Serena’s guidebook

Serena
Serena’s guidebook

My Favourite Restaurants

Check out some of my favourite spots, all within a 5 - 10 minute walk! Honestly, the food/restaurant options in King West are amazing. These are my favs but check out all your options, you won't be disappointed! Bon Appétit!
One of my favourite spots for brunch and dinner! Going for Brunch - ask to sit upstairs where you have plenty of natural light and in the summer is completely open! Going for Dinner - definitely get the $1/ounce house wine and the Truffle Pasta. It is a must have. Looking for a healthier option, the Kale Salad (add chicken) and you will not be disappointed! If you're grabbing dinner, I highly recommend a reservation, otherwise you can be waiting 1+hours. It's worth it but definitely make a reso.
395 locals recommend
Gusto 101
101 Portland St
395 locals recommend
One of my favourite spots for brunch and dinner! Going for Brunch - ask to sit upstairs where you have plenty of natural light and in the summer is completely open! Going for Dinner - definitely get the $1/ounce house wine and the Truffle Pasta. It is a must have. Looking for a healthier option, the Kale Salad (add chicken) and you will not be disappointed! If you're grabbing dinner, I highly recommend a reservation, otherwise you can be waiting 1+hours. It's worth it but definitely make a reso.
This is a relatively new restaurant, but a gem! A great spot to put your phone away, literally hide them away in a little cubby in the centre of the table, and catch up with friends. The Chopped Salad and Scallop and Crab dumplings are my go to dishes but the menu is full of good eats.
SARA
98 Portland St
This is a relatively new restaurant, but a gem! A great spot to put your phone away, literally hide them away in a little cubby in the centre of the table, and catch up with friends. The Chopped Salad and Scallop and Crab dumplings are my go to dishes but the menu is full of good eats.
Another newbie but quickly turned staple for the King West area. Casual atmosphere with an unreal menu, I highly highly recommend this spot if you're looking for a nice dinner, followed by a great night of drinks, music and a lively crowd! Good eats (almost everything on the menu) but really, Burratta, Albacore Tuna, Squid Ink Tagliatelle <3, Roasted Carrots, Waygu Beef....oh and of course the Oysters!
7 locals recommend
Laissez Faire
589 King St W
7 locals recommend
Another newbie but quickly turned staple for the King West area. Casual atmosphere with an unreal menu, I highly highly recommend this spot if you're looking for a nice dinner, followed by a great night of drinks, music and a lively crowd! Good eats (almost everything on the menu) but really, Burratta, Albacore Tuna, Squid Ink Tagliatelle <3, Roasted Carrots, Waygu Beef....oh and of course the Oysters!
A great spot to grab a quick bite to get your Mexican food fix!! Tacos, Taco Bowls, Burritos...enough said!
142 locals recommend
Wilbur Mexicana
552 King St W
142 locals recommend
A great spot to grab a quick bite to get your Mexican food fix!! Tacos, Taco Bowls, Burritos...enough said!
Another quick place to grab a healthy bite :)
11 locals recommend
iQ
18 York St
11 locals recommend
Another quick place to grab a healthy bite :)
Love Cali Love! If you love smoothie and poke bowls as much as me, absolutely go! They also have some insta-worthy art just outside. A great spot for healthy options and a cafe to casual eat and/or take some work.
23 locals recommend
Calii Love
367 King St W
23 locals recommend
Love Cali Love! If you love smoothie and poke bowls as much as me, absolutely go! They also have some insta-worthy art just outside. A great spot for healthy options and a cafe to casual eat and/or take some work.
Looking for some good classic Vietnamese eats? This is a canteen style dining and quality Vietnamese food (speaking as someone who grew up with mom's Pho - nothing will beat that!). Grab a classic Vietnamese iced coffee with the vermicelli with spring rolls for summer time goodness...or hey, go with the good ol' Pho!
