Guidebook for Toronto
Drinks & Nightlife
best tacos in town and more hipsters than you can shake a stick at.
292 locals recommend
Grand Electric Parkdale
1330 Queen St Wbest tacos in town and more hipsters than you can shake a stick at.
Cadillac Lounge
1296 Queen St WHugest patio ever. Good BBQ. Great bands. Friendly.
Fabulous, intimate little resto emphasizing...well, local. Local ingredients, local vibe; super cosy.
25 locals recommend
Local Kitchen & Wine Bar
1710 Queen St WFabulous, intimate little resto emphasizing...well, local. Local ingredients, local vibe; super cosy.
Chilled, charming local coffee and tea spot. Very nice early in the morning...or any time really. They have newspapers!
23 locals recommend
The Abbott
99 Spencer AveChilled, charming local coffee and tea spot. Very nice early in the morning...or any time really. They have newspapers!
Who cares if he took the name and concept from notorious Cool Britannia artist Damian Hirst? I'm old enough to remember when this WAS a pharmacy. Friendly, intimate late nite drinks. Ask for Chris.
24 locals recommend
Pharmacy Bar
Who cares if he took the name and concept from notorious Cool Britannia artist Damian Hirst? I'm old enough to remember when this WAS a pharmacy. Friendly, intimate late nite drinks. Ask for Chris.
I hear it's Polynesian themed. Lots of cool people. Probably great food and vibe. I just wonder....what's next in Parkdale? Now we have a Polynesian tiki bar do we need anything more?
49 locals recommend
Miss Thing's
1279 Queen Street WestI hear it's Polynesian themed. Lots of cool people. Probably great food and vibe. I just wonder....what's next in Parkdale? Now we have a Polynesian tiki bar do we need anything more?
Everything Else
It's unique. It just is what it is. Great bar, excellent brunches, surprisingly kid-friendly.
538 locals recommend
The Drake Hotel
1150 Queen St WIt's unique. It just is what it is. Great bar, excellent brunches, surprisingly kid-friendly.
Browse, borrow, read the paper, take your kids on a Saturday morning. The library is our trusted go-to hangout.
18 locals recommend
Toronto Public Library - Parkdale Branch
1303 Queen St WBrowse, borrow, read the paper, take your kids on a Saturday morning. The library is our trusted go-to hangout.
Designer Fabrics
1360 Queen Street WestIf you love fabric you will swoon in this place. Dog friendly too!
Cos we all love a hardware store! Especially a dog-friendly, friendly-friendly, knowledgeable and LOCAL one like this.
8 locals recommend
Parkdale Home Hardware
1372 Queen St WCos we all love a hardware store! Especially a dog-friendly, friendly-friendly, knowledgeable and LOCAL one like this.
Local, organic, ethically and sustainably sourced groceries, delicacies, household goods....all your basics covered, plus special things - and a friendly local place to shop. 5 mins from your door!
49 locals recommend
West End Food Co-op
1229 Queen Street WestLocal, organic, ethically and sustainably sourced groceries, delicacies, household goods....all your basics covered, plus special things - and a friendly local place to shop. 5 mins from your door!
FreshCo
22 Northcote AveYour local supermarket. Big, bright, cheap and amazing selection.
Luxurious french pastries in a glamourous room and a delicious little stealth-breakfast.
51 locals recommend
The Tempered Room
1374 Queen St WLuxurious french pastries in a glamourous room and a delicious little stealth-breakfast.
The little park that CAN. And does. Summertime, if you're here with kids, this is where you'll want to come hang out in the wading pool with Parkdale's other parents.
Masaryk Park
220 Cowan AveThe little park that CAN. And does. Summertime, if you're here with kids, this is where you'll want to come hang out in the wading pool with Parkdale's other parents.
Precision haircutting in a friendly, warm environment. Ask for Rachel and tell her Abi sent you. She's a very skilled cutter and colourist. Well-curated vintage collectibles for sale: bonus!
Quinn West
Precision haircutting in a friendly, warm environment. Ask for Rachel and tell her Abi sent you. She's a very skilled cutter and colourist. Well-curated vintage collectibles for sale: bonus!
Eclectic's an overused word but my, this boutique is eclectic. Much of their stuff (all of it?) is locally made and ethical, extremely stylish and made to last. Great greetings cards and lingerie!
12 locals recommend
Shopgirls Gallery Boutique
1342 Queen St WEclectic's an overused word but my, this boutique is eclectic. Much of their stuff (all of it?) is locally made and ethical, extremely stylish and made to last. Great greetings cards and lingerie!
