Call for Nominations: Best of Toronto

12. Best Hair Salon: Civello (on Queen!)

2. The Best Dim Sum - Dynasty Chinese Cuisine (Yorkville)

5. The Best Poutine - Truck fries in front of City Hall (Otherwise, good poutine doesn't exist in the city)

7. The Best Chicken Wings - Duffs

9. The Best Deli - Mel's Montreal Delicatessen. (Bloor; does this count?)

10. The Best Cheap Lunch ($3 or less) - Ciccios Pizza and Pasta (Dundas West; pizza slice is $2.75 each) or Bale French Style Sub (Dundas West; subs for $2.25 each)

13. The Best Barber Shop - Enzo's (College and Euclid)

1: best bagel: future bakery @Kensington Market

2: best dim sum: Lai Wah Heen @Metropolitan Hotel

18. Best Video Game Store: The Game Centre. # 15, 730 Yonge St

17. Best Used CD Store: Vortex @ Yonge & Eg

@Jack: How can you list Mel's Delicatessen on Bloor as The Best Deli and say that aside from the truck fries, good poutine doesn't exist? Have you tried the poutine at Mel's?

1. The Best Bagels - Bagel World
4. The Best Pies - Wanda's Pie in the Sky
5. The Best Poutine - Mel's
8. The Best Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopia House
14. The Best Yoga Studio - Core Studio
18. The Best Videogame Store - A&C Games
20. The Best Sex Shop - Good for her

The Best Pies - Future Bakery
The Best Poutine - Mel's
The Best Chicken Wings - Duff's
The Best Deli - The Steeles Deli
The Best Hair Salon - House of Lords
The Best Used CD Store - Sonic Boom

1. The Best Bagels - What A Bagel
5. The Best Poutine - C'est What?
6. The Best Eggs Benedict - Cora's
7. The Best Chicken Wings - Hooters
9. The Best Deli - St. Lawrence Market
13. The Best Barber Shop - The Hair Place @ U of T Hart House

8. The Best Ethiopian Restaurant: Ethiopian House
10. The Best Cheap Lunch ($3 or less): Empanadas at El Gordo in Kensington
11. The Best Jazz Bar: the Rex on Queen St W.
15. The Best Free WiFi Hot Spot: Sneaky Dee's (during certain hours)

There are no bagels in Toronto: only bread-doughnuts.

5. The Best Poutine: Blue truck at Nathan Philip Square
7. The Best Chicken Wings: Duffs
10. The Best Cheap Lunch ($3 or less): Street meat
12. The Best Hair Salon: Civello on Queen

4. The Best Pies-Kensington Natural Bakery
9. The Best Deli-Mel's Diner
17. The Best Used CD Store-Sonic Boom

6. The Best Eggs Benedict
Tough one - I'm going to say the Crab cakes benny @ Fire on the East Side, but the "heart attack special" benny at Disgraceland is a good one I tried recently

7. The Best Chicken Wings
Sloppy Joe's Bar & Grill in Etobicoke, on Lakeshore - absolutely massive, tasty wings with a good choice of sauces

8. The Best Ethiopian Restaurant
- Addis Ababa on Queen W.

10. The Best Cheap Lunch ($3 or less)
- wow, $3? that's quite a limit! Bahn Mi from the vietnamese places along Spadina chinatown north of Dundas; or a slightly different take on them from Le's Sandwich on College west of dufferin
- freshly made sandwiches at Brisa do Liz bakery on Bloor west of Dufferin

14. The Best Yoga Studio
- I haven't been to many but I liked Downward Dog

20. The Best Sex Shop
- Good For Her definitely deserves a nomination

3. The Best Bibimbap - Dilly Delicious
4. The Best Pies - Dufflet Pastries
6. The Best Eggs Benedict - Cora's
12. The Best Hair Salon - Salon Soho
15. The Best Free WiFi Hot Spot - Union Station
17. The Best Used CD Store - Penguin Music

7. The Best Chicken Wings
- forgot to also nominate Sneaky Dee's wings. Usually big & tasty & served with yummy avocado dip

Mel's poutine is okay but not great. But Toronto's not great for poutine in general.

Andrew, you must be another ex-Montrealer!

