You may not know much about Toronto other than its soaring skyscrapers and the iconic CN Tower, that it’s where Meghan Markle's Suits was filmed and where Drake is from. Ontario's capital city, though, is a vibrant hotspot for just about every kind of traveller, with its vast green spaces and beaches, incredible food scene, goldmine vintage clothing shops and boltholes for music and culture.
Canada's largest city also has one of the most multicultural populations in the world. With a city so diverse and welcoming, it's no surprise that it's a foodie's dream – and mine, more specifically. If there's a cuisine you're craving, you'll find it in Toronto - you only have to walk around to discover Little Italy, Chinatown, Greektown, Koreatown, Little India, Portugal Village and many more. Now, the city's culinary scene is making more of a name for itself by becoming Canada's *first* MICHELIN Guide destination, with 74 restaurants covering 27 cuisines being recognised. This September, 13 of Toronto's restaurants received Michelin stars, elevating the city into a world-class food destination. Need inspiration for your trip? Here are my highlights.
Where to eat and drink:
Bar Raval
Head to Little Italy and straight into Bar Raval. The wildly Instagrammable, Gaudi-inspired interiors make you feel like you're actually in Barcelona, and the standing bar has an epic cocktail list with fun names like 'See U Never'. I had 'Under The Bridge', a smokey tequila cocktail, followed by some incredible Spanish-inspired tapas dishes, from grilled octopus, shishito peppers, and ham croquetas to boquerones laid over creamy stracciatella on toast. It's the perfect spot to visit with friends for a light bite and catch-up cocktails.
Alo
Alo was one of the 12 restaurants to be awarded a Michelin star and is one not to be missed, but be ready to book months ahead - it's widely known as a city fave. The contemporary French restaurant serves multi-course tasting menus, highlighting the finest seasonal ingredients. We ate in Salon, their trendy private dining space in Yorkville, with tasting menus in the style of Alo. We feasted on multiple seafood and meat dishes (think: oysters, lobster and steak!) and finished with a chocolate tart. All I'll say is: worth the hype.
Broadview Hotel Rooftop
If you're a fan of a rooftop bar (who isn't?), make sure to check out The Rooftop at The Broadview Hotel. Why? For mesmerising views of the Toronto skyline and Don River, made even more picturesque with shareable plates and cocktails - perfect for an Instagram photo… or five, I won't judge. There's an indoor lounge equipped with a glass screen, a skylight roof, and an expansive outdoor terrace - so you can toast to your Toronto trip, rain or shine (or even snow!)
Tabule
Fan of Middle Eastern cuisine? This group of family restaurants started in 2005 and has since expanded across the city with four locations - we headed to Tabule in Riverside for a laidback lunch with lots of veggie and vegan options. Hot tip: Order their award-winning hummus and falafels – absolutely delicious.
TOCA
If you're after a fancier dinner spot, the restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel will be a big hit. Offering seasonal, locally-sourced Italian cuisine, expect everything from homemade pasta to fresh seafood and cheese selections from their cheese cave, which sits right in the middle of the restaurant!
For those seeking a special date night to remember, you can book a 'Shop like a chef, cook like a pro' experience organised through the hotel. We headed to the famous St. Lawrence Market - one of the best food markets in the world - with TOCA chef Paul Shewchuk to pick out ingredients for our menu. The market - which has been going strong since 1803 - is teeming with hundreds of stalls all under one roof, selling the freshest fruits, veggies, meat, fish, cheese, and baked goods, and is an absolute must-visit for foodies. Afterwards, we headed to the Ritz-Carlton's kitchen for a pasta-making class with a glass of champagne. The experience finishes with a feast at the Chef's Table in TOCA, with a menu incorporating the ingredients you picked out at the market. A once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Where to stay:
Formerly home to a strip club called Jilly's, The Broadview Hotel in Toronto's east end has been restored into an incredibly Instagram-worthy boutique hotel with a bistro, restaurant and one of the best rooftop bars in the city.
The same stylish aesthetic extends to the guest rooms: grand and chic, with all-marble bathrooms, dark-wood furniture and buttery soft bedding (seriously, I felt like I was tucking myself into a soft cloud after a long day of roaming around the city!) The hotel pays homage to its strip club heritage with the original floor-to-ceiling brass poles in some of its rooms, and there are some quirky touches like a record player with a selection of curated vinyl. While I don't recommend spending too long in your room when there's an entire city to explore, you can also easily stream content from your phone onto the TV (so a night of binge-watching your fave show is on the cards if you fancy).
