Belle’s guidebook
Restaurants
One of Toronto’s best steakhouses. If you are looking for a fine dining experience: highly recommended! A fine dining Toronto steakhouse with an Italian twist located in the heart of the Financial/Entertainment district on 100 Simcoe St.
Premier steaks including A5 Kobe, American Wagyu, in house dry aged USDA Prime and PEI naturally raised grass fed beef along with an assortment of home-made pastas and fresh fish.
Live, acoustic music in the lounge every Thursday, Friday and Saturdays, Valet parking.
Meat-, dairy- & egg-free Southern-style comfort food, with local beers on tap, plus weekend brunch.
Address: 1056 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6H 1M3, Canada
Hours: Opens 12PM
Phone: +1 416-901-9779
Menu: hogtownvegan.com
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The Hogtown Vegan
1056 Bloor St WMeat-, dairy- & egg-free Southern-style comfort food, with local beers on tap, plus weekend brunch.
Address: 1056 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6H 1M3, Canada
Hours: Opens 12PM
Phone: +1 416-901-9779
Menu: hogtownvegan.com
Snug take-out spot offers vegetarian sandwiches, vegan soups, juices, smoothies & more.
Address: 1199 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1X3, Canada
Hours: Opens soon ⋅ 11AM
Phone: +1 416-841-6673
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Veghed
1199 Dundas St WSnug take-out spot offers vegetarian sandwiches, vegan soups, juices, smoothies & more.
Address: 1199 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1X3, Canada
Hours: Opens soon ⋅ 11AM
Phone: +1 416-841-6673
Cafe Diplomatico Restaurant & Pizzeria
594 College StHarbord Bakery
115 Harbord StKing's Noodle Restaurant
296 Spadina Ave.The Keg Steakhouse + Bar - King West
560 King Street WestFood scene
Bar Raval is similar to its sibling restaurant Bar Isabel with a perpetually changing menu of Spanish tapas, but with a casual atmosphere that involves mostly standing room and a bar laden with pintxos.
It’s another project of Grant van Gameren, who also has Eastern European pub Tennessee Tavern and mezcal-heavy bars El Rey and Pretty Ugly. Unlike these other places, though, Raval is open early til late for coffee and pastries up to cocktails and conservas.
The smallish space is enrobed in swooping wooden curves that recall Gaudi or Dali, bottles lined up along the edges. Mirrors hide in corners behind narrow ledges, making the bar feel like it’s made up of a collection of intimate hidden nooks and crannies.
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Bar Raval
505 College StBar Raval is similar to its sibling restaurant Bar Isabel with a perpetually changing menu of Spanish tapas, but with a casual atmosphere that involves mostly standing room and a bar laden with pintxos.
It’s another project of Grant van Gameren, who also has Eastern European pub Tennessee Tavern and mezcal-heavy bars El Rey and Pretty Ugly. Unlike these other places, though, Raval is open early til late for coffee and pastries up to cocktails and conservas.
The smallish space is enrobed in swooping wooden curves that recall Gaudi or Dali, bottles lined up along the edges. Mirrors hide in corners behind narrow ledges, making the bar feel like it’s made up of a collection of intimate hidden nooks and crannies.
Feel like you're in a Paris garden at this patio behind a French restaurant on Queen West.
Jules Bistro serves up quality French fare near Queen and Shaw. Their secluded back patio offers a chance to dine in a romantic setting.
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Jules Bistro
147 Spadina Ave.Feel like you're in a Paris garden at this patio behind a French restaurant on Queen West.
Jules Bistro serves up quality French fare near Queen and Shaw. Their secluded back patio offers a chance to dine in a romantic setting.
Raku is a Japanese restaurant specializing in perfectly chewy udon noodles.
Based in New York City, this sleek Japanese brand already has two busy stores in the Big Apple, where it first opened in 2016.
Executive chef Norihiro Ishizuka is also the same chef behind the popular Michelin-starred NYC omakase Kura, hence the udon shop's anagram name, Raku.
One of the most popular hot udon orders here is the kani ankake ($22), an insanely thick and gooey noodle soup served with chunks of real red crab. :)
Raku
456 Queen St WRaku is a Japanese restaurant specializing in perfectly chewy udon noodles.
Based in New York City, this sleek Japanese brand already has two busy stores in the Big Apple, where it first opened in 2016.
