Mabel's Bakery and Specialty Foods

Rated this place:

392 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON

Gourmet to go: The one thing that was missing from nearly-perfect Roncesvalles Village, was a great place for prepared foods not of the Polish variety (nothing against those). Mabel's has recenlty filled the gap with a scrumptious selection of excellent take-away gourmet, in the form of heat-up mains, fresh-baked goods, cheeses, and a collection of foodie frozen and packaged goods for those predisposed to organic, regional, honest-to-goodness comfort foods, meals in minutes, and nearly-instant party throwing.

Cherry Bomb

Rated this place:

67 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON, M6R 2K6

Fave neighbourhood fuel-up: Any day that starts off with a stop at the Cherry Bomb is a day destined to go well. Over the last 18 months I've become a bona fide addict - the type who gets all Pavlovian salivaish at the site of the jauntily perched namesake explosive above the Bomb's door; the type for whom the time spent in line there, breathing in the aroma of fresh brew and warm baked goods, seems almost as good as 5 more minutes in a warm, comfy bed; the type who gets sad when the C.B. shutters up for its twice-yearly vacations, and honestly giddy the first day they're back in biz. And though everything is top-notch, I've got a couple of favourites... The apple walnut muffins (available only on the weekend) are delish. The date pecan scones (available daily, you lucky ducky) are my go-to if I'm in a pastry mood. And the sweet, chewy amaretto cookies (comprised mostly of ground almonds) are irresistably delicious - some of the best cookies around for nut-lovin' sweet-tooths. The baby rugggies are also delicious and adorable. Buttery perfect with just the right amount of fruity jam and toasty nuts. These ones come from Wanda's Pie in the Sky, local purveyor of fine baked goods. In the coffee department, the Cherry Bomb house blend and the kamikaze americano (organic, fair trade) are both smooth and rich and worth every minute of the 5 or so you'll spend waiting in line with the other converts to quality coffee. Make it a pleasant ritual.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• amaretto cookie
• organic fair trade americano
• raspberry rugelach
• date pecan scone
• apple walnut muffin

Rivoli Classic Pool

Rated this place:

334 Queen St W, Toronto, ON, M5V2A2

Comedy event: Tal Zimerman and Jared Sales from the comedy troupe the Sketchersons put on a great monthly show at the Riv called NSFW. Featuring a well-curated line-up of viral videos, fortified further in the funny department by witty commentary, and sometimes vocal guest panelists, it's worth your sliding-scale contribution. Plus, it's a fresh new take on an old favourite watching said vids with an audience vs watching them from behind your computer screen. Though that is, of course, also very good.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• comedy event

Banjara Indian Cuisine

Rated this place:

796 Bloor St. West, Toronto, ON, M6G 1L7

Indian food: A stop at this place came highly recommended by a friend whose east Indian father is a wonderful chef and bona fide foodie. Vote is in - it's delicious, reasonably priced, and authentic. Creamy lentil bartha and vegetable korma were perfectly flavourful, vegetable biryani and chicken and vegetable pakoras were chock full of all good things. I found the naan a bit dense (though soft and buttery good), but perhaps I was only too full to appreciate a substantial flatbread.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Indian Food

Pizzeria Libretto

Rated this place:

221 Ossington Ave., Toronto, ON, M6J 2Z8

Pizza: The pizza here is wonderful - thin crust Neopolitan style, with fresh organic and often locally sourced ingredients. For that matter, all the makings are also certified in accordance with an Italian code of gastronomic authenticity and purity - read the menu for more on that. The pizzas are delicious works of creative simplicity - 3 or 4 well-matched ingredients on any one pie. Salads and bruschettas are equally scrumptious. Enjoy a sausage pizza. Mmmm. And the great vibe too.

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

La Banquise Resto

Rated this place:

994 rue Rachel Est , Montreal, H2J 2J3

Elvis poutine: I'm not sure if Elvis actually enjoyed poutine, but La Banquise is likely on the money to imagine that the guy who couldn't get enough fried PB& J would probably have enjoyed this namesake concoction of ground beef, mushrooms and peppers heaped on top of fresh cut fries, cheese curds and signature gravy. Portions are very generous though, so consider sharing, perhaps splitting your meal between one of the poutine options, and a tasty sandwich, or just a cold local brew.

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

Senses Bakery & Restaurant

Rated this place:

318 Wellington St. W., Toronto, ON, M5V 3T4

Catering: Senses does a bang-up job turning simple lunch staples into gourmet delights. Our meeting lunch included a spread of impressive sandwiches like smoked ham and brie with caramelized onion and roasted tomato, as well as a successfully upscaled version of the chicken caesar wrap (a drizzle of dressing, good parm and pancetta). Then salads: wokked mushrooms, feta, green apple and arugula, a wonderful asian slaw, and a ratatouille pasta. Last: perfect minicakes and cookies - Senses' specialty. Yum.