Bac Ky Vietnamese Canteen
567 King St W
Looking for some good classic Vietnamese eats? This is a canteen style dining and quality Vietnamese food (speaking as someone who grew up with mom's Pho - nothing will beat that!). Grab a classic Vietnamese iced coffee with the vermicelli with spring rolls for summer time goodness...or hey, go with the good ol' Pho!
Looking for a new rooftop Patio - check out Baro's! Great decor and view....it's very busy and the music is alway pumping! I'd recommend a reservation for sure!
67 locals recommend
Baro
485 King St W
67 locals recommend
Looking for a new rooftop Patio - check out Baro's! Great decor and view....it's very busy and the music is alway pumping! I'd recommend a reservation for sure!
Newly renovated this healthy vegan restaurant is another go-to when I want a nice dinner out with friends but healthy everything! Vibe is downtown chic and good eats!
135 locals recommend
Fresh on Spadina
5031 Spadina Ave.
135 locals recommend
Newly renovated this healthy vegan restaurant is another go-to when I want a nice dinner out with friends but healthy everything! Vibe is downtown chic and good eats!
Classic diner eats - 100% recommend if you're looking for a classic brunch. Brunch is usually busy, so get there early. If you like brunch, you'll like everything on the menu. I've pretty much had everything on the menu...and it's a great hangover cure.
105 locals recommend
Thompson Diner
550 Wellington St W
105 locals recommend
Classic diner eats - 100% recommend if you're looking for a classic brunch. Brunch is usually busy, so get there early. If you like brunch, you'll like everything on the menu. I've pretty much had everything on the menu...and it's a great hangover cure.
Okay....besides bagels (which I love), this spot has some great classic breakfast and lunch options. You can sit down and eat or grab and go!
55 locals recommend
What A Bagel
130 Spadina Ave.
55 locals recommend
Okay....besides bagels (which I love), this spot has some great classic breakfast and lunch options. You can sit down and eat or grab and go!
Okay, not at all a 10 minute walk but a must for all sushi lovers! It's on the pricier end, but if you're a sushi fan this is one of the top sushi restaurants in Toronto! Everything was to die for....grab a bottle of Sake to wash it down. I'm not usually a fan of Sake but they had a great selection and i found one i really liked!
10 locals recommend
Skippa
379 Harbord St
10 locals recommend
Okay, not at all a 10 minute walk but a must for all sushi lovers! It's on the pricier end, but if you're a sushi fan this is one of the top sushi restaurants in Toronto! Everything was to die for....grab a bottle of Sake to wash it down. I'm not usually a fan of Sake but they had a great selection and i found one i really liked!
I know the description says 10 minutes walking, but if you're in Toronto for the first time, I'd be a bad host if I didn't tell you to check out Ossington for all the good restaurants! A quick list of the goodies: - La Banane (raw bar and seafood) - Mamakas Taverna (Greek) - Bobbie Sue's Mac & Cheese - La Cubana (Cuban) - Odd Seoul (try the big mac thing!) - Bang Bang Ice Cream (there's always a line but a must for ice cream & cookie lovers) - Superpoint Pizza - Bellwood's Brewery (you can also grab some beers to go and enjoy the sun)
199 locals recommend
Ossington Avenue
Ossington Avenue
199 locals recommend
I know the description says 10 minutes walking, but if you're in Toronto for the first time, I'd be a bad host if I didn't tell you to check out Ossington for all the good restaurants! A quick list of the goodies: - La Banane (raw bar and seafood) - Mamakas Taverna (Greek) - Bobbie Sue's Mac & Cheese - La Cubana (Cuban) - Odd Seoul (try the big mac thing!) - Bang Bang Ice Cream (there's always a line but a must for ice cream & cookie lovers) - Superpoint Pizza - Bellwood's Brewery (you can also grab some beers to go and enjoy the sun)
Coffee and cookies!! The cookies are to die for - ask for them slightly warmed up! If you want the cookies and other baked treats, just a few minutes further walking (but still under 10 mins), Le Gourmond. It's where Portland Variety gets their cookies!
