Toronto

The Bay Street Power Lunch, Or 15 Restaurants to Cherish that Expense Account

Bay Street Restaurants Power LunchA serious power lunch in Toronto begins and ends on Bay Street. Beyond the food courts and the look alike salad and sandwich operations, a whole other echelon of lunch exists, one marked with sky high ceilings, world class wine cellars and some of Hogtown's most ambitious chefs.

But do $37 burgers, $20 soups and $40 plates of seared fois gras still sell when stocks are sinking faster than, uh, the Toronto housing market? Even though the creations of uber gastronomes like Anthony Walsh or Mark McEwan might not be accessible to the average office worker, AIG shareholder or those who went long on oil, by the looks of things these restaurants will be just fine. For those talking mergers, celebrating a short position or rewarding a star employee, a take-out Thai combo just won't do.

15 Bay Street Lunches You Can Bank On

Lunch Financial District TorontoWhen the lunch hour strikes, the Financial District very quickly dissolves into something of a feeding frenzy. Traders, analysts, lawyers and stock brokers descend on the area's food courts and restaurants looking for a quick fix. And because time is of the essence, the default destination often becomes the food court closest to the escape pod (the elevator).

And that's too bad. When I last worked in the area, I was right at Yonge and Wellington and was often resigned to grabbing a bite at the underwhelming offerings in Brookfield Place. It was the typical generic food court, over-run with ubiquitous fast food chains like Subway, The Bagel Stop, Manchu Wok, Edo, McDonald's, Piazza Manna and Jimmy the Greek. Uh, no thanks.

15 Killer Brunch Spots on Queen East

Brunch Restaurants Queen Street EastQueen East is known for many things (vintage furniture finds, some great cafes and tasty burgers), but right at the top of the list is brunch. Yep, this part of town takes brunch with the seriousness it deserves. On a Sunday morning there are enough eggs benedict, buttermilk pancakes and peameal bacon being plated here to warrant the construction of a small hospital.

The action starts just past the bridge (the one that crosses the DVP) and extends through the neighbourhoods of Riverside and Leslieville all the way to Coxwell. At some spots lineups form early (better get there by 10am) but part of the fun (cold, blistery Canadian winters aside) is sharing tips with fellow would-be-diners about what to order and what to avoid.

Beyond Souvlaki - 27 Non Greek Restaurants on the Danforth

Danforth RestaurantsIt's no secret the Danforth is Toronto's Greektown. Come the summer, the whole neighbourhood gets fixated on the annual Taste of the Danforth where it's almost impossible not to eat some tzatziki and meat on a skewer. But for the last decade, the area has slowly expanded beyond the Mediterranean, and the stretch from Broadview to just past Pape has filled in with dozens of worthy non souvlaki related eats.

10 Great Bra Boutiques in Toronto

Best Bra Boutiques TorontoTrying on a new bra can be like trying on new shoes, in reverse: you realize how stretched out and broken your old ones are, but it's not in a good way.

Most women wear the wrong bra size. There are dozens of sizes, several of the stores in this list go up to 52JJ, yet everyone thinks they're a 34B. Which is fine, since it's not like it's something you wear everyday... oh, wait a second.

The 12 Most Likely Rat-Free Restaurants in Chinatown

Chinatown RestaurantsFollowing the various rat sightings and Toronto Health Inspection sweeps in Chinatown, it's understandable that many might be a bit reluctant to hit up the area for their next bowl of hot and sour soup or taste of chicken fried rice. Gone are the spotless records of the Dumpling House, Happy Seven, Swatow, Bright Pearl and Pho Hung. So where to eat now?
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