Neighbourhoods
Beaches
The Beaches (or The Beach depending on who you ask) is Toronto's top sandy destination for a bit of sunbathing, some beach volleyball or maybe just a stroll on the boardwalk. The area features four beaches - Balmy, Scaroboro, Kew and Woodbine - which means there's plenty of room to find a secluded spot. And, yes, despite what you may hear the water is actually safe to swim in. Cafes, yoga studios and clothing stores dot the stretch on Queen and there's plenty of local spots to beat the heat during a summer afternoon including ice cream parlour Ed's Real Scoop or fresh juice at the Wholesome Market.
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Akane-Ya Japan / Restaurants
Sushi places pepper Toronto's Beaches area. If you happen to be in the area and get peckish after a stroll on the boardwalk, neighborhood stalwart Akane Ya offers great appetizers...
Aki Da / Restaurants
Located in The Beach, Aki Da serves fresh sushi, tempura and other Japanese cuisine. Open for lunch and dinner....
Alex's Falafel / Restaurants
Alex's Falafel in the Beach is a favourite spot for shawarma and falafel....
Ali's Tandoori Curry House / Restaurants
Ali's Tandoori Curry House is a quaint Indian restaurant in the Beaches offering both take out and dine-in service....
Amuse / Restaurants
Amuse is a neighbourhood bistro found in a home just south of Queen East in the Beaches. Mains fall in the lower to mid twenties and might include fresh pasta,...
Arax Shawarma / Restaurants
Arax Shawarma serves up Middle Eastern cuisine, from homemade hummus and pita chips, to generous portions of beef or chicken shawarma, falafel, kebobs, fatoush salad, lentil soup, and even homemade...
Balsam Bistro / Restaurants
Balsam Bistro in the Beaches might not be the most obvious place for a meal. But set back a bit from the street, the restaurant has two spacious patios and...
Beach Sushi / Restaurants
Beach Sushi is one of the many sushi joints on Queen Street East in The Beach. The sushi and sashimi here are fresh and tasty, and there are also a...
Beacher Cafe / Restaurants
Beacher cafe is a popular Queen east destination for brunch and all day breakfast. The kitchen cooks up a wide range of staples like waffles, eggs benny, french toast and...
Belgian Chocolate Shop / Grocery Stores
The Belgian Chocolate Shop is a small chocolate shop in the Beaches that sells the usual mix of truffles, nut clusters and chocolate bars....
Best Coffee House / Cafes
Best Coffee House, at the corner of Beech and Queen in The Beach, is a cozy cafe serving Illy coffee, tea, sandwiches and snacks. ...
Bibiche / Restaurants
Bibiche is a small French bistro in the Beaches with white table cloths and pink hued chairs. The menu changes regularly but generally includes classic French staples like escargot,...
Big Dog Bakery / Services
Big Dog Bakery in the Beaches offers a unique spin on baked goods, offering local, premium, human grade ingredients. But if you're not fond of chick pea flour and salmon...
Bikkuri (The Beaches) / Restaurants
Bikkuri is the de facto option for all you can eat sushi in the Beaches. Lunch is $11.99 and dinner AYCE is $18.99....
Bikram Yoga (Beaches) / Fitness Clubs
Bikram Yoga's 90-minute hot-and-humid routine of poses draws a strong reaction from first timers. Love it or hate it, it's an intense practice that draws measurable results. That is, if...
Bow Thai / Restaurants
Bow Thai is one of the Thai food options in the Beaches. The restaurant has gotten mixed reviews and usually isn't that busy....
Breakwall BBQ / Restaurants
Breakwall BBQ is a restaurant and bar in The Beaches that serves as your Toronto vacation destination. With happy hour from 4-7 daily, live entertainment, international menu options, and all...
Brick Street Bakery (Beaches) / Baked Goods
Brick Street Bakery has opened their third Toronto location - this one in the Beaches on Queen East. It's bigger and more impressive than the Leslieville one and easily assumes...
British Style Fish & Chips / Restaurants
British Style Fish & Chips at the corner of Coxwell and Dundas (the entrance is actually on Dundas) serves good ol' fashioned fish and chips. Options for the fryer include...
Bumbleberry Kids / Fashion Stores
Bumbleberry Kids is a store in the Beaches that makes having a baby that much more affordable for new parents. Everything here is sold on consignment. There are used toys,...
Burger's Priest / Restaurants
The Burger's Priest, near Queen and Coxwell, stands defiantly between a McDonald's and a Harvey's. It's on a mission to redeem the burger one at a time. Open for a couple...
Burrito Bandidos (Beaches) / Restaurants
Burrito Bandidos (originally Burrito Boyz) now has four Toronto locations. Their celebrated burritos offer fillings like mango chicken, pulled pork, and even halibut. They also serve burrito bowls and quesadillas....
