Toronto: Where to Eat, Play & Stay

Toronto is a very big city, so choosing a place to stay could feel a little overwhelming. However, most touristy things are within, or around downtown Toronto. So you’ll want to focus on neighborhoods around this area if it’s your first time visiting. Here are some neighborhoods I’d suggest: Downtown, Chinatown, Harbourfront, Entertainment District & Financial District, Yorkville, Midtown, and West Queen West.

Airbnb in Downtown

For my first visit, we stayed in a studio condo Airbnb* which sported a beautiful view of the CN Tower. This Airbnb was great for our first trip since we wanted to see all the touristy things in 48 hours. We were within walking distance of the CN Tour, Rogers Centre, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, Union Station, and more.

Our check-in wasn’t until 3 pm, but we arrived in Toronto at 8 am. Before leaving for Toronto, I researched places to store luggage and stumbled across a forum. Someone mentioned the Intercontinental Hotel near Union Station would store luggage for a fee. We checked it out when we arrived and were able to have our luggage stored for $5 CAD. They were super cool about it, in fact, it looks like they’ve created a side hustle from storing non-guest’s baggage.

Airbnb in Downtown (West)

For my second visit, we stayed in a two bedroom which also sported a beautiful view of the CN Tower. This Airbnb is another great option if you’re looking to do touristy things. We did all the touristy things on our first visit but still wanted to be close to everything.

St. Lawrence Market

This market provides fresh produce, meat, and seafood; as well as souvenir stores and antique shops. Go on a weekday to avoid the crowd and have a seat at one of the tables outside. There are also restaurants in the market for you to grab food like Carousel Bakery.

Order the award-winning “World Famous Peameal Bacon Sand­wich” or get their breakfast in a bun, as we did. This delicious peameal bacon, egg, and cheese on a bun sandwich is a breakfast must! I got lemonade to accompany my sandwich, which was also delicious. FYI: Carousel Bakery is cash-only.

Smoke’s Poutinerie

If you’re going to get poutine, then I’d highly recommend checking out Smoke’s Poutinerie. Located in Kensington Market, this restaurant provides a wide range of toppings including bacon, chicken, pulled pork, and even vegetarian options. I could barely finish the small poutine box I got, but it was delicious.

Amsterdam Brewhouse

Close to the Harborfront Centre, this restaurant offers beer, delicious food, and a stunning view of the CN Tower. We went out to eat on a Friday night, which was somewhat packed. But, we only waited about 20 minutes to be seated outside. We got to see the CN Tower’s light show and boats in the harbor.

Amsterdam Brewhouse is part of Amsterdam Brewery, which is located in the Leaside neighborhood. I love that they have many beer and cocktail options to choose from. We got their “beer cocktail”, which is KLB Raspberry Wheat beer mixed with fruit, and red (or white) wine.

Bar Poet

Definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Toronto — and yes I know there’s so much more to explore! The food is mainly Italian cuisine (e.g. pizza, pasta, garlic bread) and everything we ordered was delicious, including the drinks.

I loved the music they played (mainly throwback hip-hop, R&B, and pop) and the ambiance was relaxing and enchanting. There’s greenery throughout the restaurant including trees adorned with lights. The bathroom area is also cool, it has a gaming room area with old-school arcade games. And the service was amazing, our server brought out tiramisu once he found out it was my friend’s birthday.

I’d also note that it gets very busy, especially on weekends, so reservations are highly recommended.

The Morning After

A good brunch spot to cure your hangovers; they have all the brunch classics including mimosas, benedicts, pancakes, and more. They have an indoor space and a patio outside, so we chose the latter. I really loved the music they played (mainly 90’s-20’s hits) and their selection of creative lattes.

Tim Horton’s

I call Tim Horton’s (or Timmies) the Dunkin’ Donuts for Canadians 😂 especially because they’re located all over Toronto. You can buy coffee, donuts, smoothies, breakfast sandwiches, and more.

Chubby’s Jamaican Kitchen

Honestly, I was a bit hesitant to put this restaurant in this blog post because my experience wasn’t the best. However, I do recognize that I visited closer to their closing time, so that might’ve impacted my experience.

The restaurant itself has two floors but is fairly narrow. The table we were seated at had a leaking issue directly above us from the air conditioning. When I brought it to the waitress’s attention, she said it was busy, but would see what she could do. I barely saw our waitress after getting our drinks and this conversation. Our food eventually arrived and she never gave us silverware or even checked to see if everything was okay. We actually had to flag her down to get silverware, so all-in-all the service wasn’t that great.

However, the food and drinks were good, so I want to give them another try when I come back.

Blu Ristorante

Touting itself as the best Italian restaurant in Toronto, Blu Ristorante gives upscale vibes in the upscale Yorkville neighborhood. The service was impeccable, the food was as good as the presentation, and the decor was luxurious. In fact, I had an entire photoshoot in their bathroom 😂 I’d highly come here if you’re celebrating something special.

Nathan Phillips Square

Check out this plaza in downtown Toronto that has a picturesque TORONTO sign. This is a good spot to eat, people watch and take pictures with the sign and fountain. We didn’t come here at night, but I’d recommend going to see the sign lit up. My friend, who’s a local, told me that the fountain also turns into an ice skating rink during the winter.

Kensington Market

A super hipster area, Kensington Market provides shops, bars, restaurants, and even street art. The first time we visited Toronto, we brushed by the neighborhood going towards Smoke’s Poutinerie but didn’t fully explore. However, the second time we visited Toronto we walked around and stopped at The Dirty Bird Chicken & Waffles.

As the name implies, The Dirty Bird Chicken & Waffles makes chicken and waffles. The waffles serve as the buns in the chicken sandwich. I got “The Jerk” which included chicken, jerk BBQ, and slaw in between two waffles, and was delicious. They don’t have seats/seating here, so be prepared to eat at their high-top table, or while walking around.

Graffiti Alley

Near Queen Street West, this alley is filled with street art. You’ll see many people walking around taking photos during the day. Graffiti Alley is a must for anyone who loves art.

CN Tower

While it’s certainly a tourist trap and really expensive, it’s still cool to get a view of Toronto from above. The CN Tower, also known as the Canadian National Tower, has a restaurant, the EdgeWalk, and a Glass Floor.

PATH

Located downtown lies the PATH pedestrian tunnel, also known as the most genius idea ever in my opinion. It’s a shopping center and office building and can connect you to the TTC, CN Tower, Brookfield Place, and more. Brookfield Place Toronto is owned by Brookfield Properties which also has properties in NYC, London, Berlin, and Sydney.

The PATH is also a great way to get to your destination in weatherproof comfort. You can avoid the cold weather in the winter, and the heat/humidity in the summer by taking the PATH.

Stackt Market

The largest shipping container market in Canada, and all of North America. Stackt Market is such a great, family-friendly, marketplace with shops, a microbrewery, food vendors, games, art, and ongoing community programming. You could easily spend a few hours here, check out their website to see what events/programming they have upcoming.