Best of Independent Toronto 2007: Call for Nominations
It's December, which for many Toronto media outfits means lists. Lots of 'em. And because we don't think we should miss out on the fun, it's time for our own annual poll where we ask our readers what you think makes Toronto great.
Of course, we're not interested in any lists that anoint bland chains like The Mandarin best of anything. We believe what's worth celebrating is the many independent stores, businesses and organizations that make Toronto a unique, vibrant place to live, eat, shop and hang out.
It's with that spirit in mind that we're opening up the nomination period for this year's Best of Independent Toronto poll. Keep reading for this year's list of 100 categories. Place your nominations in the comments below or email them to bestof [at] blogto [dotcom].
Best Fashion + Design
Best Place to Buy a Suit
Best Place to Buy a Dress
Best Sneaker Shop
Best Shoes
Best Jewellery
Best Eyewear
Best Place to Buy a Wedding Dress
Best Kids + Baby Store
Best Hats
Best Vintage Fashion
Best DIY Spot
Best Cards, Paper and Stationary
Best Flowers
Best Contemporary Furniture
Best Vintage Furniture
Best Custom or Re-Furbished Furniture
Best New Clothing Store
Best T-Shirts
Best Design Store
Best New Furniture Store
Best Place to Pick up Stuff Made from Local Designers
Best Fitness + Beauty
Best Fitness Club
Best Yoga
Best Spa
Best Nail Salon
Best Hair Salon
Best Food + Drink
Best New Bar
Best New Dance Club
Best Hipster Hangout
Best Pub
Best Lounge
Best Karaoke
Best Live Music Venue
Best New Restaurant
Best Late Night Chinese Food
Best Burritos
Best Roti
Best Vegetarian
Best Brunch
Best Cafe
Best Burgers
Best Falafel
Best Barbeque
Best Crepes
Best Latin American
Best Churasquiera
Best Dim Sum
Best Fish 'N Chips
Best Gelato or Ice Cream
Best Indian
Best Pizza
Best Korean
Best Oysters
Best Pub Food
Best Salad
Best Sandwiches
Best Tapas
Best Steak
Best Cheap Sushi
Best Splurge Sushi
Best Soup
Best Thai
Best Pho
Best Bread
Best Baked Treats
Best Bagles
Best Butcher
Best Cheese
Best Fruit and Veggie Store
Best Health Food Store
Best Fish Store
Best Art + Film + Books + Music
Best Contemporary Art Gallery (Emerging Artists)
Best Contemporary Art Gallery (Established Artists)
Best Photography Gallery
Best New Media Gallery or Organization
Best New Gallery
Best Local Film Festival that's not TIFF
Best Place to Watch a Film
Best Video Rentals
Best Art Supply Store
Best Book Store
Best New Book
Best Comics
Best Place to Watch a Play
Best Theatre Production Company
Best CD/Record Store
Best Web + Tech
Best Podcast
Best Videocast
Best Fashion Blog
Best Photoblog
Best Web Comic
Best Unconference
Best Startup
Best Tech Evangelist
Best Real Estate Site
Best Tech Shop
Best Green
Best Eco-Friendly Retailer
Best Green Company
Best Green Service
Best Green Organization
Best Bike Shop
Do you think a worthy category is missing? Please let us know! The nomination period is open from now until the end of 2007. The poll will be posted and voting will commence in January, 2008. Photos by myself and Tanja.