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

House Of Chan Steak N' Lobster

Rated this place:

876 Eglinton Ave W, Toronto, ON, M6C2B6

Steak: My dad first took me to this spot, back in the 80s. I remember hearing tell of HOC's high-security meat lockers, where they'd store their extra-special U.S. corn-fed beef, of a grade higher than was then available in Canada. Not sure if any of that is true, but this is: the steak is mouth-watering and perfect. You get the meat a la carte, but you can fill out your meal with more than just the complimentary Chinese noodles: the crispy fried onions and thinly sliced potatoes are excellent choices.

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

Intersteer Restaurant

Rated this place:

361 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON, M6R2M8

Neighbourhood bar: I love the warm wooden interior, the friendly service, the cast of regulars, the old hollywood movies playing silently behind the bar, and the pierogies.

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

Cafe Dong Phuong

Rated this place:

1532 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON, M6K1T5

Bar: This is a great little newcomer to the west-end bar scene - dim and thrift-store arty, friendly staff, decent juke box, Cameron's on tap and a small but good selection of booze and beers in bottled form. Menu offerings thus far include a couple of daily-changing soups/stews and grilled cheese, and complementary bowls of popcorn and salty snacks (yum), but I hear brunch is on the horizon. Hipster hang quotient is high, but pretension is low. And basically that suits me fine. Drink here!

Centre for Social Innovation

Rated this place:

215 Spadina Avenue, Ste. 120, Toronto, M5T 2C7

Living wall: Never fear - Spadina Ave. pollutants and icky office furniture chem trails get zapped by the lush wall of green vegetation, just inside the front doors of this forward-thinking work/public space. Indoor air never smelled so fresh, and a wall dressed in a fab green coverup is good looking. The whole building is worth marvelling over besides, with its LEEDS-certified eco-friendliness and collaborative spaces for work and play. Check out the roof-top atrium and garden!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• living wall

Essence Of Life

Rated this place:

50 Kensington Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T 2K1

Natural food store: I can never get over how reasonable the prices are here, compared to almost every other natural food store I've ever patronized. I hear the staff from Noah's shops there, because the regular prices at Essence beat their staff discount at Noah's. Great for all dried goods and pantry items, spices and snacks, frozen and dairy-case type items, natural body care, supplements, and more. Lots of selection. Not the best for fresh veg, but then, there's plenty of places nearby for that.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Natural Food Store

KiWe

Rated this place:

587 King St. W., Toronto, ON, M5V 1M5

Shrimp appetizer: Delicious grilled shrimp, served with sweet potato puree and diced pineapple make for a nice combo. The decor is cool too - a trio of earthy-elegant fabrics are mixed and matched for all the upholstery, filigree metal tiles and hanging blown glass globes of various textures, colours and sizes adorn the ceiling, and mocha walls and fresh flowers all work together to make for a warm and pleasing atmosphere.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• shrimp appetizer

Ko Fruit Market

Rated this place:

143 Roncesvalles Avenue, Toronto, ON, M6R 2L2

Local grocery store: Ko is great little mom & pop in Roncesvalles village that stocks a well-curated selection of standard and organic produce, dairy products, dry and canned goods, bakery items and snacks, with a tendency toward local small-scale producers and healthy offerings. I almost never have to go to the supermarket anymore, which is dreamy. Ko posts a weekly list of what's on offer from the local greenbelt (lots), for easy pickin'. They have a new juice bar in the back. And the folks are friendly.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• local grocery store

Malta Bake Shop

Rated this place:

3256 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON, M6P2A3

Maltese bakery: Did you know Toronto has the largest community of Maltese people outside of Malta? Well, we do, and this little bakeshop is one of the centres of social and culinary connection. I treated myself to some Kinnie - a soda with an orange flavour and a chinotto-esque bitter finish, and some pastizzis - yummy flakey phyllo parcels filled with fillings such as meat, potato, peas, or sweet cheese. Also on offer - a wide array of national dishes like rabbit with pasta, date and molasses pastries, etc.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Maltese bakery

Revue Cinema

Rated this place:

400 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON, M6R2M9

Movie theatre: There are several things I love about the Revue: 1. the community rallied together to save it and it's now run not-for-profit by people authentically committed to your entertainment 2. the coconunt-oil-popped corn, with real butter, is AWESOME 3. the large screen and wicked sound system paired with the 1911-style theatre aesthetic make me happy as a clam. Oh ya, and that not-for-profit thing? It means tickets are cheap. And the ads they play before the show? Neighbourhood businesses. Nice.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• movie theatre

Sadie's Diner

Rated this place:

504 Adelaide St. W, Toronto, ON

Smoothie, Vegetarian diner: For much less than at some of the other smoothie joints, you can treat yourself to a delicious fruit and soy milk smoothie at Sadie's. Choose a combo from a selection of berries, tropical or orchard fruits, and then add hemp or whey protein, or various energy- or brain- or detox-boosting supplements as you please. A great start to the morn, or anytime pick-me-up.