119 locals recommend
Portland Variety
587 King St W
119 locals recommend
Coffee and cookies!! The cookies are to die for - ask for them slightly warmed up! If you want the cookies and other baked treats, just a few minutes further walking (but still under 10 mins), Le Gourmond. It's where Portland Variety gets their cookies!
Coffee and a place to work, read and/or people watch!
267 locals recommend
Jimmy's Coffee
107 Portland St
267 locals recommend
Coffee and a place to work, read and/or people watch!

Things to do...

A list of a few things to do while in Toronto - most are within walking distance, or a short Uber ride away!
One of the best green spaces in Toronto. In the summer it's ALWAYS hustling and bustling with the diversity that is Toronto. I love taking my dog here, spending the day with friends, reading a book...people watching. It is a summer must!!
743 locals recommend
Trinity Bellwoods Park
790 Queen St W
743 locals recommend
One of the best green spaces in Toronto. In the summer it's ALWAYS hustling and bustling with the diversity that is Toronto. I love taking my dog here, spending the day with friends, reading a book...people watching. It is a summer must!!
Shopping, shopping , shopping!! Full of great stores and spots to take an afternoon break, grab a beer on a patio or pop into one of the restaurants for a quick bite.
723 locals recommend
Queen Street West
Queen Street West
723 locals recommend
Shopping, shopping , shopping!! Full of great stores and spots to take an afternoon break, grab a beer on a patio or pop into one of the restaurants for a quick bite.
Immerse yourself in a world of 20,000 aquatic animals and discover your own underwater adventure in the heart of downtown Toronto. Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada features North America’s longest underwater viewing tunnel with more than 5.7 million litres of water and over 100 interactive opportunities. You can buy tickets online to avoid lineups.
2071 locals recommend
Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
288 Bremner Blvd
2071 locals recommend
Immerse yourself in a world of 20,000 aquatic animals and discover your own underwater adventure in the heart of downtown Toronto. Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada features North America’s longest underwater viewing tunnel with more than 5.7 million litres of water and over 100 interactive opportunities. You can buy tickets online to avoid lineups.
I can't stress enough how this is a must in the summer. It is my TOP recommendation and a true city gem. Rent a bike and ride around the island, chill at the beach with friends or have a picnic with a loved one. Ferries run frequently and you can purchase tickets online in advance.
1035 locals recommend
Toronto Islands
1035 locals recommend
I can't stress enough how this is a must in the summer. It is my TOP recommendation and a true city gem. Rent a bike and ride around the island, chill at the beach with friends or have a picnic with a loved one. Ferries run frequently and you can purchase tickets online in advance.
For that city flare, check out Yonge and Dundas Square. The square always has something going on and people everywhere. It's very busy, so if you don't like crowds, don't go!
399 locals recommend
Yonge-Dundas Square
1 Dundas St E
399 locals recommend
For that city flare, check out Yonge and Dundas Square. The square always has something going on and people everywhere. It's very busy, so if you don't like crowds, don't go!
Kensington Market is a city gem for sure. Locals shops, great cafes...check it out!
1698 locals recommend
Kensington Market
1698 locals recommend
Kensington Market is a city gem for sure. Locals shops, great cafes...check it out!
Get some good ol' eats and cheap, quality and fresh groceries. Pop by the Chinese bakery for your classic $1 steamed bun - I love going here on weekends and filling up my tray for under $10 lol!
740 locals recommend
Chinatown
292 Spadina Ave.
740 locals recommend
Get some good ol' eats and cheap, quality and fresh groceries. Pop by the Chinese bakery for your classic $1 steamed bun - I love going here on weekends and filling up my tray for under $10 lol!
