Stubbe Chocolate

Rated this place:

653 Dupont St, Toronto, Ontario, M6G 1Z4

Chocoholic: This Annex shop is a big improvement from its former self (it used to be one of those cheesy Sugar Mountain candystores). Gone is the gaudy jawbreaker nightmare, a real neighbourhood eyesore, the kind that belongs in the Eaton Center. Now the place has been facelifted with style. Its nice royal blue awning and sleek interior is much better. This place is the perfect place to find a gift for your parents when you're going home or something like that. They have a primo selection of designer chocolates - truffle heaven! - cookies and such, all packaged in nifty ribbons, etc.

Manic Coffee

Rated this place:

426 College St, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1T3

BuzzBuzz: Manic's espresso is quite good. Their baked goods are fresh and tasty. Friendly service. Good atmosphere. They have bench-seating out front, which is a nice touch. More streetside benches - especially on a great people-watching strip like college - are sorely lacking in this city.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• espresso

Meat On The Beach

Rated this place:

1860 Queen St E, Toronto, ON, M4L1H1

Meats, on the Beach: When I lived in the Beach, man, this grocery store/butcher was at the top of my grocery list (mind you, it's a specialty shop, which means it's pricey, but some items you just can't get a supermarket). They've got a huge variety of delectable items. Bacon-wrapped prime rib, cornish hen, jellies, fresh homemade pasta, sausages and tomato sauce, rotisserie chicken, ribs, wings and roasted potatoes, meat pies, quiches, lasagnes, soups, salads - and so much more! Plus, they have fresh produce. It's a great place to grab a quick lunch-to-go or groceries for a dinner party.

Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA)

Rated this place:

952 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON, M6J 1G8

>>>: The MOCCA is a stellar art space, and admission is FREE (though donations are kindly accepted). It's huge, very spacious and they show some great contemporary work - painting, installation and everything in between. Their openings always draw massive crowds, so if you're lookin' to get buckwild artcrawling and boozin' it up on a Thursday night on Queen West, and if the MOCCA has an opening going on, give it a shot. If you're not into the party trip, drop by on a weekend for a casual peep. This place kinda reminds me of some of the big galleries in NYC's Chelsea hood. Toronto could stand to have more spaces like this.

Reliable Fish & Chips

Rated this place:

954 Queen St E, Toronto, Ontario, M4M 1J7

Reliable is Right: The fish & chips here are just what the name implies: it's good, not great. Though I really enjoyed the Maritime-hip feel of the place - downhome service and chic East Coast country stylings - the fish is a bit too greasy for my liking. I've also had the chowder. Also not great. Bummer. I like chowder. And to have it as a starter for fish & chips? A brilliant idea! But yeah, this experience was a letdown.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Atmosphere

Dangerous Dan's

Rated this place:

714 Queen St E, Toronto, Ontario, M4M 1H2

F-ing Nuts!: Okay, seriously. Who needs a f*&^ing 24 oz burger? That's right. Among other insanely meaty combos, these guys offer something called the "Collosal Colon Clogger Combo": a 24oz burger served with a quarter pound of cheese, a quarter pound of bacon and 2 fried eggs - with a large shake and small poutine! Cripes! Just for that, this place earns its place as one of Toronto's most notorious greasepits. And I have to say, reluctantly, you haven't experienced Toronto until you've payed Dangerous Dan a visit. God help you.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• mad cow?

Grossman's Tavern

Rated this place:

379 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T2G3

BLUES, NO COVER CHARGE: Grossman's, kickin' it since '48 (?) in Toronto's Chinatown, features great blues and jazz shows (including a long-running Sunday jam). Past performers include the likes of Down Child Blues Band, Holly Cole, Jeff Healey and Amanda Marshall. Grossman's character-rich atmosphere can be described as bare bones, raw, no-frills and just plain grit-tastic. It's all about the music. Straight-up, no chaser. And get this: there's never a cover charge!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• blues

Balzac's Coffee Roastery

Rated this place:

55 Mill St, Toronto, ON, M5A3C4

Coffee: When in the Distillery District, I always get a coffee and a snack at Balzac's. It's got great atmosphere and interior design (spacious, rustic, high ceilings, old wood and exposed brick, big windows, antique fixtures and two levels with balcony seating), it's always a-buzz with activity (to varying degrees, depending on when you go), the coffee's damn good, treats are good, they show art and the service is always exceptional. It's great for reading the paper, conversation and watching people.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Atmosphere

Chippy's Fish and Chips

Rated this place:

893 Queen W, Toronto, ON, M6J1G5

Fish & Chips & Vinegar, Vinegar...: Chippy's serves pretty good fish and 'fresh cut' chips. Halibut, haddock, cod or salmon in a Guinness batter, plus breaded scallops and prawns, housemade tarter, garlic and pepper mayo sauces and other sides. I've had both the cod and salmon, each time with a tasty curry gravy, and was satisfied. They definitely know how to do up fish and chips. But, really, it's nothing to write home about. ...Oh, btw, Chippy's caters.