Best Bagel - Flat bagel at bagel world

As a montrealer I refuse to acknowledge categories 1 and 5

2. The Best Dim Sum - Asian Legend
3. The Best Bibimbap - HoSu
7. The Best Chicken Wings - Duffs
8. The Best Ethiopian Restaurant - Nazareth on Bloor
9. The Best Deli - Smoked Meat House
10. The Best Cheap Lunch ($3 or less) - vietnamese subs @ Ba Le 2 (dundas/spadina)
11. The Best Jazz Bar - anywhere but alleycatz which is a shithole

shit for #9 I meant to type "Corned Beef House", on adelaide and widmer

Best Bagels: hands down, St. Urbain Bagel in St. Lawrence Market... otherwise, go to Montreal or NYC.
Best Eggs Benedict: Mars Diner on College, simple, unpretentious, and perfectly poached eggs.

Before anyone is allowed to vote on their favourite Toronto 'bagel', they should have to answer the following questions (correct answers in brackets):
- how are you qualified? (Montreal Jewish background is ideal, extended love affair with Montreal is acceptable)
- what is your favourite type? (poppy is ideal, sesame is acceptable - there are no other serious answers)
- where do you buy in Montreal? (St. Viateur only, if on the Plateau)

@Trevor: 17. The Best Used CD Store - Penguin Music

That place on McCall just north of Queen has been closed for ages. And it was great. Unless you're talking about another Penguin Music?

This works for delis, too:
- where do you buy smoked meat in Toronto? (Toronto? Gave up years ago)
- Schwarz or The Main? (I can't get into Schwarz anymore for all the effing tourists! *&^**!)

jamesmallon you should try the corned beef sandwich @ the corned beef house.. I refuse to buy "smoked meat" here but the corned beef is pretty decent.

The Best Bagels - What a Bagel

The Best Dim Sum - Dragon Dynasty b/c you still have to chase down those food-filled push carts!

The Best Bibimbap - KaChi

The Best Eggs Benedict - Le Petit Dejeuner

3. The Best Bibimbap: Book Chang Dong Soon Du Boo

You know you can't trust anyone's taste in Asian food if they recommend Asian Legend as a "best of" in Toronto.

2. The Best Dim Sum - I second Dragon Dynasty but finding good dim sum downtown is a trial anyway.

3. The Best Bibimbap - I forget what it's called but it's in K-town on Bloor Street (not the one near Finch Station)
12. The Best Hair Salon - Salon Libert?!
17. The Best Used CD Store - Sonic Boom
18. The Best Videogame Store - I'll second The Game Centre

1. The Best Bagels - Greif's
7. The Best Chicken Wings - St. Louis
9. The Best Deli - Zolpies (or something like that on King st. near Ontario)
11. The Best Jazz Bar - The Rexx
13. The Best Barber Shop - Bathurst Manor

2: Best Dim Sum: Rol San
6: Best Eggs Benny: BOOM Breakfast
7: Best Chicken Wings: Duff's Famous Wings
9: Best Deli: Yitz's Deli
10: Best Cheap Lunch: Ding Dong Pastries and Cafe (curried beef buns for $0.70!)
14: Best Yoga Studio: Moksha Yoga Bloor West
16: Best Custo/Refurb Furniture: Bungalow
17: Best Used CD Store: Sonic Boom
20. Best Sex Shop: Come As You Are

Someone said Best Dim Sum as Asian Legend... that made me laugh. Thanks for that.

2. The Best Dim Sum - Noble Restaurant - 530 Dundas Street West. Get the sticky rice.
7. The Best Chicken Wings - Toby's

2. The Best Dim Sum Rol San, Pearl Harbour

4. The Best Pies - Wanda's pie in the sky
5. The Best Poutine - Jamie Kennedy's

7. The Best Chicken Wings - duff's

11. The Best Jazz Bar - Reservoir Lounge on Saturday's
12. The Best Hair Salon - coupe bizzare

17. The Best Used CD Store - sonic boom

20. The Best Sex Shop that one on Queen, is it called sduction>

1. The Best Bagels: begal world

3. The Best Bibimbap
4. The Best Pies: San Remo Royal York and Mimico
5. The Best Poutine: Dangerous Dan
6. The Best Eggs Benedict: Drake Hotel
7. The Best Chicken Wings: Duffs
9. The Best Deli: Center Street
20. The Best Sex Shop: Seduction