Comments (9)
Best Karaoke - The Gladstone
Best Burritos - Big Fat
Best Roti - Gandhi Cuisine
Best Green Organization - Bike Pirates
Best Bike Shop - Urbane
Best Vegetarian - Fressen
Best Place to Watch a Play - Taragon
Best Cafe - Moonbean
Best Comics - Comic Jam
Best New Bar - Circa
Best New Dance Club - Circa
Best Hipster Hangout - The Drake
Best Lounge - Red Room
Best Live Music Venue - Sneaky Dees
Best Burritos - Big Fat Burrito
Best Roti - Island Foods
Best Cafe - Cafe Diplomatico
Best Burgers - Ciro's
Best Falafel - Cleopatra's Falafel
Best Gelato or Ice Cream - Sicilian Sidewalk Cafe
Best Indian - North of Bombay
Best Cheap Sushi - Japan Sushi
Best Thai - Bangkok Paradise
Best Bagles - My Market Bakery
Best Cheese - Global Cheese
Best Place to Watch a Film - The Bloor Cinema
Best Video Rentals - Queen Video
Best Place to Watch a Play - Young Centre
Best Theatre Production Company - Soulpepper
Best Photoblog - Takemorephotos.com
Best Dim Sum: Forestview Restaurant
Best Fish 'N Chips: Woodgreen Fish and Chips
Best Gelato or Ice Cream: Il Gelatiere Artiganale
Best Pizza: Terroni
Best Sandwiches: Sandwich Box
Best Cheap Sushi: Crispy Roll (not dirt cheap, but definitely not pricey)
Best Pho: Pho 88 (seriously, their BBQ chicken pho FTW)
Best Local Film Festival that's not TIFF: Hot Docs
Best Place to Watch a Film: Bloor Cinema
Best Book Store: BMV for prices; anywhere else for ambience
Best Photoblog: The Narrative by Matt O'Sullivan
Best Web Comic: Dinosaur Comics
Best Jewellery - Made you Look
Best Cards, Paper and Stationary - Japanese Paper Place
Best Contemporary Furniture - Blvd Interiors
Best Place to Pick up Stuff Made from Local Designers - The Rage, Kensignton Market
Best Hipster Hangout - Gladstone Hotel
Best Pub - the Local
Best Live Music Venue - Hugh's Room
Best Burritos - Tacos el Asador
Best Brunch - Easy
Best Cafe - Alternative Grounds
Best Fish 'N Chips - Chippy's
Best Gelato or Ice Cream - Greg's
Best Pub Food - the Local
Best Cheap Sushi - Sushi on Bloor
Best Local Film Festival that's not TIFF - Hot Docs
Best Video Rentals - Film Buff
Best Fashion + Design
Best Place to Buy a Dress - I Miss You
Best Jewellery - EKO
Best Hats - Lilliput Hats
Best Vintage Fashion - I Miss You
Best DIY Spot - don't get it
Best Cards, Paper and Stationary - Kid Icarus, Token
Best Contemporary Furniture - Hardware
Best Custom or Re-Furbished Furniture - Industrial Storm
Best Design Store - Magic Pony
Best Place to Pick up Stuff Made from Local Designers - Made
Best Fitness + Beauty
Best Fitness Club - 99 Sudbury
Best Yoga - Kaya at 99
Best Spa - Pure & Simple
Best Nail Salon - Lily of the Valley
Best Hair Salon - Lily of the Valley
Best Food + Drink
Best Pub - Ronnie's Local
Best Lounge - Crooked Star
Best Live Music Venue - Lee's Palace
Best New Restaurant - Foxley
Best Roti - Drupatee
Best Vegetarian - Cafe 668
Best Brunch - Luna
Best Cafe - Luna
Best Burgers - Allen's
Best Latin American - El Trompo
Best Fish 'N Chips - Chippy's
Best Gelato or Ice Cream - Sicilian Sidewalk Cafe
Best Pizza - Bar Mercurio
Best Korean - Buk Chang Soon Don To Fu
Best Oysters - Rodney's
Best Pub Food - c'est what
Best Salad - Fresh
Best Sandwiches - Luna
Best Tapas - Torito
Best Cheap Sushi - I heart Sushi
Best Splurge Sushi - Ematei
Best Soup - Hanoi
Best Pho - Pho Hung
Best Bread - Clafouti
Best Baked Treats - Clafouti
Best Bagles - St Urbain
Best Butcher - Healthy Butcher
Best Cheese - Cheese Magic
Best Fruit and Veggie Store - International Food Mkt (Kens)
Best Health Food Store - Whole Foods
