Neighbourhoods
Leslieville
Leslieville, after many years of playing the role of little brother to more developed Riverside, has emerged as Toronto's hippest place to dine, drink, shop and live, or so proclaimed a 2005 article in the New York Times that also anointed the neighbourhood as the new Queen Street West. Historically home to light industry and the Film District, it's now more known as one of Toronto's best brunch destinations and features some great cafes, vintage furniture, fashion and design stores.
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Altitude Baking / Baked Goods
I'd heard of Altitude bakery, but didn't know it was in Leslieville until we were walking past it. It was a rainy day. There were only few people on the...
Amato Pizza / Restaurants
Amato used to be the go-to pizza joint in Toronto with locations sprinkled around the city. But as we've reported, the pizza chain has come under fire for shady labour...
Amaya Express (Leslieville) / Restaurants
Amaya Express has a number of locations in Toronto including this one on Queen East in Leslieville. On the menu are all the usual Amaya favourites including butter chicken, thali...
Any Direct Flight / Fashion Stores
Contributed by Natalie Taylor No need to hop a plane but a streetcar will suffice to arrive at the destination of this charming boutique in the far east corner of Leslieville....
Arts Market / Design Stores
Arts Market is Toronto's first year-round artisan market, if you can believe it. And admittedly, I couldn't. I had to pause to think about it, but indeed, there are only...
Atomic Toybot / Design Stores
Atomic Toybot on Queen East seems like a scaled down version of Magic Pony. The much smaller selection of designer and trendy toys tends to tailor more to parents and...
B & B Fish & Chips / Restaurants
B & B Fish & Chips is one of the many popular fish and chips spots in Leslieville. Also worth checking out are Reliable Fish 'N Chips and Woodgreen. ...
Baby on the Hip / Fashion Stores
Baby On the Hip is an eco-minded baby boutique in Leslieville that keeps it green. With a focus on environmentally-friendly, locally-sourced and "back to basics" merchandise (they avoid battery-powered baby...
Baldini / Restaurants
Baldini is an understated Italian restaurant on Queen East that serves up Northern and Southern Italian cuisine including risotto, pasta and pizza. Brunch makes an appearance on weekends with eggs...
Belmonte Raw / Restaurants
Belmonte Raw has finally opened in Leslieville near the corner of Queen and Pape. On the menu? Fresh juices and delicious raw food. The quality and taste here can't be...
Bobbette & Belle / Baked Goods
Bobbette & Belle, an artisan patisserie that began as a studio that catered to couples looking for wedding cakes and wedding reception favours, moved into a retail location in Leslieville...
Bone House / Services
The Bone House features 85% Canadian made and 100% eco friendly products for pups. This cute little Queen East shop carries a wide range of products from doggie bathrobes to...
Brayham Contemporary Art / Galleries
Brayham Contemporary Art presents an ambitious exhibition program bringing the work of important national and international artists to Toronto, while supporting the local Toronto art scene by providing a venue...
Brick Street Breads (Leslieville) / Baked Goods
Brick Street Breads (as its know at its Leslieville location) is the smallest of all the Brick Street locations but here is where the magic happens. More than a dozen...
Ceili Cottage / Restaurants
Ceili Cottage has only just opened its doors, but the lively atmosphere and charming surroundings are quickly establishing this "public house" as a favourite among Leslieville locals. Publican Patrick McMurray,...
Chick-N-Joy / Restaurants
Chick-N-Joy has been serving loyal customers in Leslieville since 1977. Family-operated and owned by John Doufekas all these years, Chick-N-Joy is a true pillar in the community. Johnny, as he's...
Chino Locos / Restaurants
Chino Locos is not your average burrito bar. In appearance, it may fit the profile; a minuscule space, slammed with starving customers waiting to wolf down tightly packed tortillas crammed...
Coach House Shortbread Company / Baked Goods
Coach House Shortbread Company is the retail showroom of Carl Stryg's famous shortbread company. The shop offers both sweet and savoury shortbread cookies in flavours such as cranberry, pecan, and...
CrossFit Toronto / Fitness Clubs
CrossFit in Toronto. It's a beautiful thing. For those familiar with the CrossFit concept, it doesn't get much better than this. This place is fully decked out with everything...
Cry If I Want To / Design Stores
Cry If I Want To offers unique housewares, contemporary rentals, service referrals and products sourcing for entertaining at home....
Curzon / Bars
Any bar that lets me have my say in music is okay in my books. If you're a deejay in Toronto, you've seen my face before. Mine is the face that...