Executive chef Norihiro Ishizuka is also the same chef behind the popular Michelin-starred NYC omakase Kura, hence the udon shop's anagram name, Raku.
One of the most popular hot udon orders here is the kani ankake ($22), an insanely thick and gooey noodle soup served with chunks of real red crab. :)
Chinatown
292 Spadina Ave.Shopping, food scene and Toronto Iconic spots
One of the most Chic and polished areas of Town
I remember Yorkville way back, when I was a young teen, playing host to hippies and coffee houses, where Joni Mitchell got her start. That was fun, this is better. The shops are displayed with high end merch, and it's not uncommon to see the vacuously rich (and plastic-torchered) or celebrated hollywood types walk about trying to pretend they're just like us. Very pretty residential and leafy sidestreets north of the commercial zones are a pleasant place to meander and walk the dog. Lovely, clean, well tended corner of the city.
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Yorkville
One of the most Chic and polished areas of Town
I remember Yorkville way back, when I was a young teen, playing host to hippies and coffee houses, where Joni Mitchell got her start. That was fun, this is better. The shops are displayed with high end merch, and it's not uncommon to see the vacuously rich (and plastic-torchered) or celebrated hollywood types walk about trying to pretend they're just like us. Very pretty residential and leafy sidestreets north of the commercial zones are a pleasant place to meander and walk the dog. Lovely, clean, well tended corner of the city.
Mercato di Kensington
Koreatown
Piccola Italia
Niagara on the Lake
The Jerk Joint
238 Queen St WPrince of Wales Hotel
6 Picton StSightseeing
CN Tower
290 Bremner BlvdIsole di Toronto
Niagara on the Lake
Sault Ste. Marie
The Blue Mountains
Lake Simcoe
Georgian Bay
Prince of Wales Drive
Prince of Wales DriveBuying Alcoholic Beverages
A note on buying alcoholic beverages in Ontario.
You cannot buy alcoholic beverages just anywhere.
Your closest location is the LCBO shown on this map, which is a short 10 minute walk from the apartment.
Pricing
The price of alcohol is the same across all retailers (grocery stores, the LCBO, LCBO Convenience Outlets, the Beer Store, wineries and on-site manufacturers’ stores).
There are 450 Beer Stores and more than 660 LCBO stores, and up to 200 LCBO agency stores across Ontario.
Recently, also more than 350 grocery stores across Ontario can sell beer and cider – including 140 that can sell wine.
Grocery stores
Starting in September 2019, 87 more grocery stores will be allowed to sell wine, beer and cider bringing the total number of grocery stores selling alcohol up to 450.
LCBO Convenience Outlets
The LCBO is also expanding its agency store program to up to 200 new underserviced communities. Up to 60 stores will be authorized this summer, and another 90 stores are expected to be authorized by December, with additional stores opening in spring 2020.
The LCBO is rebranding the agency store program to “LCBO Convenience Outlets” to help consumers easily identify local alcohol retailers in their community that offer a similar product assortment as LCBO stores.
Rules for retailers
Regulations govern the sale of beer, wine and cider in grocery stores across the province.
Selling alcohol is a public trust. Stores must follow mandatory rules when selling alcohol. These rules are part of the government’s commitment to ensure that alcohol is sold in a socially responsible manner.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario regulates grocery stores and will ensure that beer, wine and cider are:
not sold to anyone under Ontario’s legal drinking age of 19 or to intoxicated adults
sold by fully trained staff who ensure Ontario’s standards for social responsibility are always met
sold during standard hours of sale
only available in a designated section of each store
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LCBO
49 Spadina Ave.A note on buying alcoholic beverages in Ontario.
You cannot buy alcoholic beverages just anywhere.
Your closest location is the LCBO shown on this map, which is a short 10 minute walk from the apartment.
Pricing
The price of alcohol is the same across all retailers (grocery stores, the LCBO, LCBO Convenience Outlets, the Beer Store, wineries and on-site manufacturers’ stores).
There are 450 Beer Stores and more than 660 LCBO stores, and up to 200 LCBO agency stores across Ontario.