Best Art + Film + Books + Music
Best Contemporary Art Gallery (Emerging Artists) - Katherin Mulherin
Best Contemporary Art Gallery (Established Artists) - MOCCA
Best Photography Gallery - Stephen Bulger
Best Video Rentals - Black Dog
Best Book Store - Nicholas Hoare
Best New Book - Store? Type
Best Web + Tech
Best Podcast - TheFader.com
Best Green
Best Eco-Friendly Retailer - Grassroots
Best Green Service - Village Yoga
Best Bike Shop - The Bike Joint
Best Fashion + Design
Best Place to Buy a Suit - Tom's
Best Food + Drink
Best Hipster Hangout - Gladstone
Best Pub - Crooked Cue
Best Live Music Venue - Lee's Palace
Best Burritos - Burrito Boys
Best Roti - Albert's Real Jamaican
Best Vegetarian - Urban Herbivore
Best Brunch - Mitzy's Sister
Best Cafe - Free Times Cafe
Best Latin American - El Planque
Best Gelato or Ice Cream - Dutch Dreams
Best Indian - Motimahal
Best Pizza - Massimos
Best Pub Food - Characters
Best Salad - Grapefruit Moon
Best Sandwiches - Ferror Bar Cafe
Best Tapas - Mazzetta
Best Cheap Sushi - Next Generation Sushi
Best Soup - Grapefruit Moon
Best Bagles - Anywhere in Montreal
Best Web + Tech
Best Unconference - Transit Camp
Best Green
Best Eco-Friendly Retailer - MEC
Best Green Company - Centre for Social Innovation
Best Green Service - Toronto Cyclist Union
Best Green Organization - TEA
Best Fashion + Design
Best Flowers - Eco Flora
Best Yoga - Downward Dog
Best Pub - Brass Taps on College at Dovercourt
Best Vegetarian - Fressen
Best Brunch - Lakeview Lunch
Best Cafe - Cafe Barsiliano
Best Churasquiera - On College at Dovercourt
Best Fish 'N Chips - Harbord Fish and Chips
Best Pub Food - South Side Louis
Best Steak - Bardi's Steak House
Best Soup - Brick Street Market Bakery (Distillery)
Best Bread - Brick Street Market Bakery
Best Baked Treats - Brick Street Market Bakery
Best Art + Film + Books + Music - Babel Books & Film Fiends
Best Local Film Festival that's not TIFF - Planet in Focus: International Environmental Film & Video Festival
Best Place to Watch a Film - Bloor Cinema
Best Video Rentals - Queen Video
Best Art Supply Store - Above Ground Art Supplies
Best Book Store - Babel Books
Best New Book - I am America and So Can You by Stephen Colbert
Best Comics - EC Comics (Tales from the Crypt)
Best Place to Watch a Play - Taragon Theatre
Best Theatre Production Company - Nightwood Theatre
Best CD/Record Store - Sam the Record Man (We miss you)
Best Eco-Friendly Retailer - Grassroots
Best Green Company - Bullfrog Power
Best Green Service - Greenteam Couriers
Best Green Organization - Planet in Focus (Mixed Greens Monthly screenings & Annual Festival)
Best Place to Buy a Dress- Studio Labiri
Best Shoes- Corbo Studio
Best Spa- Novo Spa
Best Live Music Venue- The Rex
Best Cafe- Gatto Nero
Best Dim Sum- Empire Court for fancy, Rol San for economical
Best Gelato or Ice Cream- Il Gelatiere
Best Indian- Maroli
Best Korean- Seoul House on Dufferin
Best Sandwiches- Brick Street Bakery at the Distillery
Best Tapas- Cambalache
Best Cheap Sushi- Ichiban Fish House of Spring Garden
Best Splurge Sushi- Sushi Kaji
Best Soup- Goulash at the Coffee Mill
Best Thai- Linda's
Best Baked Treats- Serano Bakery
Best Cheese- La Salumeria
Best Fruit and Veggie Store- Harvest Wagon
Best Health Food Store- Big Carrot
Best Fish Store- City Fish on Dufferin
Best Place to Watch a Film- The Royal on College
Best Place to Watch a Play- the Young Center
Best Theatre Production Company- Soulpepper
Best Eco-Friendly Retailer- Big Carrot
Best Bike Shop- ZM Cycle Fitness
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