Discovery Records / Services
Discovery Records buys and sells records, CDs, LPs and a whole lot more. They also have a small collection of books and videos. ...
Doll Factory by Damzels / Fashion Stores
A fun store that we'll have more to say about soon. ...
Eadrey Foods / Restaurants
Eadrey Foods wears many hats. This smallish storefront near Queen and Caroline sells a range of gourmet grocery items like sauces and marinades. But the main attraction here are daily...
Ed's Real Scoop (Leslieville) / Restaurants
Ed's Real Scoop has expanded to Leslieville. No longer must east enders visit the Beach location for some of the city's best ice cream and gelato because all the same...
Edward Levesque's Kitchen / Restaurants
Edward Levesque's Kitchen in Leslieville, so i've heard many times through the brunch grapevine, is an east end staple for the city's beloved weekend meal. This spot has caught my...
Enoteca Ascari 26 / Restaurants
Enoteca Ascari 26 has now open at the corner of Queen East and Caroline. The restaurant features a short Italian menu of antipasti, salads, pasta and mains. It's from the...
Ethel 20th Century Living / Design Stores
Ethel 20th Century Living has recently undergone a change in ownership but continues to stock fine, mid-century modern furniture. Services have also been expanded to include interior design and vintage...
Fare Bistro / Restaurants
Fare Bistro in Leslieville bills itself as a modern French bistro. The food here is superb but for whatever reason the restaurant seems to attract an older (40 plus) crowd....
Film Buff / Services
The Film Buff has locations in Leslieville and Roncevalles Village so they neatly bookend the downtown core. In addition to a searchable online index of its roughly 30,000 DVDs, and...
First Break Coffee / Cafes
First Break Coffee has a tiny space but more than makes up for it with its menu, It sells everything from subs, to scrambled egg wraps, sandwiches, bagels, and coffee,...
Flaunt Boutique / Fashion Stores
Flaunt Boutique has the first website I've seen with a dynamic relighting dimmer switch -- a nod to the intentional lighting in the salon itself. Flaunt is a self-described...
Florabunda / Design Stores
Florabunda is a great little neighbourhood florist in Leslieville that sells an affordable selection of fresh cut flowers as well as bouquets and other arrangements....
Fortis Fitness / Fitness Clubs
Fortis Fitness at Carlaw south of Dundas also offers 24/7 access, along with month-to-month membership options, which for some reason strikes me as going hand-in-hand. Its focus is on healthy...
Frankly Eatery / Restaurants
Frankly Eatery has added its name to the numerous worthy brunch destinations dotting Queen East in Leslieville. There's really no shortage of places here to get a good fill of...
Fuss Hair Studio / Fashion Stores
Fuss is a boutique hair studio in Leslieville.They promise to "fuss with your hair to bring out your best look". Co-owners Stacey Lipstein and Kristin Rankin's black, white and...
Gadabout / Fashion Stores
Gadabout houses an extensive collection of vintage clothing, accessories, textiles, ephemera, nostalgia, curios and oddities. Glamour is the name of the game here. The beautiful fifties frocks (including an ivory...
Gale's Snack Bar / Restaurants
Now that the economy's sputtered and stalled worse than your over-heated vintage 1969 PX150, places like Gale's Snack Bar appear less a quaint anachronism or dusty relic than a sanctuary...
Garden's Path / Design Stores
Garden's Path is a go to source for flowers for film product companies, visiting actors and those celebrating special events. Find the great looking boutique right beside Te Aro near...
Gio Rana's Really Really Nice Restaurant / Restaurants
When it's Friday night and a pleasant dinner out is on the menu, optimally, it'd be a combination of great food (of course), a fun atmosphere, brisk service, and not...
Goods & Provisions / Restaurants
Goods and Provisions is a well-kept secret in the heart of Leslieville -- our very own Prohibition-era speakeasy, complete with dim, globe-lit corners and black-and-white tiled floors. Dark stained oak...
Great Burger Kitchen / Restaurants
The Great Burger Kitchen adds another notch to Toronto's bulging burger belt. Launched three weeks ago by The Wine Bar's Ted Koutsogiannopoulos and Jim Gontis of Johnny G's, this labour...
Green Tea Design / Design Stores
Greentea Design offers exceptional home furnishings from Asia, or else customized and Asian-inspired. I was lost in the room of antique cabinets, which included a pair of intricately detailed iron...
Grinder (Gerrard Street) / Cafes
Grinder Coffee on the corner of Gerrard and Marjory is an offshoot of the popular Main St. joint of the same name. Although the three-month-old cafe sells the same brew...
