My T.Dot 'Must Sees' & 'Favourite Spots'

Here's just a wee list of things I've compiled after living in Toronto for a year and a half!!! 

All my favourite things to do and places to hang out, etc, & what I consider to be the "Best" in Toronto :) 

Enjoy!

BEST OF COFFEE SHOPS: 

For Meeting Friends - Manic Coffee, Saving Gigi

Place to Take the Parents - Rooster Coffee House

Having Meetings - Tango Palace Coffee Company

Take a Coffee and RUN! - Sam James Coffee Bar or Sam James Coffee Pocket

For studying alone - Merchants of Green Coffee [couches!], The Green Grind

For Reading & Hanging Out - Saving Gigi 

For Studying in Groups - Merchants of Green Coffee (tons of space! wi fi!

For a Latte - Sam James Coffee Bar/Coffee Pocket

For a Mocha Latte - Te Aro hands down. 

For the Sweet Tooth - Ella’s Uncle for the banana bread, & The Remarkable Bean for the variety of sweet and savory scones! 

For Drink Variety  - Moonbean (endless choices!!)

           My Favourites: Iced Mocha over ice, Winter Soother (Honey, Lemon, Ginger - all fresh!)

For Service - Crema Coffee Co. Great People! 

For Atmosphere - Moonbean, Holy Oak

Have some Late Night Fun: Snakes and Lattes (board games! open late!), The One in the Only, The Holy Oak

If You're To Lazy to Grocery Shop & Need Food: The Hub Coffee House [great sandwiches!]

Special Shout Outs to: 

Cafe Novo - You MUST try their Honey Latte!! Make sure you stir it well! 

The Good Neighbour - Great display of old photographs

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Best Poutine: Poutini’s without a doubt!!! 

Best Cheap Grocery Shopping: Korea Town. Lots of cheap produce, etc, maybe not as cheap as Chinatown, but at least it’s not as busy and dirty! 

Best Neighbourhood/Area to spend the Evening: 

• With a Fancy Fella/Gal

Queen Street West at The Drake Hotel for a drink, or the Drake Underground for a show. Now, the drinks and such does get expensive... make sure they are special fancy fella or gal. Make sure to check out the photo booth! 

• With Friends Having Out 

Ossington and Dundas

Start off hanging out in Trinity Bellwoods, then hit up the Dakota Tavern for a show, or Communist Daughter for a drink, then, if you’re not done for the night, grab a booth at The Lakeview which is open 24hrs a day.

Best Neighbourhood to Dress Fancy: Yorkville. For obvious reasons. Famous people roam the streets... ooo 

Best Neighbourhood to Get Lost In: 

Kensington. So many different shops and stores to go into... you can spend a while roaming Kensington Market. 

Best People Watching Neighbourhood: 

Kensington Market - You get everyone from the hipster, to the confused tourists, to the Kensington locals who can’t stand the confused tourists, the musicians (well, everyone there ‘looks’ like a musician), to just your regular joe. They are all here. 

Best “Kids Friendly” Neighbourhood:

Leslieville - I saw many families with strollers here. Tons of shops for kids, and kid friendly cafes, etc. Perfect for young families. 

My Favourite Neighbourhoods to Hang Out in: Ossington/Dundas, Dundas West, Kensington Market 

My Favourite Neighbourhood to Live in : The Annex 

Best Museum: Royal Ontario Museum. Can’t really compete with this place. It has it all, and looks pretty awesome inside and out as well. Plus, free after 3:30 - 5:30 on Wednesdays! Take advantage of that!! 

Favourite Walking Route(s): 

From Dundas Street West up Bathurst to Kensington to The Annex via Major Street then up Walmer. 

From The Gladstone Hotel at Gladstone ave, down Queen Street headed east past Trinity Bellwoods all the way to Spadina. Lots of awesome shops to check out and coffee shops to stop in. 

Favourite Subway Station: Museum Station [for the beautiful totem poll platform]

Favourite Park: Trinity Bellwoods Park - It’s huge. Lots of space. Great for picnics and walks. Beautiful park stretching from Queen Street West to Dundas Street West. 

Favourite Area to Go Shopping: Queen Street West. Tons and Tons of options from Spadina down to Dufferin. 

Favourite Music Venue: The Dakota Tavern - I’ve seen the best live music here. Best atmosphere and great crowds (usually). 

Favourite Toronto Summer Time Activity: Blue Jay Game at the Skydome a.k.a Rogers Centre! & Doors Open Toronto 

Favourite Festival/Event: NxNE - The city just becomes one big musical party. People running around everywhere at every hour of the day. Amazing.

Where I Loved Getting My Hair Cut: Barberella’s on Dundas West

Best Record Store: Sonic Boom on Bloor, now attached to Honest Eds! 

Best Place to Take a Date: Walk Around Trinity Bellwoods, and eat a Kalendar on College. Or for something fancier, The Distillery District 

Best View of the City: From Toronto Island. Great view of the skyline. 

Best Organics Store: Essence of Life in Kensington Market. Cheap organic products! love this place! Rachel McAdams has been spotted shopping there if that helps :) 

Best Cookie: The Gypsy cookie from Bunners in The Junction. So good!

Must Do for Visitors to Toronto: Wander and get lost in Honest Eds, and buy something you don’t need and probably leave behind. 

Best Nachos: Sneaky Dees!!! SO FILLING, SO GOOD! 

The Place I’ll Miss the Most: The Dakota Tavern 

And there you have it!! 

If you need any recommendations about what to see in Toronto just leave me a comment and I'll help you out!! 

:) 

Hope you enjoyed the list! 

Monica