My Roncesvalles Faves

0 Likes | 0 Dislikes

7 places recommended by KerryHelston

Eco-Friendly from Roncesvalles

Created on Apr 7 2009

Roncesvalles in my mind is the perfect neighbourhood. Having commercial space on just one side of the main drag keeps the street safe, walkable and community oriented. Check out some of my favourite neighbourhood spots.

Buddha Dog

163 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON

Rated this place:

posted Feb 4 2009

Doggonitssogood: Such yummy local goodness in 5 bites! Everything in and on these little hot dogs (yes this is a hot dog restaurant) is born and raised, sown and grown in these here parts, or at least from pretty darn close by. The two Andrews who own and run this shop have a real passion for good food and building relationships to the people who grow and make it. The meats are naturally raised and slaughtered at one of the last small family run abattoirs in Ontario. I love the jalapeno cheese and cherry ketchup. This winter I've been stopping by for more than just hot dogs though...their soups are awesome. Every day they have a vegetarian soup and a non-veg soup. I particularly loved the chicken and wild rice. And from what I hear they have a games night complete with Jenga and all kinds of other wild fun.

Springcreek Farm Produce

291 Roncesvalles Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M6R2M3

Rated this place:

posted Feb 4 2009

European Family Farm Meats: Buying naturally raised or organic meat in this city can leave you with an empty wallet and a few meals short for the week. Spring Creek Farm Butcher shop however offers a great selection of local and naturally raised meats for an affordable price. The store is front for the family owned farm operation though they do sell Rowe Farms and Beretta Organics as well. They do sometimes sell out of things later in the day. One thing that I don't love about the place is the smell. I know... butchers, meat, things that are no longer living... will probably lead to, you know, odd smells here and there, but sometimes I just have to grin and bear it because I know the meat is tasty as well as pesticide and medicine free. Oh yeah, did I say that already, the meat is tasty! They also get rated a 4 cause they do freeze some of their meats but it’s worth the stretching of the dollar.

The Mercantile

297 Roncesvalles, Toronto, ON, M6R 2M3

Rated this place:

posted Mar 8 2009

Sweet Specialty Selection...: I love a shop like the mercantile, you walk in and every item is a curiousity to go mmmmm over. Being dedicated to craftsmanship, quality and local producers, the owners have carefully selected products in the health and gourmet category. You will find delicately flavoured oils, sumptuous sauces, high quality teas and other exotic jars of things. One of my favourite parts of the store though is the candy bar. Beautifully crafted candies, like rose flavoured turkish delight and chocolate truffles, are laid out as teasers near the cash. You will find lot's here that is organic as well as a whole back wall of natural cleaning products. Well worth a trip to Ronces for a browse.

The Village Healing Centre

240 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON, M6R1L3

Rated this place:

posted Mar 12 2009

Good Community Vibes: Getting good alternative health care can, unfortunately, be really pricey. The Village Healing Centre on Roncesvalles is committed to making "holistic health care more accessible by offering excellent services at an affordable price." I like it here. It's located in a church with two spaces for classes like yoga and tai chi as well as a bunch of offices for working with a holistic practitioner of some sort. The list of services goes on and on... acupuncture, craniosacral, naturopaths and nutritional counselling to name just a few. Look for lower fees for these services here. One of the best things at the Village Health Centre is the pay what you can yoga classes... at least 5 classes a week fit into this category.

Evergreen Natural Foods

161 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON, M6R2L3

Rated this place:

posted Mar 15 2009

Decent Local Health Food Store: I was spoiled for many years living on the Danforth and frequenting the Big Carrot. My wallet wasn't spoiled that's for sure, but everything at the Big Carrot was neat, clean and shiny with such a vast selection. Having moved west I've had to find my new go-to place for supplements, health care and organic groceries. I've found that in Evergreen Natural Foods, though it's not perfect. The pro's, the prices on supplements are some of the lowest I've found in the city, Nash the owner is great and knows a lot about the products he's selling and well, it's near my house. The con's, the store is tiny! So tiny that I get frustrated moving around the shop. I've been known to be a bit of a clutz and not a visit goes by that I'm not knocking something off the shelf. There's probably not much they can do about it, no room for expansion right or left, so it's just something to be put up with. Overall a good local place for healthy alternatives.

Thin Blue Line Cheese

93B Roncesvalles Avenue, Toronto, ON, M6R2K6

Rated this place:

posted Mar 22 2009

Moooooo... Baaaaaa... : If I was banished to a desert island and could only have one food for the rest of my life (and a "balanced" diet was of no concern) hands down it would be cheese. I grew up with orange blobs of things like colby, velveeta, and even cheese whiz (I whispered that by the way) that were called cheese. How far I have come! Now I want cheeses that are so close to the cow or goat you can almost smell the barn and the stinkier the better. Make it Canadian and from unpasteurized milk and now you are really talking my language. The Thin Blue Line satisfies all of those and does it well. The cheese selection is on the smaller side but what they have is excellent. Now that they have expanded you will also find a lovely selection of breads, olives, and pates. My new favourite, hand churned artisanal butter from pasture raised cows.

Kennel Cafe

295 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON, M6R2M3

Rated this place:

posted Mar 30 2009

Locally Owned Pet Store: I love Roncesvalles... you have your independent butcher, your baker, your book shops and of course a lovely little pet store. The Kennel Cafe is a small nook of a shop but it's filled with great products for your little fuzzy loved ones. Our lives are enriched by our pets but they too are little consumers and their love for eating so high on the food chain can have an impact on the environment. So it's nice to see alternatives to the regular grocery store brands. Organic and locally produced pet foods, just like people foods, reduce the need for shipping and agriculture inputs thus reducing fossil fuel use. They also have a whole section of natural medicinals for your pet including chemical free flea control options. Try the natural method first and keep those regular flea chemicals off your pet and you and out of the environment (seriously toxic!).

more lists by this user

want to create a list?

yes, create list
  • Share your favourite places with others
  • Group your reviews into topical themes
  • Become an editor of your own reviews

categories

neighborhoods

community activity