GUFF / Design Stores
GUFF is one vintage furniture store where you can count on finding some steals, not the least of which might include an antique solid oak dresser for $345, or a...
Hands on You / Fashion Stores
Hands on You on Carlaw is part therapeutic clinic and part training facility. They offer registered massage therapy, Fascial Stretch Therapy, personal training, studio classes and more. There's also a...
Hanoi 3 Seasons / Restaurants
Hanoi 3 Seasons brings tasty Vietnamese cuisine to Leslieville. Portions here are great and the prices are very reasonable....
Heliographics Gallery & Studio / Galleries
Heliographics is part gallery and part studio. Home to photographer Dieter Hessel and illustrator Colleen Clancey, this new Leslieville gallery displays both their works as well as that of other...
Holy Cow / Design Stores
Holy Cow has taken up a large corner location in Leslieville and crammed it full with a colourful assortment of wooden objects, bowls and other ornaments that are likely to...
Hooked / Grocery Stores
Hooked has brought accessible, sustainable fish to Toronto. You'll find it on Queen Street East, just west of Logan Avenue where colourful fish cutouts dangle in the big window by...
It's The Icing on the Cake / Baked Goods
It's The Icing on the Cake in Leslieville bakes custom crafted cupcakes (pictured above), yummy desserts, bread and other baked treats. ...
Joy Bistro / Restaurants
The relaxed atmosphere at Joy Bistro, a popular Leslieville restaurant on Queen East, is immediately welcoming. Chef Bryan Burke's menu, offering French and Italian techniques with Ontario ingredients, is equally...
Kristapsons / Grocery Stores
Kristapsons is known as the place to go for some of the best smoked salmon in Toronto. Prepared fresh and cold-smoked to boost omega-3 oils, this Leslieville shop has been...
Lady Marmalade / Restaurants
Lady Marmalade, in the former Pulp Kitchen space, ups the ante on standard brunch by offering locally sourced organic food (when possible), and plenty of options for our non-meat eating...
Le Canard Mort / Restaurants
Le Canard Mort is the latest restaurant from the owner of Le Rossignol. Like its sibling, the influence here is decidedly French with extra attention paid to creative cocktails....
Le Matin Bakery / Baked Goods
Le Matin Bakery is the newest venture by French chef Jean-Pierre Challet. Those in the foodie scene know Jean-Pierre (or J.P.) as the culinary master behind Ici Bistro, though he's...
Le Papillon on the Park / Restaurants
Le Papillon on the Park is nestled in a gorgeous old restored brick house between Leslieville and the Beaches on the new Jonathan Ashbridge Park. The owners have been in...
Leslie Jones / Restaurants
Leslie Jones has unique exterior signage that somehow didn't catch our eye last Friday night. So much so that we drove past it twice before spotting the oversize handwritten sticky...
Leslieville Cheese Market / Grocery Stores
Leslieville Cheese Market in the east end boasts that "everyone at Leslieville Cheese is a cheese expert". Check in with them in the fall about their cheese night school. Or...
Leslieville Diner / Restaurants
The Leslieville Diner is a cozy breakfast and lunch spot on Queen East. The menu includes standard diner fare like burgers, soup and sandwiches....
Lil' Baci / Restaurants
I grew up with a Nanny and Poppa as opposed to a Nonna and Nonno but just being at Lil' Baci makes me feel like I am part of a...
Lil' Bean N' Green / Cafes
Lil' Bean N' Green is a kid (and mum and dad) friendly cafe in Leslieville. They serve all the usual coffee options, gluten and nut free snacks and have a...
Love the Design / Design Stores
Love The Design, the new Leslieville shop opened by artist and designer Christine Flynn, combines Flynn's signature stationary and photography art with 1920's finds and chic industrial vintage furniture. "Everything in...
Machine Age Modern / Design Stores
With its fluid lines, Verner Panton's S chair beckons you to sit down. But his Pantonova Dining Set, available at Machine Age Modern for $12500, goes in a slightly different...
Majesteas / Grocery Stores
Majesteas might not just be a clever play on "tea" as so many tea shops seem unable to resist the urge to pun. Co-owner Ian Macdonald actually has some...
McGugan's / Restaurants
McGugan's offers up hearty Scottish fare such as scotch eggs, haggis and an assortment of meat pies alongside a vast selection of beers and spirits....