Hero Certified Burgers

Rated this place:

650 1/2 Queen St. W., Toronto, Ontario, M6J 1E4

Heroic? I Dunno: To be sure: what's certified here is 100% Angus Beef. What's heroic here, well, I'm not sure. It's a good burger, sure, but it's really nothing special. And it's definitely not worth the price. The burger comes in 4oz to 8oz patty-size with a variety of toppings, such as smoked provolone, Canadian cheddar, avocado, coleslaw, sauteed mushrooms, baked zucchini. Amongst other offerings, they have a fair poutine. But even that is nothing extraordinary. I grew up in a French Canadian town on the Quebec border, where poutine is like water, so I know poutine. Anyway, this joint's worth a try - it's far better than McDs - but there's better food for the buck elsewhere.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• poutine

Aroma Espresso Bar

Rated this place:

500 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S1Y3

Espresso: Aroma is a new, somewhat upscale coffee shop in the Annex. It's a franchise joint, yep, but way better than the usual corporate coffee sellers. Aside from a number of 'quality' caffeinated bevies (which come with a free piece of chocolate, btw), they offer salads, sandwiches, soup, a good brunch and other modest (made-to-order, healthy) fare. The design is crisp, the place is cozy (plush chairs and intimate seating arrangements), they provide WIFI access and service is friendly. What I especially like - a small thing, I know - is that they call your name out on a loudspeaker when your order is up. It's always fun (at least for me) to come up with a silly name, like Crazypants or Hogtied, which generally makes the servers smile (and who doesn't need that).

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• coffee shop

Burger Shoppe

Rated this place:

688 Queen St. E., Toronto, ON, M4M1G9

Good but Pricy: The Burger Shoppe at Queen & Broadview serves up tasty burgers (try the veggie and Hawaiian burgers), but they're not cheap. Granted, the meat is top quality (organic, fresh), it's cooked how you want it and the sides, such as fresh cut fries, massive onion rings and sexy poutine, are nicely done. Just thinking about it is, well, making me delirious with hunger. But, cripes, it's f*^$ing expensive. And really, at the end of the day, it's just burgers and fries, not king crabs and lace underwear on a silver platter.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Burger

Labspace Studio

Rated this place:

2A Pape Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M4M 2V6

Title: Labspace Studio is a dancefloor/gallery/event venue/meeting place/rental space in Toronto's Leslieville. They host performance nights, art parties, exhibitions, workshops and other creative happenings. The space itself is spacious, the events attract a diverse crowd and the hosts, John and Laura, are really good people. Check out a party here sometime.

Lusitania Supermarket

Rated this place:

152 Augusta Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T2L5

Grocery List: This Portuguese deli/grocery store on Augusta Avenue, just north of Dundas Street and west of Spadina Avenue, has a good selection (though their produce section isn't the best) and reasonable prices. The deli counter at the back of the store is a good source of chorizo (and other meats). It doesn't compare to European Sausage and Meats (on Baldwin), that's for sure, but if you're in a hurry on a Saturday afternoon, when ESM is likely to be really busy, this place is a good deli alternative.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• price

Active Surplus Electronics

Rated this place:

347 Queen St W, Toronto, ON, M5V2A4

"You Never Know What You'll Find": Coils, marbles, duct tape, circuit boards and computer parts of all kinds, wires, chains, LEDs, foil, paper, beads, ribbons, tools, business card scanners, transformers, transistors, radios, speakers, fishing line, pen scribers, eyelet pliers, mirrors, batteries, light bulbs, phone jacks, magnets, cables, security cameras, monitors, cigarette lighters for cars, glue guns, stereo noise filters, universal international plug adapters, counterfeit money detectors, vectroscopes, power converters - and SO MUCH MORE STUFF! Wall-to-wall stuff. The kind of place hoarders, junk-lovers, art students and electro-geeks alike get lost in for hours. A bit pricey, some stuff, but very convenient cuz they have everything.

