Best of Toronto
The Best Eyeglasses in Toronto
The best stores to buy eyeglasses in Toronto - as voted by readers of this site - can mostly be found downtown, with a few exceptions further west, up north at Yorkdale, and into the industrial badlands of North York. And while they might all offer variations on the same theme season to season - the "National Health" frame reinterpreted in everything from pink plastic to carbon fibre is big this year - they offer them at a wide variety of prices.
Whether you only buy specs when a new lens prescription is in your hand, or scotch tape is holding together your old pair, or whether you have a drawer full of designer shades for every day of summer, the shops listed below will likely carry whatever you need to either see better, or improve how you're seen.
Here are the 12 best stores to buy eyeglasses in Toronto.
Spectacle
Sleek and minimalist, Spectacle has been on Queen West near Trinity Bellwoods for 5 years, selling reliably fashionable labels like Oliver Peoples and Alain Mikli. The store is a magnet for the walk-in trade, and carries frames ranging in price from $200 to $2000. The store also has locations in the Distillery and near Yonge and Lawrence. More »
Rapp Optical
“You live in a country,” Mel Rapp insists, “you buy the products of that country.” While many eyewear stores stock store labels, Rapp has the unique distinction of carrying its own Canadian-made line in its flagship College Street store. It’s a combination of Rapp’s personal and patriotic philosophy, at prices ranging from $390 to $1200 for the Rapp line. More »
Optic Zone
Joe Singh’s dizzying jumble of a shop near the foot of Jarvis can be a bit overwhelming. “We carry everything,” he insists, and he might be right, with an inventory featuring labels like J.F. Rey, Tom Ford and Funk Royal, and prices from $150 to $1600. More »
Eyes on Church
This Church and Wellesley institution is small, but makes up for size with glam, and has a loyal clientele that changes eyewear almost as often as their shirts. Owner Farhad Gharemani insists that he never carries two of any frame, and strives to stock the most unique items from lines like Alain Mikli and Jean Paul Gaultier. More »
Gafas
Open for just 2½ years, Gafas carries edgy labels like Dutz, Salt and Chrome Hearts, but made its name with a huge inventory of vintage frames from the ‘70s and ‘80s. With over 800 frames in its retro collection, you can take your head back to the future with labels like Playboy, Dior and Gucci. More »
Specs & Specs
On Queen West for 16 years, Specs & Specs has been selling fashion forward frames to hipsters since grunge still sold records. Their selection of labels avoids the obvious – names like Francois Pinton and ProDesign are featured – and prices are very reasonable, ranging from $150 to $300. More »
LF Warehouse
In an aging industrial park in North York, LF Optical’s east end location sells a broad range of name frames at deep discounts, thanks mostly to the low overhead afforded by its out-of-the-way stores. Labels like Gucci, Prada, Tom Ford, Oliver Peoples and Martin & Martin can be got at clear-out prices for as little as $69, or as much as $400 for frames featuring titanium or gemstones. More »
Minh Chau Optical
This recent arrival in Chinatown specializes in blingy eyewear designs from labels like Chrome Hearts and IC! Berlin, and while their range starts on the very low end at $60, they stock frames costing over $2,000, and special order items carrying price tags up to $137,000. More »
Seen Vision Care
With stores in Yorkville and Yorkdale, Seen specializes in limited edition and exclusive frames from fashion lines like Chanel, Prada, Versace and Marc Jacobs. They also carry the little-seen and very flash Police label, with prices ranging from a lens and frame package for $149 to $1200 a limited edition Dior frame. More »
Humber Optical
This tidy shop in Bloor West Village has pulled clients from all over the city for 15 years, and carries all the major names, including Face a Face, Alain Mikli, Oliver Peoples and Prada, at prices ranging from $200 to $750. More »
Karir Eyewear
Karir Eyewear, one branch of Bob Karir’s eyewear mini-empire, features innovative eyewear like Linwood Optical’s Blac line of carbon fibre frames, and cutting edge design from companies like Hoet. Karir carries frames ranging from $300 on the low end to $1320 for their exclusive Hoets. More »
Chinatown Optical
On Dundas West for over 20 years, this roomy but well-stocked store features lines like Mikita and Philippe Starck, at prices ranging from $200 to $800. Skiers will be interested in the sports eyewear it carries, including a selection of high-end ski goggles, including the Adidas Sport line. More »
Discussion
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If OZ wasn't top 3 I'd throw my computer our the window.
Spectacle does seem to be a good shop. Cool, super-friendly and relaxed, letting you do your own thing and try on frames at will.
As for Rapp, while I respect their offbeat selection, they definitely can have an attitude. Last time I went in, I felt like I was being "styled" in wacky coloured frames by an employee who wasn't remotely interested in my sense of style. Lady, if I wanted to look like a librarian turtle, I'd go buy a pair of novelty coke-bottle nerd glasses!
I love Optic Zone.
Go to CHINA!
Frames & lenses for $22!
No pressure, doesn't sell you the most expensive frames, listens VERY well to what your budget is etc, he can size you up in no time and have you looking at only frames that match your style within your budget.
Great experience, he's got me for life now!
+1 for Optic Zone!
But since it's in the burbs, blogTO dares not to venture out that far.
Bah... what does it matter to me anyway... I got laser eye correction surgery 3 yrs ago.
I also got a good vibe from that place on the corner of Yonge and Wellesley, Henri's Optical. Nice guy.
I agree BlogTO could venture a bit beyond the core.
Oh I crack myself up.
But thanks for the list. I will definitely try out Optic Zone after reading the positive replies.
I recommend this place
Reply
Another vote for Roshad.
What an experience!
I found that very innovative.
thanks
THANKS
They did an amazing job of picking out glasses I wouldn't have considered, and I've got compliments on all three pairs. Similar to comments above about Joe from Joe's optics - the people who've helped me there haven't pushed me to buy, nor pushed me towards more expensive frames just because they were more expensive.
I realize there are lots of cheaper options around, but as someone who is always wearing glasses, it's nice to buy something that's fairly unique and more interesting than going to a Lenscrafters.
Definitely worth a visit, it gets pretty busy so i'd recommend a week day. Happy Shopping!
After trying on a pair of circular frames that weren't quite right, I asked him if he had any more in that specific shape. He said yes, he would get them for me. He then proceeded to pull two pair out of the CASE THAT WAS OPEN IN FRONT OF ME (he didn't even bother to walk to another case) and NEITHER pair were even close to the right shape. He then tried to tell me that ovals were the same as circles and, when I wasn't buying that, he told me that the round frames I'd tried on were from a "very exclusive designer" and "no one else is making frames that shape." Who was this design visionary? RALPH LAUREN.
I then walked down to Specs & Specs where they immediately showed me four pair of circular frames (none of which were by the very exclusive Ralph Lauren - shock). Incidentally, the ones I picked were the same pair I'd tried at another optical store but for half the price - at which point the salesperson said, "I think I can do a little better," and dropped the price another 50 bucks.
Specs & Specs rules.
I have a high prescription and Jim took fantastic care of me, and price was much less than some of the other places wanted. On top of it all, I got a "trendy" frame that I figured was impossible, even with my previous high-index lenses.
It's called Yonge vision, the owners are a married couple, theyre super friendly and have a great eye and almost always cut their customers a deal.
I've been going to them for the last 5 years and to this day every frame I've bought from them I still get sooooo many compliments no matter how long ago I bought the frame!
I love this place
Keep it up guys