Me! Studio / Fashion Stores
Me! Studio in Leslieville is a sibling store to nearby Studio We. Recent offerings included J.A.C.H.S. woven plaid shirts (both long and short sleeves) and a new line of Swamisz...
Mercury Organic Espresso Bar / Cafes
Mercury Organic Espresso Bar has been doing something right. This bustling cafe near Carlaw and Queen is known for their artfully crafted espresso, lattes and fresh-pressed organic lemonade. They also...
Mountain View Coffee Factory Outlet / Cafes
Mountain View Coffee, a local Toronto wholesaler, has opened its first mixed-use showroom and café on Logan Avenue just north of Lake Shore Blvd East. The concept, essentially, is to...
Nathalie Roze and Co / Fashion Stores
I didn't know it at the time, but the day I walked into Leslieville's Nathalie-Roze & Co., they happened to be celebrating their two year anniversary. Practically upon entering the...
Okay Okay / Restaurants
My favourite pancake has a home and it's at 1128 Queen Street East. Hot off the grill and topped with fresh whipped butter, the big fluffy wonders at Okay Okay...
Oni Tattoo / Services
Oni Tattoo is a Japanese style tattoo parlour near Queen and Coxwell. They also do American traditional tattoos....
Parts Gallery / Galleries
Parts Gallery is a contemporary art gallery focused on emerging and established local and international artists....
Peach Garden / Restaurants
Peach Garden has three locations in Toronto includingt this popular one near Gerrard Square. The menu is massive and spans both Vietnamese and Thai cuisine. But best here is the...
Pentimento Fine Art Gallery / Galleries
Pentimento Fine Art Gallery is a beacon in Leslieville, delivering solid photography and contemporary art exhibitions near the corner of Queen and Jones. Some of their past shows include Secret...
Pied a Terre / Design Stores
Pied-a-Terre on Queen East is stocked full of interesting antiques and vintage finds including chairs, coffee tables, lamps and a wide range of other decor. ...
Pizza Pide / Restaurants
Pizza Pide has occasionally been tagged as hit-or-miss but my most recent visit has me falling in love all over again. The Kiymali Acik topped with tender beef is a...
Queen Margherita Pizza / Restaurants
Queen Margherita Pizza recently opened in Leslieville and already it's being positioned as the east end's answer to Pizzeria Libretto. Yes, they too serve napoletana pizza baked in a prized...
Queen Pita / Restaurants
Queen Pita serves up some of the best falafel in the city. They also make juicy shawarma, baklava and fish wrap. ...
Red Rocket (Logan) / Cafes
Rocket Rocket (Logan) represents the cafe team's triumphant, albeit, somewhat impromptu return to Leslieville. Just a few weeks after opening a brand new location on the Danforth, Red Rocket is...
Reliable Fish 'N Chips / Restaurants
Sometimes the map is the territory. I was prepared to be dazzled-- or in the absence of awe, hoping to at least buoy a Reliable Fish & Chips review...
River Rock Cafe / Restaurants
River Rock Cafe is a recent addition to Leslieville, slightly tucked away north of Queen on Carlaw. The casual space (with soaring ceilings) is home to a comfort food laden...
Sausage Partners / Grocery Stores
Sausage Partners, to the perpetually immature, will always be the perfect name for a low-grade adult film series. But to the people of Leslieville and surrounding areas, it signals high...
Soggie Dog / Services
The Soggie Dog is Leslieville's DIY dog washing destination. Or you can get the "Soggie Dog Special" and have staff wash your pooch while you enjoy a complimentary coffee...
Steeped and Infused / Grocery Stores
Steeped and Infused is a new specialty tea store in Leslieville that offers a huge range of organic and loose leaf teas....
Stratengers / Restaurants
Stratengers is a local favourite in Leslieville, serving pub grub like nachos, pizza and chicken curry....
Studio We! / Design Stores
Studio We! is fashion and decor in one store. The focus here is on offering a range of diverse fashion that is versatile and affordable....
Sushi Marche / Restaurants
Sushi Marche is leaving some serious money on the table. A restaurant that serves raw fish this fresh, and this good could easily fill a large room seven nights a...
Sweet Bliss / Baked Goods
Sweet Bliss in Leslieville makes delicious cinnamon buns, apricot oatmeal squares, spanakopita and other baked treats. ...
Swirl Wine Bar / Bars
Swirl Wine Bar is a unique destination in Leslieville that puts me in mind of first dates. I can't help feeling that it is impressive to know about because it...
Tango Palace Coffee Company / Cafes
Tango Palace is the perfect place to stop in for an afternoon treat. It's got a really neat Art Nouveau style, stained glass lamps, and large comfy chairs at...
