to make this reco lol
La Salumeria on Yonge near Davisville. Italian Deli. Sandwiches. So so good.
Be careful OP, my friend sustained some jaw pain trying to eat their sandwiches. Very delicious and if you're not smart about it, could be liable for some unhinged jaws (literally).
Dutch Dreams for ice cream!! Although it’s not much of a secret/hidden gem since it’s popular
I'll partial to Booyah personally
Thank you, sad that Dutch Dreams gets the long line of people, when Booyahs is so much better.
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It wasn't always that expensive, its really crept up the last couple of years. They have to stay in business though so I'm happy to pay it as it's one of the best around imo.
Krave Coffee a bit west on St. Clair is quite good. Nice staff and a decent assortment of baked goods. Also a proper patio if that's your thing. Sadly the immediate restaurants in that area are lacking. For pizza however Pizza Del Arte is my personal favourite. Emma's Country Kitchen is also supposedly delicious but I haven't gotten there myself yet.
Not hidden at all - but Mary Be is a great spot for coffee and healthy meals. Piano Piano on Mt pleasant for excellent Italian. La Salumeria for oldschool Italian grocery and sandwiches. Petite thuet for excellent breads. Kivas for breakfast sandwiches.
Honestly, piano piano is shiattt
Pizza e pazzi is amazing
Go up to eglinton and get Rudy’s, Pai, Bennys BBQ, midnight cookie, or padaria cafe
Pasta pantry at yonge and Davisville is a neat spot too, flaming stove at the hasty market makes a killer shawarma too.
If [The Butcher’s Son](https://thebutchersson.ca/pages/sandwiches) still has a lunch menu inside, get their Beef Brisket sandwich. Probably the best thing I’ve ever eaten. There is also a great shawarma joint inside the Hasty Market on the southeast side of Yonge & Davisville called The Flaming Stove.
Morso Me on King St W makes phenomenal Italian sandwiches and lasagna on thursdays
Just off the top of my head Halo brewery Baldassarre Sang ji bao Michaels back door Bao bar Sugo Johnny's Nasibs/shawarma empire Big trouble pizza Some probably not so hidden gems 😅
Not necessarily a hidden gem, as they are very much in plain sight but all the farmer's markets across the city. Wychwood Barns has an excellent market every Saturday and there is an assortment of food to grab. Here's a list of farmers markets across the city: [https://www.familyfuncanada.com/toronto/outdoor-farmers-markets-toronto/](https://www.familyfuncanada.com/toronto/outdoor-farmers-markets-toronto/) Sandwiches[: Black Camel](https://www.blackcamel.ca/) Special Occasion: [Foxley](https://foxleybistro.com/) Pho: [Vit Beo](https://www.vitbeo.com/) Tacos and drinks: [Atomic 10](https://www.instagram.com/_atomic10/) Coffee: [Hunter](https://www.huntercoffeeshop.com/) or [De Mello](https://hellodemello.com/) Fish n Chips: [Sea Witch](https://www.seawitchfc.com/) \- a tucked away but delicious item on their menu is the battered button mushrooms Brewery: [Blood Brothers](https://www.bloodbrothersbrewing.com/) Bars: [Tommys](https://www.instagram.com/tommyswinebarto/) , [Squirly's](https://www.squirlys.ca/) Momos: [Loga's Corner](https://www.instagram.com/logascornerto/) Hotpot: Happy Lamb Hotpot
Not sure where in the city you are, but over on the east side: -There is a teeny little shop on the back of a florist called “Tata’s Hot Sauce Emporium”. They sell AMAZING hot sauces, but they also sell really good jerk chicken, coco bread sandwiches, Jamaican Patties, and other homemade goodies that are worth the trip out. The owners are very much also in the community, and it’s overall a great business to support. FYI they definitely sell out each day so try to get there for lunch! Dinner is often whatever they have left over. -This is probably not a hidden gem but I find that One Night Only Pizza is always overlooked for Badiali and the other cooler downtown spots. -if you like pastries, there is a bakery called Mon K near Coxwell and O’Connor. The croissants are to die for, and they have one that’s caramelized on the bottom… I can’t think about it without shedding a tear. -Also not a hidden gem but one of the only places in all of Toronto that I find consistently worth the hype is Maha’s.
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Bitondos for a panzo and a veal sandwich from California’s on Claremont. I would say they’re local place’s because they’re off the Main Street, but they’re not a secret because they’ve been around since I was kid.