Victory Cafe

Rated this place:

581 Markham St, Toronto, ON, M6G2L7

Warm Inside: This Annex hotspot, built into an old house on a beautiful street, is awesome. They have a bunch of decent brews on tap, good food, average prices, two floors, live entertainment (poetry readings, theatre events, live music, other), a huge patio (which fills up fast most beautiful summer nights) and good service. A good place for intimate one-on-ones and group gatherings.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Annex bar

Ydessa Hendeles Art Foundation

Rated this place:

778 King St W, Toronto, ON, M5V1N6

A Must-Experience Artspace: Housed in an old factory, this little-known artspace showcases contemporary installations, sculpture, photography, new media and other forms. It's truly a unique Toronto experience - perfect for impressing out-of-towners or spending long contemplative afternoons by yourself. It's only open Saturdays, noon to 5pm, or by appointment, but it's cheap to get in (by donation, I think) and is usually very quiet and not busy.

Clafouti

Rated this place:

915 Queen St. W., Toronto, ON, M4M1J4

Chocolate Croissant: Clafouti, a cozy French bakery and Euro-grocery on Queen St. West, is one of the city's best sources for real croissants (most so-called croissants you find are more like bread, not beautiful flakey pastry as they should be). I especially love their chocolate croissants. MMM. And their espresso is not bad. They also have nice sandwiches and other tasty snacks. It's quite busy on a weekend, which makes it nearly impossible to get one of the few seats in the place (and if you've got go early to get the good stuff), but it's pretty chill during the week.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• chocolate croissant

Hot Box Cafe

Rated this place:

191-A Baldwin Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1M1

HotBoxin: Knitted into the back of Roach O Rama, the Hot Box Cafe is a super-chill, weed-friendly hangout for all kinds of people, from your brother's friends to Hollywood potheads (like Woody Harelson). It's famous for its backyard patio (where you can toke without getting hastled by the fuzz). Keep in mind: 1. They don't sell green; they just provide a refuge for smokers. 2. You don't have to be a smoker to hang out here. They offer decent sandwiches, smoothies, baked treats, coffee and tea (the other kind).

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Hollywood Celeb Spottings

Moonbean Coffee Company

Rated this place:

30 St Andrew, Toronto, ON, M5T 1K6

Coffee, Tea, Atmosphere: Moonbean is a popular cafe-roastery in Kensington Market. They sell coffee and tea (by the cup or in bulk), smoothies, baked goods, sandwiches and other light fare. Their drip coffee's not bad and they have an impressive tea selection. Unfortunately - and this is why I'm not a regular - their espresso skills are poor. Too bad. I really like the atmosphere. It's really lively (with a good mix of locals, tourists and all in between) - a good place to think, read the paper, observe or chat it up with companions. Plus they have two patios (one out front, one in the back, both with shade from the sun), and they offer a coffee card reward system!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Atmosphere

Wanda's Pie In The Sky

Rated this place:

287 Augusta Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5T 2M2

Pie and Coffee: It's bright, crisp (as in new), cheery, has indoor and outdoor seating, decent coffee, tarts, cookies, sandwiches, soup, ice cream, gelato - and pie. My first time here, I had a tasty slice of strawberry pie (the crust was great), along with a decent Americano, and sat out on the patio with friends and had a lovely time - and I've frequented the place ever since. A great new addition to Kensington Market.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• pie and coffee

The Gem

Rated this place:

1159 Davenport RD, Toronto, Ontario

I'll say it: A Real Gem!: It's got a totally off-the-beaten-path location, a real cozy, eclectic interior, a huge semi-enclosed patio, 'okay' food, a few good beers on tap, decent prices, friendly, laidback service, a solid 'locals' vibe and attracts good people overall. You can't ask for much more.

BOOM

Rated this place:

808 College St, Toronto, Ontario, M6G 1C8

Boomalacka!: A clean, bright-and-cheery diner with great breakfast options, reasonable prices and friendly service - a fine place to recover from a late night on the town. The food is good (I dig their potatoes), they have lovely smoothies (try the Honey Bee - mmm), fair coffee (Americano) and the atmosphere is always lively, in a people-enthusiastically-enjoying-breakfast-with-friends kind of way. A real winner. And they have a breakfast card, so you can earn a free breakfast after so many (ten?) breakfast purchases.

La Tortilleria

Rated this place:

68 Wales Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 1A7

Tortilla : La Tortilleria makes fresh corn tortillas daily, so, as you can imagine, the product here is fresh and delicious. It's also cheap. And the service is friendly. It's definitely worth a shot. So next time you're shopping in Kensington Market on a beautiful day and you wanna get off the beaten snacktrack for a spell, pay this place a visit.