Recently, also more than 350 grocery stores across Ontario can sell beer and cider – including 140 that can sell wine.
Grocery stores
Starting in September 2019, 87 more grocery stores will be allowed to sell wine, beer and cider bringing the total number of grocery stores selling alcohol up to 450.
LCBO Convenience Outlets
The LCBO is also expanding its agency store program to up to 200 new underserviced communities. Up to 60 stores will be authorized this summer, and another 90 stores are expected to be authorized by December, with additional stores opening in spring 2020.
The LCBO is rebranding the agency store program to “LCBO Convenience Outlets” to help consumers easily identify local alcohol retailers in their community that offer a similar product assortment as LCBO stores.
Rules for retailers
Regulations govern the sale of beer, wine and cider in grocery stores across the province.
Selling alcohol is a public trust. Stores must follow mandatory rules when selling alcohol. These rules are part of the government’s commitment to ensure that alcohol is sold in a socially responsible manner.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario regulates grocery stores and will ensure that beer, wine and cider are:
not sold to anyone under Ontario’s legal drinking age of 19 or to intoxicated adults
sold by fully trained staff who ensure Ontario’s standards for social responsibility are always met
sold during standard hours of sale
only available in a designated section of each store
Beer Store 2303
452 Bathurst StBeer store
Bars, Pubs, Patios
Bar Raval
505 College StOne of the city’s best selections of beer on tap at this narrow Little Italy beer bar. Expect a heavy focus on funkier brews like sours, lambics and wild yeast beers along with rare, shareable bottles aged in the Cantina cellar.
Why go: Birreria Volo serves beer in wine glasses, encouraging you to sip, not chug, your beverages. The communal table setup begs neighboring patrons to strike up conversations while the rear patio boasts a beer hall-like setup.
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Birreria Volo
612 College StOne of the city’s best selections of beer on tap at this narrow Little Italy beer bar. Expect a heavy focus on funkier brews like sours, lambics and wild yeast beers along with rare, shareable bottles aged in the Cantina cellar.
Why go: Birreria Volo serves beer in wine glasses, encouraging you to sip, not chug, your beverages. The communal table setup begs neighboring patrons to strike up conversations while the rear patio boasts a beer hall-like setup.
What is it: The Broadview Hotel brought life back into the beautiful heritage building that formerly housed the longstanding strip club Jilly’s. Its Rooftop Bar is one of the city’s best patios with stunning 360-degree views.
Why go: History and style are blended gracefully with cheeky nods to the building’s past occupant. Tourists and locals alike will appreciate the sunset views of the CN Tower while sipping on a glass or two of crisp white wine.
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The Rooftop
106 Broadview AvenueWhat is it: The Broadview Hotel brought life back into the beautiful heritage building that formerly housed the longstanding strip club Jilly’s. Its Rooftop Bar is one of the city’s best patios with stunning 360-degree views.
Why go: History and style are blended gracefully with cheeky nods to the building’s past occupant. Tourists and locals alike will appreciate the sunset views of the CN Tower while sipping on a glass or two of crisp white wine.
Showcasing local craft beers long before they were trendy, this St. Lawrence Market bar and restaurant is an unfussy spot with an impressive 40-plus beers on tap and a decent offering of whiskies, cocktails and local Ontario wines.
Why go: Pool tables and live music on weekends.
A pub-like vibe with multiple fireplaces make it an excellent spot to cozy up on cold or rainy evenings.
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C'est What?
67 Front St EShowcasing local craft beers long before they were trendy, this St. Lawrence Market bar and restaurant is an unfussy spot with an impressive 40-plus beers on tap and a decent offering of whiskies, cocktails and local Ontario wines.
Why go: Pool tables and live music on weekends.
A pub-like vibe with multiple fireplaces make it an excellent spot to cozy up on cold or rainy evenings.
Cloak & Dagger Irish Pub
394 College StRight near the apartment
Right down the street on College.
Sneaky Dee’s
This iconic Toronto institution has been around sinc since 1987. Share some pitchers of beer with friends, catch a show at the upstairs stage or satisfy your craving for late-night nachos at this College and Bathurst spot.