A few other things to check out: - Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) - Yorkville for restaurants and high-end shopping - St. Lawrence Market - The Annex - East end gems: Danforth and Broadview areas - Music concerts at Molson Amphitheatre in the summer - Musicals and Princess of Wales Theatre
248 locals recommend
Toronto
248 locals recommend
A few other things to check out: - Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) - Yorkville for restaurants and high-end shopping - St. Lawrence Market - The Annex - East end gems: Danforth and Broadview areas - Music concerts at Molson Amphitheatre in the summer - Musicals and Princess of Wales Theatre
Defining the Toronto skyline at 553.33m (1,815ft5in) the CN Tower is Canada’s most recognizable and celebrated icon. The CN Tower is an internationally renowned architectural triumph, an engineering Wonder of the Modern World, world-class entertainment and dining destination and a must see for anyone visiting Toronto. Spectacular views include floor-to-ceiling panoramic Window Walls, world-famous Glass Floor, SkyPod and glass fronted elevators with glass floor panels. Dining options include the award-winning 360 Restaurant (elevation complimentary with prix fixe). Plus EdgeWalk, the world’s highest ‘hands-free’ external walk, 356m/1168ft (116 stories) above the ground.
3509 locals recommend
CN Tower
290 Bremner Blvd
3509 locals recommend
Defining the Toronto skyline at 553.33m (1,815ft5in) the CN Tower is Canada’s most recognizable and celebrated icon. The CN Tower is an internationally renowned architectural triumph, an engineering Wonder of the Modern World, world-class entertainment and dining destination and a must see for anyone visiting Toronto. Spectacular views include floor-to-ceiling panoramic Window Walls, world-famous Glass Floor, SkyPod and glass fronted elevators with glass floor panels. Dining options include the award-winning 360 Restaurant (elevation complimentary with prix fixe). Plus EdgeWalk, the world’s highest ‘hands-free’ external walk, 356m/1168ft (116 stories) above the ground.
Experience the elegance and splendor of the Edwardian era at Casa Loma, the only full sized castle in North America and Toronto’s premier historic attraction brought to you by the Liberty Entertainment Group.Explore secret passageways, elaborately decorated rooms with authentic period furnishings or take in the breathtaking view of Toronto from one of the towers.
1217 locals recommend
Casa Loma
1 Austin Terrace
1217 locals recommend
Experience the elegance and splendor of the Edwardian era at Casa Loma, the only full sized castle in North America and Toronto’s premier historic attraction brought to you by the Liberty Entertainment Group.Explore secret passageways, elaborately decorated rooms with authentic period furnishings or take in the breathtaking view of Toronto from one of the towers.
Features six greenhouses comprising over 16,000 square feet of colourful seasonal plants which supplement the permanent plant collection.
268 locals recommend
Allan Gardens
160 Gerrard St E
268 locals recommend
Features six greenhouses comprising over 16,000 square feet of colourful seasonal plants which supplement the permanent plant collection.
No trip to Toronto is complete without a visit to the Royal Ontario Museum — Canada’s largest museum showcasing art, culture, and nature from around the globe and across the ages. The ROM is home to a world-class collection of 13 million artworks, cultural objects and natural history specimens, featured in 40 gallery and exhibition spaces. Explore special exhibitions, as well as the Museum’s permanent collections of dinosaurs, South Asian art and culture, gems and minerals, ancient Egyptian treasures, biodiversity, and much more.
2332 locals recommend
Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queens Park
2332 locals recommend
No trip to Toronto is complete without a visit to the Royal Ontario Museum — Canada’s largest museum showcasing art, culture, and nature from around the globe and across the ages. The ROM is home to a world-class collection of 13 million artworks, cultural objects and natural history specimens, featured in 40 gallery and exhibition spaces. Explore special exhibitions, as well as the Museum’s permanent collections of dinosaurs, South Asian art and culture, gems and minerals, ancient Egyptian treasures, biodiversity, and much more.
Toronto’s newest centre for arts, culture, food and entertainment. This national historic site includes 44 heritage buildings and numerous brick-lined courtyards. Explore the district’s many restaurants, art galleries, artisan boutiques, specialty retail stores and more.
1704 locals recommend
Distillery Historic District
55 Mill St
1704 locals recommend
Toronto’s newest centre for arts, culture, food and entertainment. This national historic site includes 44 heritage buildings and numerous brick-lined courtyards. Explore the district’s many restaurants, art galleries, artisan boutiques, specialty retail stores and more.