Sadie's Diner

Rated this place:

504 Adelaide St. W, Toronto, ON

Breakfast burrito, Old-school diner ambiance: It's a nice combo of fluffy eggs, veggies, and salsa. If you are going to eat one (which I highly recommend) be prepared to commit at least six hours to being completely full...I personally like that guarantee in a breakfast!

You feel like you've entered a time warp when you walk through Sadie's door...from the tables to the unique assortment of pez dispensers, this place sold me before I event tasted the food.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• breakfast burrito
• old-school diner ambiance

Insomnia Internnet Bar Cafe

Rated this place:

563 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON, M5S1Y6

Home fries: They are gooey and glorious. The potatoes are crisp and covered in a delicious barbecue sauce. If you can get seated at one of the comfy couches in the back that's an added bonus.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• home fries

Hemingway's Restaurant

Rated this place:

142 Cumberland St, Toronto, ON, M5R1A8

Patio: It's always packed and since there's a covering you can enjoy the great outdoors even on a rainy summer night.

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

Artzy Phartzy

Rated this place:

1912 Queen E, Toronto, ON, M4L1H5

Home furnishings, etc: The store on Queen West has a great selection of furniture and cute decor items for awesome prices. The plates and bowls are particularly faveworthy.

Starbucks Coffee Co

Rated this place:

220 Yonge, Toronto, ON, M5B2H1

Mint mocha chip frappuccino: I'm drinking one right now and I'm getting nervous because it's almost finished! It's the best summer drink because there's mint, chocolate, coffee, ice, and if you get it made 'light' there are few downsides. A reliable and consistently fulfilling snack.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• mint mocha chip frappuccino

The Kitchen Table Grocery Store

Rated this place:

389 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON, M5P 2W1

Local grocery store: I wouldn't necessarily conduct an entire grocery shop at The Kitchen Table because it is more pricey than mega supermarkets, but it's a great store for little pick-me-ups...the fruit and veggies are extremely fresh as well.

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

Pizza Banfi

Rated this place:

333 Lonsdale Rd #B, Toronto, ON, M5P1R3

Italian restaurant: This restaurant is always packed, and for good reason...the pastas are super big and the thin crust pizzas are amazing. Their grilled calamari appetizer is my favourite thing on the menu - tons of garlic!

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

Tonic Salon Spa

Rated this place:

3613 boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC, H2X2V5

Chic salon, Manicures: This salon boasts three floors of full aesthetic care...I have ventured in a few times for a haircut and have always been pleased...the ambience is very relaxing and the prices are good for such a happening downtown salon.

This is the best place in Montreal for manicures because it is not too expensive, you're treated like royalty from the second you enter the place and they have a nice assortment of polishes.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• chic salon
• manicures

Tokyo Bar

Rated this place:

3709 St. Laurent, Montreal, QC, H2X 2V7

Rooftop patio, Thursday night hangout: This is a great bar to begin with, but the patio is especially phenomenal in the summer when you can hear the music but still enjoy the scenery and nice weather.

There is always a fun party on Thursdays at Tokyo..great music, right in the middle of everything on St. Laurent.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Rooftop Patio
• thursday night hangout

McGill Pizza

Rated this place:

625 Rue Milton, Montreal, QC, H2X 1A1

Greasy spoon: This place is your typical greasy spoon restaurant and for all the right reasons: great club sandwiches, eggs, buttered toast, salty fries, and an unsassuming environment. Right in the McGill student area, it's always packed with young people with their bookbags, and some older folks reading the paper and enjoying a cup of joe.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Greasy spoon

Urban Outfitters

Rated this place:

1250 Saint Catherine West, Montreal, H3G 1P1

Clothing store chain: I am a fan of urban outfitters in general, but I particulalry love the Montreal store because they always seem to have the best clothes in stock and plenty of it...their vintage-looking tees are the best, and they have the cutest shirts for going out and great shoes...oh and the best little accesories, and home decorations. This location is my fave urban stop!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• clothing store chain

Vol De Nuit

Rated this place:

14 Prince Arthur East, Montreal, H2X 1B1

Cobblestone patio, Last-minute hangout spot: The cobblestone pedestrian area at Prince Arthur and St. Laurent is packed with great restaurants and bars...and Vol De Nuit has always had my fave patio in the summer months, where you can sit outside and enjoy the crowds of people and sip on some cheap refreshments.

Whenever I'm deciding last-minute to grab a few drinks at a local bar, Vol De Nuit is the obvious choice. It's never too crowded, the drinks are super reasonable, the people don't care if you're wearing running shoes...it's like a Montreal 'cheers.'

