Little Italy

Once the epicenter of Italian culture in Toronto, Little Italy retains its Italian heritage and flavours even though most of the Italian community has moved north west to Corso Italia or the suburbs. In their place is an increasingly younger mix of residents who have come for the martini bars, cafes and gelato.

The neighbourhood boundaries (at least those defined by the local BIA) are from Bathurst to Shaw along College, but in recent years more and more new businesses have opened their doors further west. Near Dufferin, The Common pairs fair trade coffee with nutella on toast. Closer to Dovercourt, Karuchie is the new kid on the block wooing diners with its highly praised Italian and Japanese influenced menu.

But the epicenter of the neighbourhood will probably always be the bustling intersection of College and Clinton. On the north east corner sits Cafe Diplomatico and its massive street-side patio. If you want to wait in a line-up for some prime people watching, this is probably the place to do it.

Further south along Clinton toward Dundas is Bitondo Pizzeria & Sandwiches who have been serving take-out Italian style pizza and panzerotti for more than 40 years. While there, they might talk you into ordering the veal sandwich but a better bet for that would be San Francesco foods across the street, or California Sandwiches.

A couple of years ago American Apparel opened a retail store on the south side of College near Euclid. Ever since, many have wondered how many other fashion boutiques would follow suit. Not much has changed but there are some great local and independent fashion options such as EWANIKA, Lilliput Hats, UKULA, Girl Friday, Tessi, Fly Girl and Article 8.

It's tough to say whether Little Italy is now more defined by its Italian restaurants or its martini bars. The scales probably tipped in favour of the latter in recent years as a slew of new bars like Eat My Martini, Wild Indigo and Paaeez crowded the market. Although these three remain, many were short-lived which means there's usually some place new to check out each month.

Most of the action in Little Italy is along College but since there are so many options it's easy to miss some of the gems. Here's a selection:

Dolce Gelato
This Gelateria on College west of Grace ranks as one of Toronto's best next to La Paloma in Corso Italia and Solferino near the St. Lawrence Market. Scoops of wild berry, pistaccio and tiramisu burst with flavour. Great as a late night snack after catching a movie at the Royal or to cool down during those hot summer days. A few blocks east on Manning Street, the Big Chill offers more traditional ice cream.

The Orbit Room
Still going strong after all these years, the Orbit Room is a fun, intimate spot for live music seven nights a week. Best is the LMT Connection's long-standing Wednesday night funk and soul show where an impromptu dance floor always breaks out by the second set. The Mod Club, Revival and Smiling Buddha are also reliable options for live music. Andy Poolhall and Toi Bar have good DJ nights. El Convento Rico has drag shows Friday and Saturday nights.

The Fish Store
Can you say the best fish sandwiches in the city? This brightly painted fish store doubles as a sandwich shop and grills up ridiculously tasty salmon, scallop, black cod and other varieties of fish served on a soft Portuguese bun.

Olivia's at 53
Just up the street from The Dip at 53Clinton, Olivia's is an intimate spot that is great for dates. The kitchen creates tasty southern European food and fresh pasta. They also feature Toronto's first and only micro-winery. The wine is cheap (relatively) and not bad. There's live music Wednesday and Thursdays.

Soundscapes
Arguably the best store in the city for local and Canadian independent CDs and concert tickets. Always a well stocked selection and friendly staff. Check the stapled sheets near the cash to see what concerts are coming up and what's already sold out. They also have occasional in-store live musical performances.

Whippersnapper Gallery
Little Italy is not known as having a gallery scene, but they have one of the best new galleries in Whippersnapper. A student run gallery for students and emerging artists is located up a flight of stairs from Chinadoll. Aside from interesting exhibits and fun launch parties, the gallery also hosts some live music nights. Also new to the College Street strip is the Elaine Fleck Gallery which features stunning, contemporary photography.