Best poutine rebel house or blue chip truck at city hall
best deli pancers or centre street deli
best chicken wings Bistro on Avenue
best barbers Camillo & Victor on Dav at Dupont

jamesmallon, sadly, he's right. Anywhere East of Toronto is far more likely to have better poutine. Take a trip to Belleville, Napanee, Kingston and you'll find better poutine from roadside wagons. Head further north east and you'll find delicious poutine indeed.

In fact, you don't have to even head east to get decent poutine. You'll find good poutine in places like Guelph, St Catherines or Waterloo.

I haven't tried the poutine at Mels. The stuff in front of Nathan Phillips Square isn't bad, but I'm afraid to say, Harveys, despite being a huge chain has better poutine and their poutine is slightly above average at best.

4. wanda's
8. lallibella
10. subs from ginger
11. rex
17. sonicboom

@Roger
it moved into Black Market! so it's smaller now, (got rid of the bargain bin) but just as great. Kim's recommendations are always fantastic.

Ryan L., I never commented on poutine. Don't touch the stuff, nor put mayo on snack food - I have a limit. I studied and worked for six years in Montreal, not born there.

Love the comments about Asian Legend. Just as dumbassed as reecommending any bagels in Toronto.

7. The Best Chicken Wings - Rebel House
8. The Best Ethiopian Restaurant - Bar Nazareth
10. The Best Cheap Lunch ($3 or less) - Any street corner with a hot dog cart... as long as it has olives

1. The Best Bagels - St. Urbain Bagel (Bathurst/Steeles, Bathurst/Eglinton)

2. The Best Dim Sum (Royal Teahouse, Applecreek/Woodbine)

9. The Best Deli (Switzers Airport Deli)

1. The Best Bagels-Gryffe's
7. The Best Chicken Wings-Sloppy Joe's
10. The Best Cheap Lunch ($3 or less)-Beef Patties from Bathurst Station
17. The Best Used CD Store-Sonic Boom
18. The Best Videogame Store-Walmart (I know they are the devil, but they have the best prices)

How about more categories?

Best Beef Patty
Friendliest Service
Best Toronto Festival
Best Cab Company
Favorite Subway Station
Best Pizza by the slice

3. The Best Bibimbap - KaChi on Bloor in Koreatown
4. The Best Pies - Golden Wheat on College
6. The Best Eggs Benedict - Cranberries on Parliament
7. The Best Chicken Wings - Johnny Gs' on College
11. The Best Jazz Bar - The Rexx
13. The Best Barber Shop - Gus the Other Barber (Bloor)
14. The Best Yoga Studio - Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre (Harbord)
17. The Best Used CD Store - Sonic Boom
19. The Best Pet Store - The Toronto Humane Society
20. The Best Sex Shop - Priape

3. The Best Bibimbap - Ka Chi on Bloor

You need The Best Chicken Fingers so I can nominate Clinton's.

5. The Best Poutine - Utopia

For the best smoked meat sandwiches, try Caplansky's Deli at the Monarch Tavern (on Clinton just south of College) Their smoked meat is fantastic and has been getting amazing reviews.

Bagels: Montreal Bagels at Clafouti
Sex Shop: Good for Her
Pies: Future Bakery
Poutine: Mel's
WiFi: Tinto

5. The Best Poutine - Rosedale Diner Pulled Pork Poutine
15. The Best Free WiFi Hot Spot - Just Us! Cafe on Queen East
17. The Best Used CD Store - Sonicboom

12. Best Hair Salon - Civello Queen W.

17. The Best Used CD Store - Dixie Records (within the Fantastic Flea Market @ Dixie Mall)

Enough with best 'bagels' in Toronto, philistines! Whereof you know not, speak not.

i have to say for best dim sum, it is lee wah heen in the metropolitan hotel.. very pricey, but it is the best.. better than dynasty

ok Tim, why do u want to know where the best sex shop is???