Captain Jack / Restaurants
Captain Jack is a tiny pub in the Beaches that offers few frills besides a cozy atmosphere, a decent selection of beers on tap and an opportunity to catch up...
Carload on the Beach / Grocery Stores
Carload on the Beach is one of the better fruit and vegetable stores. Their produce is super fresh and their prices are cheaper than many places on Queen East....
Casa di Giorgio (Beaches) / Restaurants
The Beaches location of Casa Di Giorgio is just one of a few in the Toronto area. This is a casual, family-friendly restaurant serving a range of pizza, pasta and...
Castro's Lounge / Restaurants
Castro's Lounge has been a Beaches mainstay for over 15 years. When the original owner expressed interest in selling a couple years back, it was snapped up by Anthony Greene,...
Chatelet (Beaches) / Design Stores
Chatelet has two locations in Toronto including this one in the Beach. Stuff here will appeal to those who like a more traditional or country-cute look. ...
Chopping Block / Grocery Stores
The Chopping Block on Queen East in The Beach is best known for carrying naturally raised fresh meat and chicken from Rowe Farms. They also sell homemade salsas, salad dressings...
Cinamon Indian Bistro / Restaurants
Cinamon Indian Bistro (yep, that's how it's spelled) is a charming Indian restaurant in the Beaches. Try the flavourful chicken tikka masala or the intensely spicy chicken vindaloo. The head...
Cook It / Design Stores
Cook It is a kitchen supply store in the Beaches that sells a range of products (blenders, toasters, utensils) for the home....
Delhi Bistro / Restaurants
Delhi Bistro offers recipes of North Indian cuisine, and welcomes its customers into a relaxing dining experience with romantic lighting and comfortable seating. Some of their signature dishes include Butter...
Delina / Restaurants
Delina Restaurant just opened near Queen and Coxwell serving the area sit-in or take-out shawarma, falafel and other fast-food Mediterranean eats....
Downward Dog (Beaches) / Fitness Clubs
Downward Dog has two locations in Toronto including this one in the Beaches. Like it's West Queen West location, this yoga studio offers yoga for all skills levels. Classes include...
Dufflet (Beaches) / Baked Goods
The Dufflet empire is now at three stores strong in Toronto including this popular spot in the Beaches where you can pick up all of the bakeries tastes cakes, pies...
East on Queen / Restaurants
East on Queen is a sleek restaurant/lounge in the Beaches. The cuisine is inspired by the Mediterranean and includes mussels, calamari and lamb chops....
Ed's Real Scoop / Restaurants
Ed's Real Scoop in the Beaches smells like what I would imagine heaven would, something like warm marshmallow and melted butter with a bit of cinnamon. I was lured...
Ella Minnow Children's Bookstore / Bookstores
Ella Minnow is a great little bookstore in the Beaches that specializes in children's books. They also have a small selection of toys and some pets in the back....
Ellyn Lilly / Design Stores
Ellyn Lilly is the latest purveyor of all things floral in Toronto's east end. Whether pre-arranged or customized, Lilly provides "flowers for special moments" that are unforgettable. The shop itself...
Femistique / Fashion Stores
Femistique is the go to source in the Beaches for lingerie....
Fill Station / Restaurants
The Fill Station in the Beaches is all about big screen sports, Guitar Hero contests and pub food ranging from potato skins to chicken wings to philly cheese steak sandwiches....
Fitness Works for Women / Fitness Clubs
Fitness Works for Women is a women-only gym in the Beaches that puts a lot of emphasis on cardio activities and classes such as boxercise, step & pump, belly dancing...
Fitzgerald's Pub & Grill / Restaurants
Fitzgerald's Pub & Grill isn't your standard watering hole in the Beaches. Sure, there's imported beer on tap, sports on TV and occasional Scrabble tournaments, but the draw here is...
Garden Gate / Restaurants
When this west end girl goes east, she takes the advice of the locals to heart... and "The Goof" (nickname explanation here) has been on the recommended list for a...
Green Basil / Restaurants
Green Basil is an Asian restaurant in the Beaches with a mainly Thai-focused menu. This place is sleek with white banquets. On the menu are the standard Thai favourites like...
Green by Nature / Design Stores
Green by Nature is a local florist in the Beaches that's a good bet for a last minute gift or some flowers for home....
Green Eggplant / Restaurants
Green Eggplant just might be the most popular restaurant in the Beaches. But what's up with the name? One might assume the restaurant either serves Thai or vegetarian food but...
Hammer Skateboards / Fashion Stores
Hammer Skateboards is one of those tiny skate shops just stuffed with shoes, decks, hats, shirts and stickers. They stick to their chops - that would be skateboarding only -...
