Favourite spots in Toronto to eat at, shop and go to for essential services

Last Update: September 26th 2013

 

GROCERIES

Organic groceries: They’re ranked from biggest to largest, but depending on what you want to buy, some stores may be cheaper than others.

• Herbs and Nutrition (generally the best prices in Toronto) (Bathurst / Yonge)
• Essence of Life (Kensington Market)
• Tutti Frutti (Kensington Market)
• Whole Foods (Yorkville)
• The Big Carrot (Danforth)
• Harvest Wagon (Summerhill)
• The Sweet Potato (Dundas / Keele)
• Evergreen Natural Foods (Bathurst / St. Clair)

Fancy groceries:

• Whole Foods (Yorkville)
• Pusateri’s (Yorkville)
• Harvest Wagon (Summerhill)
• Chabichou (French-from-France groceries)

Japanese: Sanko Trading Butcher: Sanagan’s Meat Locker Spices: The Spice Trader Alcohol: LCBO @ Summerhill Coffee: The Green Beanery Tea: David’s Tea

RESTAURANTS

My favourite restaurants with what to order: Brunch: The Senator – Blueberry pancakes are killer here Cafe:

• Soma Chocolatemaker – Just a good place to hang out and chat
• The Green Beanery – Another good place to hang and chat

Sushi – Traditional:

• Japango – Any kind of sashimi dish and the omakase (you have to order ahead of time)
• Asuka Japanese Restaurant – Any kind of sashimi dish (sashimi don, for example)

Sushi – Avant garde:

• Yuzu no Hana – Any kind of sashimi dish, and the sake cheesecake is really good.
• ND Sushi and Grill – Any kind of sashimi dish, and the omakase is not bad

Mexican: Chipotle – Chicken Burrito w/ Guacamole Thai: Khmer Thai – Tom Yum Goong soup, and the Spring Rolls Italian:

• Grazie Ristorante – All the pastas are good
• Terroni – The pastas are good

Japanese Ramen:

• Kenzo Ramen – Tonkotsu Miso Ramen or the Tonkotsu Ramen
• Sansotei Ramen – Tonkotsu Ramen (thin noodles)

Vietnamese Pho: Pho Linh – Their beef phos are excellent; choose any of them Chinese Food: Lee Garden – Deep fried oysters are killer here Vegetarian / Vegan:

• Fresh (10% off with the Live Green Card if you do takeaway) – Burrito was good; their drinks too
• Kupfert and Kim – Oaxaca Salad is the only thing I order
• Rawlicious – Thai Spring Rolls and their blonde macaroons

BAKERIES

Sweet & Savoury Pastries: Nadege (only on weekends) – Macarons only good on weekends

Cupcakes:

• Bite Me Bakery — Bite-sized cupcakes for $1.50 each (Tax included)
• Dlish Cupcakes — Full-sized cupcakes at $3.00 (plus tax) each; quite yummy

SHOPPING

NOTE: Sign up for the Toronto Live Green Card, at the retailers listed, you can get discounts. Organic / Eco-Friendly Items: Grassroots (10% off with the Live Green Card) Higher-End / Independent Clothing:

• Holt Renfrew
• Shop Nyla
• Zane
• The Cashmere Shop

General Clothing Shops:

• Bicyclette
• Girl Friday
• Aritzia
• Anthropologie

Canadian Designer-Centric Shops:

• Fresh Collective
• Mirabelli Designs
• Comrags
• Cat’s Cradle

Consignment:

• Haute Classics
•  Ex-Toggery
• LAB Consignment

Thrift:

• Courage My Love (Cashmere)
• Kali Vintage

Vintage

• The Cat’s Meow (Vintage 1950s clothing only; warning, it’s pricey)
• Magwood Vintage
• Cabaret Vintage

Maternity: Rhonda Maternity Canada Goose Jackets (Largest Selection): Sporting Life Jewellery and Bags:

• Bluebird
• Coal Miner’s Daughter
• The Devil’s Workshop
• Elle Hardware
• Blue Banana Market

Hats & Fascinators: Liliput Kitschy Gift Shop: Blue Banana Market Stationery:

• The Paper Place
• Essence du Papier

Office & Art Supplies: Midoco Art and Office Supplies Bamboo Stuff of all kinds: Plaiter Place Shoes:

• Birkenstocks: The First Step
• Frye Boots: Getoutside & Ron White
• Aigle Rainboots (Made in France): Due West
• Taryn Rose Ballet Flats: Ron White
• High-End Designer Shoes: David’s Shoes

High-End, Good, Not-Cheap-Crap, Kitchenware:

• Degrees Kitchen Store
• William Ashley China
• Williams-Sonoma
• Nella Cucina

Sewing Supplies (Zippers, Buttons, etc) and Leather: Leather and Sewing Depot

BEAUTY

Natural Nail Spa (Pedicures / Manicures): Alma Spa (Eglinton/Yonge) Regular Nail Spa: NailSense Natural Spa for Facials and natural products: Pure and Simple (Yorkville, King Street, Eglinton/Yonge) Natural products in general:

• Whole Foods (Yorkville)
• The Big Carrot (Danforth)

Beauty products (not necessarily natural):

• Jacob & Sebastian

SPORTS

Bicycle Shop: Curbside Cycle

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Doctors: Patient Networks Dentists: Concourse Dental Centre Optometrists: Eaton’s Center Drs. Chung & Tse Dry cleaning: The Golden Hanger Shoe / Boot / Bag Repair: Sole Survivor Hairdresser:

• Civello
• Parlour Hair Salon

Massage: Sage Health