10. The Best Cheap Lunch ($3 or less):
food court in T & T downtown

6. The Best Eggs Benedict: Mars Diner
7. The Best Chicken Wings: Duffs
11. The Best Jazz Bar: The Rex
13. The Best Barber Shop: Terminal Barber Shop
15. The Best Free WiFi Hot Spot: Urbana Cafe
17. The Best Used CD Store: Sonic Boom
20. The Best Sex Shop: Come As You Are

1. The Best Bagels: Bagel House on Bayview south of Eglinton
2. The Best Dim Sum: Commerce Gate Dynasty (Leslie and Highway 7)
7. The Best Chicken Wings: St. Louis
11. The Best Jazz Bar: the Rex

I hate to take this on a tangent, but if Ryan L. wants to tell me where the good poutine in Waterloo is, I am dying to know.

7. Kilgor's on Bloor W or Squirrleys on Queen W
try them before you vote for Duff's or St.Louis

I haven't tried the wings at Duff's or St. Louis but I am always skeptical when chain restaurants get named in "best of" lists. As blogto gets more popular, you'll have to watch out for the "Philadelphia Effect".

Don't worry. Chains are not eligible for the lists. Only local, independent places apply (although it can be a local chain with 2 or 3 locations).

When I said, "7. The Best Chicken Wings - Johnny Gs' on College"

I meant to day Southside Louie's on College. Not Johnny G's.

Johnny G's is a breakfast joint on Parliament.

The Best Sex Shop - Seduction
The Best Hair Salon - GLAM Studio

11. The Best Jazz Bar - second/third the Rex, but I also nominate the Tranzac!
15. The Best Free WiFi Hot Spot - the Gladstone Caf

Bagels: Gryfe's.
Sex Shop: Miss Behavin'. The staff is great.
Pies: Wanda's.
Yoga Studio: The Yoga Sanctuary or Jivumakti.

I vote against Civello on Queen. I went two or three times. The first time (or two) I liked it. The colour, cut and overall experience were good enough for me to go back. Once I got a really good colourist who was no longer employed there the next time and the person who did my colour instead gave me exactly what I didn't want. One of his colleagues then recommended that I buy a shampoo that would help correct it.

The montreal smoked meat at the corned beef house is the best I've had in Toronto. I also love there Rueben sandwich

15. The Best Free WiFi Hot Spot : Espresso Etc (http://www.espressoetc.ca/) It's across from the AGO, around the corner from OCAD. 350 Dundas St W.

best dim sum : Paradise restaurant (NOrth York)

Best eggs benny : cora's or Maggies (on college)

1. The Best Bagels: Bagel House
2. The Best Dim Sum: Lai Wah Heen
4. The Best Pies: Wanda's Pie in the Sky
5. The Best Poutine: JKWB
6. The Best Eggs Benedict: Thuet
9. The Best Deli: Caplansky's

Best Chicken Wings- St. Louis (I tried Duff's and thought they were too vinegar based!)
Best Dim Sum- Lai Wah Heen (Sublime)
Best Steak in Toronto- Morton's (I can't believe this isn't a category! Come on people!)
Best hair salon- Fiorio in Yorkville (Maurice Fiorio cuts my hair personally! Can't beat a cut from the master himself!)

Not a nomination, just a comment.

By pet store, do you mean pet supply store or stores that sell pets? A lot of pet stores have been shown to rely on puppy mills for their supply of dogs. The humane society or a breeder are considered the most responsible ways to buy a pet. Maybe it's best not to promote petstores.

It should be interpreted as Pet Supply Store

The Best Vintage Furniture Stores in Toronto: The Public Butter at Queen and Dufferin

best poutine: EINSTEIN (really, you gotta try it, and its cheap)

beast cheap lunch: GALES SNACKBAR (check out their menu: http://www.chow.com/photos/32998

best bagel: MY MARKET BAKERY (the st. urbain bin of course)

2. The Best Dim Sum: Sky Dragon, Dynasty, Lai Wai Heen
8. The Best Ethiopian Restaurant: Addis Abada
9. The Best Deli: Free Times
17. The Best Used CD Store: Sonic Boom

Best Wings: Duff's
Best Ethiopian Food: Nazareth