I didn't even know it was vegetarian only - did you? Anyway, it's pretty kitschy cool inside - lots of formica, cottage-esque landscape and wildlife oil paintings, and a truly remarkable collection of pez dispensers. But there's more - the food is actually good. Fresh juices and power shakes, breakfast standards with little mexican and asian hints, the expected collection of sandwiches and burgs but made with meat analogs. And good people, which is also delicious.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• smoothie
• vegetarian diner

Vesuvio's Pizzeria & Spaghetti House

Rated this place:

3014 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON, M6P1Z3

Greek salad, Pizza: Light on the vinaigrette, but heavy on the feta, this delicious lettuce salad gets filled out just right with sweet red onions, good-quality olives, crisp cucumbers and ripe tomatoes. There's just something about the ratios - it's an awesome salad.

A Toronto fixture, Vesuvio's been in the Junction for over 50 years - and for good reason. The press in the window says a collection of Italian food experts rate their pizza number one in the city. I don't know who those people are, but I know I enjoy this pizza very much. Perfect thin-ish crust, great sauce, and fresh authentic topping choices (like the REAL kind of pepperoni), make for some tasty pie. The owners also led the anti-prohibition effort in the Junction. So enjoy some wine too.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Pizza
• greek salad

Forever Interiors

Rated this place:

2903 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON, M6P 1Z1

Reclaimed materials furniture: Martin is rad, and can make you pretty much anything out of pretty much anything. From tables made of old bowling lanes to shelves made from old window frames and tin ceiling tiles, to beautiful harvest tables made from either recycled or new wood, this shop is full of creative, beautiful furniture and ideas. And I love the little signs that describe each piece - witty and fun.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• reclaimed materials furniture

Margret

Rated this place:

2952 Dundas St. W., Toronto, ON, M6P 1Y8

Bar: Located right next to the new-ish Junction square near Pacific Ave, Margaret is an atmospheric, creative kitsch-o-rama. From the lightening bolt panel lights, to the stenciled air plane walls, to the cool old furniture, boom box collection and the witty filmic backdrop (we watched a vintage piece on how to line dance, projected onto a bamboo roman shade), I just dig this place. The vibe is cool, the drinks cheap, the tunes/DJs good, and the people friendly. Sometimes you can even dance. Tops!

Pho Nho

Rated this place:

2060 Dundas St. W., Toronto, ON, M6R 1W9

Vietnamese restaurant: This little place in my 'hood is always full of young Vietnamese folks - a good sign. The waitstaff is friendly, and the food is good - particularly the rice and noodle dishes.Not my favourite pho, but definitely still decent. They also have a surprisingly good beer list, and I love their fresh lime juice and soda/tea drinks.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Vietnamese restaurant

R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant

Rated this place:

2701 Queen St E, Toronto, ON, M4E3R9

Building and scenic spot: This place is a gem. Such a gorgeous and imposing specimen of art deco architecture, set off against the backdrop of the lake and the expansive lawns (guess they're well fertilized!). If you're walking in the beaches, try to make this a stop, whether you come down the shore, or along Queen E. Makes you realize city buildings need not be perfunctory - even if they're made for something as unglamourous as treating sewage, they can still look hot. Let's stop making concrete boxes, shall we?

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• building and scenic spot

The Beet

Rated this place:

2945 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON, M6P1Z2

Organic local brunch, Vegan banana chocolate muffin: Sustainability and sustenance come together with style at this Junction cafe. The menu's been put together by a nutritionist and a naturopath, so you can be sure you're being nourished while you nosh on some very tasty, locally-produced and fair-trade fare. And everything from the tables (made from sunflower seed husks and bamboo) to the low-water toilets keep the light-and-healthy living theme going. Lots of yummy options from eggs to seed pate sammies.

This muffin is AMAZING. Fair trade bananas and chocolate chips baked into the lightest, fluffiest, most delicious spelt muffin batter I've ever had. Vegan baking is often delicious, but venture away from oh-so-elastic wheat and gluten and you often get muffins that pass for paperweights. Not this time. Addiction warning.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• organic local brunch
• vegan banana chocolate muffin

This and That Flea Market

Rated this place:

870 Taunton Rd. E., Whitby, ON, L1R 3L6

Flea market: After encountering several ads on Craigslist about this place, my collectible treasure-seeking partner and I took a drive out to this old-school flea market this past weekend. If you're looking for an adventure in old vinyl, sports cards, and assorted kitschy memorabilia, look no further. There's a lot of junk as well, to be sure, but amid that junk are gems certainly worth adding to your collection, or hocking on eBay for substantially more dineros.

Toronto Bodyworks

Rated this place:

71 Duncan Street, Toronto, ON, M5V 2C5

Massage: Over the last 10 years I've had dozens of massages, from serious therapeutic massage, to shiatsu, Thai massage, and plenty of hybrids, in a few countries. Many of them have been amazing, so I'm picky. Here in Toronto, I go to Keja at Toronto Bodyworks. A Sutherland Chan grad, she's got the magic touch, whether I'm healing up, gearing up, or winding down. I've also tried 3 other practitioners there, for massage and accupuncture, and all were amazing. Also: great hours and downtown location.

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