Top notch massage, infra red saunas and other alternative health treatments, plus a little store for related supplies. A neighbourhood gem.
The Well
1344 Queen St WTop notch massage, infra red saunas and other alternative health treatments, plus a little store for related supplies. A neighbourhood gem.
Huge expos, Toronto FC soccer stadium, nightclubs, bandshells and more.
146 locals recommend
Exhibition Place
100 Princes' BoulevardHuge expos, Toronto FC soccer stadium, nightclubs, bandshells and more.
Gorgeous, built-to-last, mostly Canadian home furnishings. Buy and ship home: you won't regret it.
Pavilion
42 Gladstone AveGorgeous, built-to-last, mostly Canadian home furnishings. Buy and ship home: you won't regret it.
The owner's been knowledgeably selling high-design housewares, books, jewellry, clocks and general fabulosity, for at least 15 years. Stop by for a present for someone, including yourself.
Studio Brillantine
1518 Queen St WThe owner's been knowledgeably selling high-design housewares, books, jewellry, clocks and general fabulosity, for at least 15 years. Stop by for a present for someone, including yourself.
Hey - your beer, wine and spirits needs are met a mere 7 minutes away on foot! Huge selection, amazing range of beer. It's a booze supermarket basically.
957 locals recommend
LCBO
49 Spadina Ave.Hey - your beer, wine and spirits needs are met a mere 7 minutes away on foot! Huge selection, amazing range of beer. It's a booze supermarket basically.
Food Scene
Awesome for dinner, brunch, drinks, bluegrass brunch. A lovely spillover space for visiting friends or family: arty rooms, fun ambience. And they are environmentally conscious too.
194 locals recommend
Gladstone Hotel
1214 Queen St WAwesome for dinner, brunch, drinks, bluegrass brunch. A lovely spillover space for visiting friends or family: arty rooms, fun ambience. And they are environmentally conscious too.
Super cool; lettuce wraps are their thing. I hear you can also get a tasting menu/chef's table. For the true foodie.
65 locals recommend
Chantecler Restaurant | Boucherie
1318 Queen St WSuper cool; lettuce wraps are their thing. I hear you can also get a tasting menu/chef's table. For the true foodie.
Hipster-gourmet BBQ joint. Absolutely delicious (try the fried chicken and coleslaw). Picnic tables and loud alterna-music. Bonus: right next to the liquor store for your multitasking pleasure.
102 locals recommend
Electric Mud BBQ
5 Brock AveHipster-gourmet BBQ joint. Absolutely delicious (try the fried chicken and coleslaw). Picnic tables and loud alterna-music. Bonus: right next to the liquor store for your multitasking pleasure.
Coffeehead friends swear blind it's the tastiest, highest quality, coffee-fix around. Be prepared for phalanxes (?) of laptops though.
103 locals recommend
Capital Espresso
1349 Queen St WCoffeehead friends swear blind it's the tastiest, highest quality, coffee-fix around. Be prepared for phalanxes (?) of laptops though.
Formerly the much loved, and mourned. Mascot. A double-sized storefront with tonnes of space, amazing coffee and baked goods, and a kid-friendly attitude. (Sister coffeeshop to The Abbot).
The Tenant of Parkdale
Formerly the much loved, and mourned. Mascot. A double-sized storefront with tonnes of space, amazing coffee and baked goods, and a kid-friendly attitude. (Sister coffeeshop to The Abbot).
Haven't been yet but neighbours claim it's one of the best new restaurants in the City, the room is lovely and the prices are reasonable.
24 locals recommend
Dandylion
1198 Queen St WHaven't been yet but neighbours claim it's one of the best new restaurants in the City, the room is lovely and the prices are reasonable.
Haven't tried it but it's been well reviewed. Small, intricate sharing plates with a seafood focus. Cool interior with a postmodern nautical thing going on.
9 locals recommend
The Commodore
1265 Queen Street WestHaven't tried it but it's been well reviewed. Small, intricate sharing plates with a seafood focus. Cool interior with a postmodern nautical thing going on.
Shopping
For all your 100-mile, handmade, in-season, mostly-organic gelato needs (go on, you know you have such needs). (Great post-splashpad at Masaryk Park destination, with kids or without).
20 locals recommend
Boreal Gelato
1312 Queen Street WestFor all your 100-mile, handmade, in-season, mostly-organic gelato needs (go on, you know you have such needs). (Great post-splashpad at Masaryk Park destination, with kids or without).