Cantine Restaurant Bar

Rated this place:

138 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON, M5R2H6

great brunch hangout: Delicous menu in a trendy setting. Try getting one of the tables in the front for the comfy living-room-style seats. The omelettes and sandwiches are great. They also have good whole wheat bread instead of white in the bread basket if you ask for it.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• brunch spot

Frank Restaurant

Rated this place:

317 Dundas Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5T1G4

cool and interesting: The atmosphere is upbeat and the menu is very creative.You won't find regular salads and sandwiches (save that for the cafeteria downstairs) but rather interesting and unusual selections. The mussels and frites are delicious and so is the quiche. It's a great artsy atmosphere especially since it's located right in the new AGO.

Art Gallery of Ontario

Rated this place:

317 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON, M5T1G4

Gift shop, Great art: A large part of the jewelry collection is by local artists and the designs are quite unique. There's also a wonderful selection of art books (great for gifts or follow-up from a good gallery tour).

Worth a visit....or two or three....to one of the top cultural institutions in the city. The reno will be complete in November and then the AGO will no doubt be in a league of its own in architecture as well as in content.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• gift shop
• great art

Art Square Cafe

Rated this place:

334 Dundas Street W., Toronto, ON, M5T 1G5

Great crepes and sandwiches: The crepes and sandwiches are delicious, all to be eaten in an interesting and upbeat gallery setting. The combination of good eats and good art can't be beat.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• great crepes and sandwiches

Baldwin Village Inn

Rated this place:

9 Baldwin Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1L1

B & b: Who would've thought that an adorable B & B actually existed in the heart of Toronto. It's location is terrific, right smack in the middle of restaurants galore on lively and historical Baldwin Street. The area is loaded with culture and the real bonus is that this B & B is steps away from the new AGO.

Bata Shoe Museum

Rated this place:

327 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1W7

Shoes, shoes, shoes!: When there are just no more shoes to buy in the city, this museum is the place to go! It never hurts to know the history of your own prized possessions!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Shoes, shoes, shoes!

Bau-Xi Gallery

Rated this place:

340 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON, M5T1G5

Contemporary art: It's a great location.....right across from the AGO....and the perfect spot to view Canadian contemporary art that's more in the league of affordability. It's always up to date with what's doing in the art world.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• contemporary art

Toronto Symphony Orchestra

Rated this place:

212 King St W, Toronto, ON, M5H1K5

Classical cd store: It's not a huge store but the selection of classical music is excellent. A trip to the symphony is incomplete without a stop at the shop.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• classical CD store

AGO Art Rental + Sales Gallery

Rated this place:

481 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G2E9

Art rental: It's a terrific place to go not only to rent artwork but also to see what's new and contemporary. New local artists are often featured and if you spend a little time rummaging through the collection, you can find some very good artistic talent. And......for an upcoming event at your home, it's nice to know that good art is available at the right price!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• art rental

Midi Bistro

Rated this place:

168 McCaul Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1W4

Great cup of coffee, Lunch near the ago, Salade nicoise: Here we go again with Midi Bistro but it's important to note the fabulous coffees that they serve. The menu is delicious. but the coffee is just as great a lure. Whether you're hungry or not, you can't beat going for a good espresso.

It has a true Parisian atmosphere and the food is delicious. Right around the corner from the AGO, it's the perfect place to go after a lengthy tour. It's also a great place to meet colleagues.

It has all the essential ingredients and then some. The tuna iis tasty and the portions are large.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• great cup of coffee
• lunch near the AGO
• Salade Nicoise

Pain Perdu

Rated this place:

736 St Clair W, Toronto, ON, M6C1B3

Croissants: It's a small cafe on St. Clair and they have the best croissants......the real thing. There are only 4 tables but it's worth the wait for a yummy European cafe and croissant.

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