We went in search of escape from the heat of summer and headache of Fourth of July. Toronto, being north of the border, was an easy answer. Until we realized Canada isn’t immune to July’s sweltering heat and their own national birthday is celebrated July 1st. But still, my Fourth of July escape was a great week of eating and exploring the neighborhoods in Toronto.
It was my second time in Toronto after a less-than-spectacular first trip. My first time was cold, everything was closed, and my travel companion constantly complained. But this time Toronto redeemed itself with the heat and sunshine, incredible restaurants, and wonderful neighborhoods.
Toronto is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world, with Torontonians representing over 200 different ethnicities speaking 160 languages. The restaurants and neighborhoods in Toronto reflect this incredible diversity, creating a completely unique multicultural city.
Toronto feels so much like Chicago I had to remind myself I’d even left the country. It’s a big city with a small-town feel; a financial hub with a buzzing downtown surrounded by neighborhoods so different each one made me feel like I was somewhere completely new. And the locals are so nice it’s easy to see why Canadians are known for their politeness. (And yes, I heard plenty of “eh?” from them!)
Exploring the Neighborhoods in Toronto
I’ve been aching to return to Toronto ever since my first time there and after spending last year’s Fourth of July in Mexico, it seemed like the perfect time to go. Even better, my parents decided to join me since they’d never been to Canada. We spent most of our time exploring the neighborhoods in Toronto, discovering their differences and eating our way through each one of them.
Yorkville
First stop: Yorkville. Yorkville is a swanky neighborhood full of adorable (and expensive) Victorian homes and high-end shopping. The Mink Mile, as it’s called, is lined with stores like Gucci, Prada, and Kate Spade. But we weren’t there to shop.
The Toronto Jazz Festival is held in Yorkville, which was historically the capital of Toronto’s Bohemian culture and where musicians like Joni Mitchell got their start. Over 350 concerts in outdoor and indoor venues span the course of 10 days during the festival. We caught the last few nights, attending two outdoor concerts held right on the street and an impromptu jazz jam session at the Intercontinental Hotel.
Yorkville is also home to several great bars and restaurants. We had wine at The Oxley, a traditional pub that reminded me of London, and dinner at Cibo Wine Bar, an Italian spot with amazing pasta. (Here’s where to eat in Toronto.)
Kensington Market
The next day we explored Kensington Market, an eclectic neighborhood about as different as possible from Yorkville. Both are full of shops, restaurants, and Victorian houses, but Kensington Market is a colorful place with a hipster vibe. It’s been an immigrant neighborhood since the 1880s, first housing Irish and Scottish immigrants, then Jewish, Portuguese, and transplants from a dozen other cultures.
The restaurants and bars are casual spots with patios or places specializing on specific foods. There are also butchers and bakeries next to clothing boutiques and even a Cannabis café. (Canada recently voted to legalize recreational marijuana use but it is not yet legal for sale.) Trinity Common bar was a perfect escape from Toronto’s heat and a great place to watch the World Cup with a beer.
Not far from Kensington Market in Little Italy is an outstanding Spanish tapas restaurant named Bar Raval. There, in the partially open-air bar designed to look like one of Gaudi’s masterpieces, we had the best meal of our trip. The traditional Spanish tapas was identical to everything I loved in Spain and each bite was deliciously better than the next. And the two bottles of wine didn’t hurt, either! (Read about our dinner at Bar Raval here.)
Downtown Toronto
By our third day, we were well aware of Toronto’s humid heat. We had tickets to the Blue Jays baseball game at the Rogers Centre, the first stadium with a retractable roof. Originally I hoped it was open, but thankfully it wasn’t because it was so hot! The stadium was celebrating Canada Day, the country’s national holiday, so we got mini Canada flags.
Downtown Toronto is the heart of the city, full of skyscrapers and touristy restaurants. It has North America’s third largest concentration of skyscrapers after New York and Chicago, including the CN Tower, once the world’s tallest free-standing structure. (It has great views but whatever you do, don’t eat there!) Downtown is also where the famous 3D Toronto sign is located, in Nathan Phillips Square. (Posing with it is a tourist must-do!)
Among the touristy, business-oriented restaurants are a handful worth eating at. Momofuku Noodle Bar, David Chang’s famous ramen shop, is one of them. We couldn’t resist the ramen and pork belly buns, even though it was hot outside! (More on ramen in Toronto here.)
Another great find was the Korean Grill House, where we barbecued our own thin cuts of marinated pork, steak, chicken, and lamb over an open flame at our table, pairing them with rice, kimchi, and spicy bean sprouts.
Distillery District
Of all the neighborhoods in Toronto, my favorite was the Distillery District. The area was once the Gooderham and Worts Distillery, the world’s largest whisky distillery in the 1860s. Opened in 1832, the distillery was sold to Hiram Walker & Sons in 1926 and eventually closed in 1990. (Corby Distillery in Ontario still makes a Gooderham Worts whisky honoring them.)
Most of the original distillery buildings still stand and have been converted into shops, restaurants, and cafés. It’s the largest and best preserved collection of Victorian era industrial buildings in North America. The original exposed brick and industrial beams are visible inside most stores, combining shopping with museum-like history.
There’s also a sake distillery in the District, the Ontario Spring Water Sake Company. We stopped by for sake flights, then couldn’t resist having a poké bowl across the street at Boku. The real highlight was The Sports Gallery, part sports apparel shop and sports history museum, with historical prints and artifacts among shirts and jerseys.
St. Lawrence
Not far from the Distillery District is the St. Lawrence neighborhood. It’s best known for the Gooderham flatiron building named after the distillery’s headquarters once located there.
The neighborhood is named after the St. Lawrence Market, a large two-story market with stalls selling meats, cheeses, vegetables, wine, and more. The public market originally opened across the street in 1803. (That space is now a weekly farmers market.) The market is entertaining enough to wander through and don’t forget a Peameal Bacon Sandwich at Carousel Bakery. It’s a Toronto staple made with thick slices of pork loin on a Kaiser bun.
Or stop at one of the restaurants lined across the street, like Barsa. The Spanish tapas spot has a cute little patio and half off bottles of wine on Wednesdays. Or Bindia, a contemporary Indian restaurant next door.
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Beyond the neighborhoods in Toronto, we took a day trip to Niagara Falls to see the most powerful waterfall in North America. It was even more incredible than I imagined (despite being overrun by tourists). But like all trips, our time in Toronto flew by before we could check everything off our to do list. Apparently I’ll just have to go back again!
Next up :: Ramen in Toronto, A Day Trip to Niagara Falls, and Where to Eat in Toronto