Why go: To experience a staple of Toronto culture and enjoy affordable easy-drinking brews. And in case you get a little too messy the night before, Sneaky Dee’s offers a weekday breakfast special for only $5.50.
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Sneaky Dee's
431 College StRight down the street on College.
Sneaky Dee’s
This iconic Toronto institution has been around sinc since 1987. Share some pitchers of beer with friends, catch a show at the upstairs stage or satisfy your craving for late-night nachos at this College and Bathurst spot.
Why go: To experience a staple of Toronto culture and enjoy affordable easy-drinking brews. And in case you get a little too messy the night before, Sneaky Dee’s offers a weekday breakfast special for only $5.50.
Located in the cellar of a historic building near St Lawrence Market, C’est What has been a Toronto craft beer institution for more than three decades. And there’s good reason for it: a healthy array of board games and billiards, a cozy underground atmosphere perfect for hibernation on winter nights, complete with over 42 taps and 20 bottles of rotating beers, exclusively Canadian with a focus on Ontario. C’est What are the old school purists of the craft beer bars, with a mandate that focuses on single-batch, all natural brewing and fresh and unpasteurized beer. Beyond the beer, they’ve recently switched their liquor rail to entirely Ontario craft for those who prefer something harder.
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C'est What?
67 Front St ELocated in the cellar of a historic building near St Lawrence Market, C’est What has been a Toronto craft beer institution for more than three decades. And there’s good reason for it: a healthy array of board games and billiards, a cozy underground atmosphere perfect for hibernation on winter nights, complete with over 42 taps and 20 bottles of rotating beers, exclusively Canadian with a focus on Ontario. C’est What are the old school purists of the craft beer bars, with a mandate that focuses on single-batch, all natural brewing and fresh and unpasteurized beer. Beyond the beer, they’ve recently switched their liquor rail to entirely Ontario craft for those who prefer something harder.
Toronto’s premier craft-beer drinking destination. Bar Volo is Birreria Volo, an industrial chic place on College Street. Nestled in a 10-foot-wide alleyway, get cozy at Birreria Volo and pull up to a communal table to try out rustic ales, ciders, natural wines, and their “cucina povera” (poor man’s kitchen) Italian-inspired snacks. And don’t worry -- rumour has it that Bar Volo may be making comeback.
Bar Volo
17 St Nicholas StToronto’s premier craft-beer drinking destination. Bar Volo is Birreria Volo, an industrial chic place on College Street. Nestled in a 10-foot-wide alleyway, get cozy at Birreria Volo and pull up to a communal table to try out rustic ales, ciders, natural wines, and their “cucina povera” (poor man’s kitchen) Italian-inspired snacks. And don’t worry -- rumour has it that Bar Volo may be making comeback.
Nightlife
Lee's Palace is a rock concert hall located on the south side of Bloor Street West east of Lippincott Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The two-floor facility in The Annex neighbourhood has a long history prior to being adapted in September 1985 for its current use as a concert venue and nightclub.[1] While the Lee's Palace live performance venue that accommodates just over 500 guest is on the ground floor, the top floor is occupied by The Dance Cave, a nightclub that on weekends mostly caters to university and college students from the nearby downtown Toronto schools such as University of Toronto, Ryerson University, OCAD University, and George Brown College with alt-rock while attracting older patrons during the work week with a fare that includes goth rock, mod music, punk, and indie.
Friday Nights at the Royal Ontario Museum
What is it: Dance with dinosaurs at this weekly bash that brings booze, pop-up food vendors and live music into the country’s largest museum. Nights are often themed around the ROM’s latest special exhibit or a seasonal holiday.
Why go: We can all agree that booze and snacks make museums infinitely more fun to explore. Stay late to catch a lively dance party that often breaks out on the main floor.
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Museo Reale dell'Ontario
100 Queens ParkFriday Nights at the Royal Ontario Museum
What is it: Dance with dinosaurs at this weekly bash that brings booze, pop-up food vendors and live music into the country’s largest museum. Nights are often themed around the ROM’s latest special exhibit or a seasonal holiday.
Why go: We can all agree that booze and snacks make museums infinitely more fun to explore. Stay late to catch a lively dance party that often breaks out on the main floor.
Lee's Palace
529 Bloor St W