The 4-star hotel is nestled between two cool neighbourhoods: Riverside and Leslieville, full of young, creative travellers who want to be close to Downtown while still enjoying a local experience in the up-and-coming east side of the city. Within walking distance, you'll find people sipping coffee in cute cafes, vintage shops, restaurants, parks and art murals you can't help but stop and stare at.
As a coffee lover, I made sure to check out a few local cafes within walking distance of the hotel during my stay. Here are a couple of my faves:
- Pilot Coffee Roasters (Te Aro) in Leslieville: Sit outside with an iced honey chai, sea salt cookie, and a good book and watch the world go by.
- Rooster Coffee House in Riverside: Sit on their patio or grab a flat white and cross the road to Riverdale Park East for stunning views of the city's skyline.
For more info on The Broadview Hotel, head here.
What to explore:
Kensington Market
To the west of Chinatown is the lively Kensington Market. Don't be fooled by the name though – it’s not actually a market, but a neighbourhood teeming with hole-in-the-wall boutiques, vintage clothing shops, independent coffee shops, cafes, bars, murals and street art. The locals are fiercely proud of their area and will oppose big corporations setting up shop there, so expect to find all local businesses. From May to October, the last Sunday of the month is pedestrian Sunday, when market stalls are set up along the streets. Check out Courage My Love for some vintage gems - if I had the room in my suitcase, I would have snapped up a pair of their cowboy boots in a second.
The Cheese Boutique
Cheese fiends, here’s where to feast to your heart’s content. The Cheese Boutique is run by Afrim Pristine, whose parents first opened this spot in 1970. The store sells all the deli staples and artisan charcuterie, olive oils and approximately 500(!) varieties of cheese. A visit would only be complete with a sneak peek of their famous walk-in cheese cave, where they store about $1 million worth of cheese they take the time to procure and age. Pick up a selection of cheeses from around the world and head back to your hotel/apartment for a cheese and wine session. We tried a 4-year-aged Gouda, which I am still dreaming about.
Reid's Distillery
Gin lovers, head to Reid's - a family-run gin distillery in Leslieville. You can choose from a distillery tour, cocktail-making class or even Gin High Tea which is, you guessed it, gin in a teapot with sandwiches! They also run 'gin and jazz' nights in the evenings, with all proceeds going to the artists.
We opted for the 1.5-hour behind-the-scenes tour of the distillery, finding out how Reid's signature, spiced and citrus gins are made and followed by a tasting of all three ($49.50 per person). Pro-tip for G&T fans: Always taste the gin neat by letting it lightly coat your lips, followed by a small sip with ice and finally with your chosen tonic water.
Avling Brewery
Prefer beer to gin? Set over three floors, Avling is a cool spot with a brewery (hence the name), restaurant and even their own rooftop farm, which anyone is welcome to go up and look at. Everything grown up there using ecological farming methods makes its way to Avling's food, cocktails, or beers in the brewpub. Order the zaatar spiced fava-lafel with roasted zucchini and try their seasonal selection of beers for an afternoon treat.
Head to the beach
For some sea air and a break from the hustle and bustle, head to Woodbine Beach - it's the largest of the four in the Beaches neighbourhood in Toronto and one of the city's most popular. We walked along the boardwalk at Woodbine to Kew-Balmy Beach to recharge before a busy afternoon of eating and exploring.
FYI...
- Toronto is much smaller than NYC, and it's pretty easy to get around with the tram and metro system or by walking or cycling between neighbourhoods. During peak season or events like the Toronto International Film Festival, you can get stuck in quite a lot of traffic, so I'd probably avoid getting taxis everywhere unless you have to.
- It can get hot and humid in the summer and VERY cold in the winter, so I'd recommend planning a spring or autumn trip when it's usually quieter, cheaper and a more pleasant temperature.
- It's a manageable three hours to Niagara Falls, which means you can do it as a breezy day trip, even if you're using public transport.
- Whether for fancy cheese from the Cheese Boutique or some vintage finds, trust me when I say: leave a little space in your suitcase going out, so you can take your new goodies back home.
- I flew with Air Canada, who offer more daily flights from the UK to Canada than any other airline. From London Heathrow, the airline operates three daily non-stop services to Toronto, with a flight time of around 8 hours. You can find out more here.