Honey's Beestro (Beaches) / Restaurants
Honey's Beestro is a bistro and bar, but who would have thought from the ambiguous name? Dedicated to comfort food, and drink, they have an extensive selection of alcoholic beverages...
Hudson Blooms / Design Stores
Hudson Blooms is a great little florist in the Beach that stocks fresh cut flowers at reasonable prices....
Ivory Parade / Design Stores
Ivory Parade has two stores in Toronto including this one in the Beaches. They sells a bunch of gifts, trinkets and other design objects like cards, stationary, jewelery and handbags....
Japango (Beaches) / Restaurants
Japango at 2209 Queen St. East is surprisingly not related to the insanely popular restaurant near City Hall. The same name and similar sign seems to fool a lot of...
Juice & Java / Cafes
Juice & Java, despite its name, is more than just drinks and coffee. In fact, as I was scanning over the menu boards at the east-end Beaches café, I was...
Kids at Home / Fashion Stores
Kids at Home in the Beaches in the east end's equivalent to Ella + Elliot. They have a great, stylish selection of cribs/bedding and other kid-friendly furniture. ...
Lapin Calin / Fashion Stores
Lapin Calin is a kid-friendly store in the Beaches that specializes in clothes for kids....
Life is Sweet / Baked Goods
Life is Sweet is a cupcake house in The Beach. In addition to freshly baked cupcakes, Life is Sweet also sells Mountain Estates coffee and Pippins specialty teas....
Lion on the Beach / Restaurants
Lion on the Beach has to have one of the best patios in the Beaches. Actually, there are two patios but who's counting. Great for a beer and some pub...
Little Tots Hair Shop / Fashion Stores
Little Tots Hair Shop is a cute little hair salon on Queen East that specializes in cutting kids hair. Prices are cheap (less than $20) and they do adult hair...
Living Lighting / Design Stores
Living Lighting is a chain of lighting stores with three locations in Toronto including this one on Queen East in the Beaches....
Mars Beach Diner / Restaurants
The Mars Beach Diner needs an update. Most diners that have been around this long has some sort of charm that make them endearing, but not this one. Time for...
Meat on the Beach / Grocery Stores
Meat on the Beach specializes in naturally raised meats and poultry including Black Angus beef, pork, veal, lamb, and air chilled chickens, turkey and geese. They also stock fresh pasta,...
Moo Milk Bar / Baked Goods
Moo Milk Bar is a "milk n' cookies" type bake shop — quite literally. This new Beaches spot touts flavoured milks and homemade cookies as its main sell, with an...
Murphy's Law / Restaurants
Murphy's Law uses the classic recipe of pub fare + pint + Irish theme. This pub would be like any other if not for its impressive rooftop patio. High-up and...
My Place in the Beach / Restaurants
My Place in the Beach serves up wings, mussels and other pub fare. They also have Tuesday karaoke nights and live music on Sundays....
Naturalis (Beaches) / Baked Goods
Naturalis is a little café and bakery in the heart of The Beaches that's packing lots of pastries and treats, and most notably, Montreal-style bagels. Previously on Roncesvalles, Naturalis moved...
O Sushi (Coxwell) / Restaurants
O Sushi has recently opened up near the corner of Queen and Coxwell. Prices are affordable and fish is fresh enough but there's tilapia on the menu (but at least...
Paws in the Bath / Services
Paws In The Bath specializes in pet grooming and bathing (not far off from the title). Pet owners have the option of cleaning their dog with the shop's all natural...
Pippins Tea Company / Grocery Stores
Pippins Tea Company is located on Queen St. East in the Beaches. The store gives off a cottage feel, with wood flooring, antique furniture, and the soothing smell of brewing...
Real Taste of India / Restaurants
Real Taste of India is just east of Coxwell on the eastern edge of the Beaches. ...
Red Moose Bar & Grill / Restaurants
The Red Moose Bar & Grill is a new pub in the Beaches that serves big plates of pub grub, weekend brunch/breakfast and live music during the week. But...
Remarkable Bean / Cafes
The Remarkable Bean turned my Saturday afternoon from a thumb-twiddler to something more special than I had bargained for. If the name is a boast, I'll go ahead and condone...
Rowe Farms (Beaches) / Grocery Stores
Rowe Farms in the Beaches is one of several of the butcher shop's locations around Toronto. They offer freshly farmed and locally grown foods such as beef, chicken, lamb, porks,...
Sauvignon Bistro / Restaurants
Sauvignon Bistro is one of the pricier bistros in the Beaches neighbourhood with most mains in the mid to high twenties. Recent options included duck confit, Lake Erie pickerel and...