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• cobblestone patio
• last-minute hangout spot

Schwartz's

Rated this place:

3895 Saint-Laurent Boulevard, Montreal, H2W1X9

Deli meat, Old school deli: There really is nothing like Montreal smoked meat, and Schwartz's is the best place to go for the delicacy, the no-nonsense atmosphere, the traditional lineups and the amazing deli perks (pickles).

Aside from the amazing deli treats, the atmosphere at Schwartz's is what truly makes this place such a Montreal staple. It's one of the few places in the city where noone really cares about how you're dressed or who you're with, as long as you've got an appetite and plenty of time to wait in line you're good to go.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• deli meat
• old school deli

Mikado

Rated this place:

1731 rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC, H2X3K4

Sushi restaurant: This place has great sushi and such an inviting atmosphere...it's located on one of my absolute favourite streets in Montreal.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Sushi Restaurant

Old Montreal

Rated this place:

Between Rue McGill (west), Rue Berri (east), Rue Saint-Antoine (north) and the St. Lawrence River (south), Montreal, QC

Neighbourhood: The cobblestoned streets that lead right down to the water are so charming. You can sit outside at a cafe in the summer right by the water, and there's nothing "old" about the nightlife there either.

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

W Hotel Montreal

Rated this place:

901 Square Victoria, Montreal, QC, H2Z 1R1

Lounge: It's a chic lounge with great drinks, and in the (freezing) winter the line always seems to be shorter than some other places in the club district. A faveworthy place to grab a drink.

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

Cafe Campus

Rated this place:

57 Prince Arthur East, Montreal, QC, H2X 1B4

Club with 80's night: Going to Cafe Campus is like a ritual in Montreal, especially when Tuesday nights are 80's night! A line of people in full 80's gear extends well into the cobblestone street that houses Cafe Campus, and once you finally get in the music makes you want to moonwalk the night away!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Club with 80's night

L'Academie

Rated this place:

4051 Rue Saint Denis, Montreal, QC, H2W 2M7

Bring-your-own-wine restaurant: The food is great, a nice Italian restaurant, and the decor is fitting for families and young people alike. The main draw to this restaurant is the fact that it's among the popular bring-your-own wine places in the city that actually serves delicious food along with your wine.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• bring-your-own-wine restaurant

Club La Cite

Rated this place:

3575 Avenue de Parc, Montreal, QC, H2X 3P9

Rooftop outdoor pool: In the summer the downtown fitness club also serves as a great place to tan! The rooftop terrace of Club La Cite has a great pool with tons of lounges, a mini poolside bar, and people of all ages basking in the sun.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• rooftop outdoor pool

Alto Restaurant

Rated this place:

3462 Avenue de Parc, Montreal, QC, H2X 2H5

Food delivery: You literally call the restaurant to make an order for delivery - be it greasy fries or a greek salad - and ten minutes later your delicious food is delivered! I don't know how they deliver your order so fast, but everything always tastes so good.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• food delivery

Avenue de Parc

Rated this place:

Avenue de Parc (between Rue Sherbrooke & Avenue Des Pins), Montreal, QC

Street with student-esque food: The street is dotted with tons of fast-food type places that aren't necessarily greasy...you can take your pick from salad, thai, sushi, and pitas, all conveniently located in the McGill student hood.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• street with student-esque food

Musee d'Art Contemporain de Montreal

Rated this place:

185 rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, Montreal, QC, H2X3X5

Museum: This museum is like a mini city bursting with contemporary culture, right in the downtown core. I once had to write an article on an exhibition here and it was such a treat to view some of Montreal's finest collections.

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

Le Pistol

Rated this place:

3723 St Laurent, Montreal, QC, H2X2V7

French sandwich: For a local ordinary bar, the food is incredible! Their sandwiches in particular are piled with gourmet toppings and the chicken is always fresh and flavourful...they also play great music of course, and after you've stuffed yourself with their menu offerings you can chill out and watch the place become super crowded.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• french sandwich

Tay Do

Rated this place:

300 avenue Duluth Est, Montreal, QC, H2W1H9

Thai restaurant: The food is great quality for the fair prices, and it is a bring-your-own wine spot, which makes dining out with a bunch of friends that more enjoyable and cost-effective!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Thai Restaurant

Parc Mont Royal

Rated this place:

1260 chemin Remembrance, Montreal, QC, H3H 1A2

View of the city: It's a bit of a trek up the mountain, which to me is like the focal point of the city, but once you finally make your way up the path you start to see Montreal at its finest.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• view of the city