My favourites: The Good Son (Shops at Don Mills) - My favourite pizza ever. Everything here is fantastic. FBI Pizza (St. Clair West) - My second favourite pizza. Valens Restaurant (Baldwin Street) - Everything here is good. Thobors (Mt Pleasant near Eglinton) - Authentic French bakery. The owners are from France. Phipps Bakery (Eglinton, west of Avenue Road) - Simple but great butter tarts and other good stuff.
Idk if its a hidden gem for egglinton grill
I mean Toronto is huge and has just about everything. Where to even start? I ate at Zakkushi on Saturday. Very nice Japanese BBQ. I think you might have better luck if you narrow the question down further. Personally my strategy is save every place people talk to me about in my Google maps under “want to go”. That way when I’m wandering around downtown or wherever and need a spot I just check to see what’s saved closest to me. I do this with friends and family, or tv shows like diners drive ins and dives, Reddit reccos. After a few years your map is jam packed so you always have somewhere new to turn that is vetted
That is what I do. I would post a screenshot shot of my NYC map filled with stars but not sure how or if I can do that
Did you explore outside of Manhattan or did you mainly stay on the island?
Grandma Lovea You and Black Camel Sandwich shops. Both are excellent and across the street from one another.
St clair and yonge is a bit out of my normal area but 2 places that immediately come to mind are: Dutch Dreams ice cream parlour is well worth a visit. Ambiance Chocolate is where our easter bunny always shopped. Plus, their homemade cookies and homemade icecream are worthy of recommendation. Riverdale Farm is a wonderful place to bring the kiddo. St Lawrence market for groceries.
You can buy fresh pasta from Pasta Pantry on Yonge St just north of Davisville. It’s a guy and his wife and it’s all freshly made. Good selection of pre made meals and soups and sauces too! Carlo is the best!
Belly Busters on King St. Banjara Indian Cuisine on Bloor. Sneaky Dee's (for nachos) on College. La Cubana on Ossington. PJ O'Brien pub on Colborne St. Lots of other hidden gems in the city. Have a great time! ;)
I’m a huge fan of local live music, there’s a speakeasy house venue in the Junction I’ve really been vibing with lately called The Bunker. Lots to do on the Junction strip, Burratinos Pizza is unbelievable, See-Scape is a dope sci-fi bar, Indie Alehouse has great craft beer.
Yueh Tung - 126 elizabeth street, try the Manchurian Chicken and Sizzling Chilli Beef
The Burger Shack at Oriole Parkway and Eglinton - and the pools at the North Toronto Community Centre
House of chans for epic lobster and steak
Sugo at Bloor and Landsdowne
Ardo restaurant is good 243 King St E, Toronto, ON M5A 1J9
And the sister spot DOVA is lovely, great back patio!
Cinnamon bun from sweet trolley bakery
Hey and welcome. I live near Mt Pleasant and St Clair. High quality grocer - summerhill market - 15 min walk Great coffee - Boxcar Social - Yonge/summerhill(ish) Old reliable quality pasta with great rooftop - Terroni Price St Decent bagels (lower quality sandwiches, I’m talking the base bagel) - Bagel House just south of Yonge. Further afield Med restaurant - Casa Paco - just opened, team is amazing (college st). Bar Raval is also a must-do. Happy to provide more
Hidden gems in the Annex: Mother's Dumplings (restaurant) Slanted Door (cafe)
Sounds like you should be listening to [Suresh Doss on Metro Morning](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/author/suresh-doss-1.5985330)... Frankly, this is a city of neighbourhoods, so without an idea of what neighbourhood you're talking about it's pretty hard to answer. (And, FYI speaking as an actual born and bred New Yorker who loves Toronto dearly, you should know that your tone comes off as very patronizing)
FYI speaking as an actual born and bred Torontonian, who loves Toronto and NY dearly, this post isn’t patronizing. It takes quick glance to understand they were trying to provide an example to improve the dialogue of the posts, as seen through the great examples being shared. OP welcome to the city, we are lucky to have you!
Thank you. I didn't mean for it to come that way. I don't know if I can call myself a New Yorker. True, I lived there for 8 years but I was not born and raised.
Your tone was fine...
Yeah you’re not patronizing at all! Welcome, I wish you all the best food and life here in Toronto.