Shop Task / Fashion Stores
Shop Task near Queen and Coxwell is a skate shop that offers endless options of roller-skates/blades, clothing, equipment, and individual parts for those looking for replacements. Once they make you...
Soup Noodles Pub / Restaurants
Soup Noodles Pub is a tiny little eatery in the Beaches serving tasty bowls of, uh, noodle soup!...
Spiaggia / Restaurants
Spiaggia restaurant in the east end of the Beaches offer prix fixe and a la carte Italian fare including pasta, chicken, veal and tiramisu....
St. Louis Bar & Grill (Beaches) / Restaurants
St. Louis Bar & Grill in the Beaches is no different than the other locations in this wing and ribs chain. It's where to satisfy some late night cravings in...
System Fitness / Fitness Clubs
System Fitness is a fitness club in the Beaches that has a decent selection of free weights and cardio machines....
The Dog Market / Services
The Dog Market is a one-stop shop for all the doggy needs and essentials. They offer grooming, obedience training, and the newest dog sport known as "agility training." Their products...
The Gull and Firkin / Restaurants
The Gull and Firkin is the Beaches outpost of the Firkin pub chain. Go for the Guinness and oyster special or to watch the NFL games when in season....
The Nutty Chocolatier (Beaches) / Grocery Stores
The Nutty Chocolatier is, of course, best known for its chocolates. But the Beaches store is not limited just to handmade truffles, offering lots of hard candies and novelties, jars...
The Pie Shack / Baked Goods
"Listen, I'm a pie man," says Tim McConvey, owner of the new Pie Shack in the Beaches. "Me with no pie is like an Esso with no gas." He looks...
The Salty Dog Bar and Grill / Restaurants
The Salty Dog Bar and Grill in the Beaches serves up affordable pub-style food such as hamburgers, many flavours of chicken wings, grilled calamari salad, fajitas, and spicy caesars. Enjoy...
Tori's Bakeshop / Baked Goods
Tori's Bakeshop has finally opened in the beaches, modestly offering its selection of vegan, natural baked goods. I say 'modestly' because unless you look closely, you wouldn't know that this shop...
Veloute Bistro / Restaurants
Veloute Bistro offers both an elegant dining room experience and catering services for its menu that draws from both Italian and French cuisine. Expect steak frites, moulard duck breast, and...
Vi Vetha / Restaurants
Vi Vetha is a family run bistro on the far eastern edge of the Beaches. The menu features veal and mushroom sandwiches, a huge range of pasta (including gluten free...
Viccino Pizzeria / Restaurants
Viccino Pizzeria in the Beaches specializes in wood oven pizza and pasta. The interior is casual and family friendly to fit the neighbourhood....
Whitlock's / Restaurants
A good bet for brunch in The Beach, Whitlock's features a brunch buffet on Sundays. Good for pancakes and waffles....
Wholesome Market / Grocery Stores
The Wholesome Market is a health food store in the Beach that has a good selection of organic and natural products including baked goods, nuts, eggs, soy products, pasta, soups...
Wunderland / Cafes
Wunderland feels more like a log cabin than an urban coffee shop. Just plug your ears when the Queen streetcar rattles by and summon up a bit of that earth...
Yoshi's Sweets / Baked Goods
Yoshi's Sweets on Queen East in the Beaches bakes up a range of tasty sweets and hot out of the oven treats including scones, tarts, croissants and cookies....
Yumei Sushi / Restaurants
Yumei Sushi is one of the many sushi options in the Beaches. ...
Zane's Patisserie & Boulangerie / Baked Goods
We go bursting into Zane's in a flurry of cold air, loud with hats and scarves and camera gear that gets dumped on two of only a few metal stools...
Neighbourhoods
Other Neighbourhoods
- Annex
- Baldwin Village
- Bayview and Leaside
- Beaches
- Bloor West Village
- Bloorcourt
- Bloordale Village
- Cabbagetown
- Chinatown
- Church Wellesley Village
- Corktown
- Corso Italia
- Danforth
- Distillery District
- Dundas West
- East Chinatown
- Eglinton West
- Etobicoke
- Financial District
- Forest Hill Village
- Harbourfront
- Junction
- Junction Triangle
- Kensington Market
- King East
- King West
- Koreatown
- Leslieville
- Liberty Village
- Little India
- Little Italy
- Markham
- Mount Pleasant
- North York
- Ossington
- Pape Village
- Parkdale
- Port Lands
- Queen West
- Richmond Hill
- Riverside
- Roncesvalles Village
- Rosedale
- Scarborough
- St. Clair West
- St. Lawrence Market
- Upper Beaches
- West Queen West
- Yonge & Bloor
- Yonge & College
- Yonge & Dundas
- Yonge & Eglinton
- Yonge & St. Clair
- Yonge & Wellesley
- Yorkville
Community
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