Te Aro / Cafes
"Te Aro," as it revealed itself through a Google-mapping, does not mean "I love you" in Spanish after all. Of course, I jest. But I also, upon my first couple...
Telegramme Prints / Galleries
Telegramme Prints in Leslieville specializes in sourcing recently produced, high-quality printed artwork not for sale anywhere else in Canada. Their selection includes: * Limited edition silkscreened gig posters (in the $26-$32...
Ten Spot (Leslieville) / Fashion Stores
The Ten Spot Beauty Bar expanded last year and now offers its famous not-so-bad Brazilian waxes at its new Leslieville location. Open for about a year now, the best part--it seems...
The Brow House / Fashion Stores
The Brow House is all about making you look good--from the lower lids up, that is. As its name suggests, The Brow House offers an array of services to get...
The Commissary / Restaurants
The Commissary has taken over the space formerly home to Sophie Cafe on Queen East. So far the main attraction has been its extensive line-up of eggs benny and French...
The Duke / Restaurants
The Duke in Leslieville has a bit of a sordid past. A neighbourhood landmark well before the area gentrified, the large pub (with live music on weekends) is known to...
The East Ender / Restaurants
The East Ender has opened in the old Tomi Kro space at 1214 Queen St. East....
The Friendly Thai (Leslieville) / Restaurants
The Friendly Thai has locations around Toronto including this one near Queen East and Leslie. For previous coverage on The Friendly Thai see: The Mystery of The Friendly Thai Is The Friendly...
The Playpen / Restaurants
The Playpen brings something new to the dilapidated strip mall at the corner of Carlaw and Gerrard East. From the owners of Tomi-Kro, the massive restaurant is white table cloth...
The Rock Oasis / Fitness Clubs
The Rock Oasis was always my favourite Toronto climbing gym, if mainly because of its bladder-bending 60-foot wall. Now, I've never been one for heights, but I've always figured that...
The Roy / Restaurants
The Roy is a traditional pub that recently opened in Leslieville. The surroundings are pretty basic (but cozy) and attract locals for their pub grub and excellent selection of beers...
The T-Shirt Guys / Fashion Stores
The T-Shirt Guys make custom t-shirts for men, women and kids. ...
The Tea Leaf / Cafes
The Tea Leaf has arrived in Leslieville. This narrow tea shop sells a wide variety of loose leaf teas but also has plenty of space to sit down and enjoy...
The Tulip / Restaurants
Somewhere between Leslieville and The Beaches lies a modest strip of Queen East where The Tulip's big yellow sign (or at least two-thirds of it) light up the street. ...
Thrill of the Find / Fashion Stores
Contributed by Natalie Taylor Remember that episode of Sex and the City where our heroine Ms. Carrie Bradshaw is introduced to the Vogue Accessories closet? A feeling of awe, disbelief and...
TKMT Academy (Carlaw) / Fitness Clubs
The TKMT Academy in Leslieville is the third TKMT location in the Toronto area. This fall, martial arts guru Warren Lee gave opened the academy, just north of Queen on...
Toronto Newsgirls Boxing Club / Fitness Clubs
Toronto Newsgirls is a boxing club for women started by Savoy Howe in 1996. I've stopped in many times, but I'm still astounded each time I take in the agility...
Voulez Vous Cafe / Cafes
Voulez-Vous Cafe, from outside, is about as non-descript as it gets. Tucked away on a quiet stretch of Queen East near Coxwell, it sits unadorned on the end of a...
What Are You Looking At / Bars
What Are You Looking At has the style and colour of the two-page Tokion Magazine spread that was its inspiration. Also called WAYLA, Leslieville's newest spot aspires, like its neighbourhood,...
Yoga Yoga East / Fitness Clubs
Yoga Yoga East has relocated from the Beaches to Leslieville just across from the TTC yards near Greenwood. The huge warehouse space offers 20 classes a week plus workshops and...
Zenporium / Design Stores
Zenporium is all about guilt-free wood. The husband and wife owned store sells modern-organic and rustic furniture designs made of salvaged or reclaimed wood. ...
Zero Point / Design Stores
The Zero Point is a green-focused store that stocks a great selection of eco-focused bathroom and home products from soap to paint to furniture and bedding....
Zig Zag / Design Stores
Like every other condo-owning museum go-er, you could get a reproduction of Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich's Barcelona chair, or, for less money and more backstory, you could...
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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Know a great local business we should include on the site?