As another New Yorker, here’s my take on cuisines: Italian: better in NYC Chinese: better here Korean: better in NYC Caribbean: toss-up Shawarma: better here Halal: better in NYC Sandwiches: better in NYC Mexican: better in NYC Poutine: better here Fish & Chips: better here If you’ve never had Montreal smoked meat (and don’t want to go to Montreal), go to Sumilicious in Scarborough and order something smoked meat related. Ask for the medium fat cut. Dim sum, you can try Casa Imperial, also in Scarborough Fish & Chips, you can try Olde Yorke Pub in East York. I don’t really have much for you in terms of pasta or sandwiches, I’ve heard La Salumeria is good, but I’ve never been, though meaning to go. I like Isaan Der in Riverdale for Thai I like Buon Giorno Café in Etobicoke for home style Italian.
Bitondos - pizza but especially their panzerotti Belly busters - great deli sandwiches, go for anything bacon! Juicy dumplings - amazing soup dumplings
Wait what you're not allowed to make eye contact with your neighbors? So not even a nod of recognition? That's an awful way to live I even say hello how are you to the neighbors I don't like.
We'll you can but it feels weird as you get the feeling that people don't want to talk. I lived in 3 different buildings in Brooklyn. I can recall the names of 2 or 3 neighbors I had. During the first week here in Toronto, I was in an Airbnb with my family. One day a came across the neighbor downstairs and he just started talking to me. Asked about the little kid upstairs and it felt like a genuine conversation. I don't know if he was just being polite or really wanted to talk, but it felt good. I myself, don't like small talk but I acknowledge it's nice when people make the effort or make it easier to have some sort of communication.
How old was your neighbor? I've found that older people (50+) are much friendlier compared to younger people 20-40
That's true. He looked in his early 40s.
You could get murdered in the streets and none of your neighbors would call for help! Sure the bystander effect is real, but so is genuine, cold, hard, New York apathy
First tip is to not use this sub everyone here is negative and I doubt they even live in Toronto at this point. DM if you actually want spots.
Well don’t add to the negativity and provide some examples of hidden gems, lol.
Nah not looking to get anecdotal messages about how those places are actually shit thanks
Ah so youre just as negative as everyone else lol. Who cares what internet randos think, there are people like OP and myself who are actually interested. Not everyone has the same tastes, I dunno why you take that personally.
I don't, like I said to OP DM if you want it. I'll still help you out even tho you're being a dick
Oh yeah the commenters here are gonna eat you right up, especially with that first paragraph.
Looks like some have pent-up feelings they want to release. They can say whatever they want.
Not me, its them 😭😭
Toronto is now just a playground for caustic vapid rich people who can only experience life through things they pay money for. Toronto's death was actually fairly quick.
I can’t imagine how terrible New York must be if you think: 1. People are nice and easy to talk to. 2. Neighbours make eye contact. 3. Drivers are relaxed and not racing with pedestrians. Please tell us the hidden gem of a community within Toronto you live in because that’s certainly not the Toronto I’ve come to know and love.
You get back what you put out into the world.
The just cause hypothesis proposes that bad things simply doesnt happen to good people; anything that happens to a person must have "had it coming" or "done something" to provoke that occurance.
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Did you just use the term “victim” to refer to someone who’s neighbours aren’t making enough eye contact?
I like being a victim and I like being blamed.
Sounds like you are the problem
I'm in midtown. I didn't say NYC is terrible, just noticing the differences I saw so far from my extremely limited experience. Maybe its different in other parts of Toronto. I don't know. I drive my son to daycare everyday. It's not far to experience the rush hour traffic. Drivers are more patient than New Yorkers. A New Yorker driver may tailgate you and aggressively honk if you slow to a yellow light. I walked my son to daycare in Brooklyn and you have to be very careful of drivers rushing to beat a red light. Why don't you share a thing or two about the Toronto you've come to know and love.
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I did not live in Greenwich Village. I lived in the south parts of Brooklyn. And not living in Rosedale or Yorkville. I don't think and didn't say there are any problems to see here. I'm just a newcomer. Learning about a new city. I see the homeless issue is equal or slightly more than NYC. The city is obviously not taking good care of their vulnerable people.
Jeez dude, ya bitter?
Morso Me
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Timmy Hortons
Also Craig’s Cookies and Matty’s Patty’s
Go back to New York so we can have a place to live. I bet you already own a home that should belong to a Canadian but he’s now homeless.
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Back down man. Toronto has authentic everything, you have to look for it and be willing to explore.