Stop for a lunchtime sandwich at Mustachio, known throughout the city for its famous Italian-style sandwiches: generous portions of veal drenched in tomato sauce and parmiggiano reggiano, with layers of crispy, breaded and fried eggplant, fried onions and roasted peppers on warm foccacia bread. Mustachio also offers pasta dishes, soup and salads.

South Market, Lower Level B34
93 Front Street East
+1 416 367 VEAL (8325)
Google map: bit.ly/o8uT3m

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Domino’s has an excellent selection of bulk goods. I like wandering in here, checking out the tightly packed aisles of nuts and dried fruit, candies, baking supplies, olive oils, spices, grains, imported teas and freshly ground coffee, ethnic foods and those hard to get items such as fregola sarda and black chick peas from Italy and dried lavender for baking. Dominos also stocks a very impressive collection of imported chocolates. My favourite: Pocket Coffee, individually-wrapped dark chocolate pralines that contain Italian liquid espresso in the centre.

South Market, Lower Level B8 / B17
93 Front Street East
+ 1 416 366 2178
Google map: bit.ly/o8uT3m

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If you need something for your kitchen, Sam can get it for you. This small shop is stuffed to the gills with an enormous collection of cookie cutters, mixing bowls, specialty pots and pans, mandolins and other gadgets, virtually anything and everything your heart desires.

St. Lawrence Market, Upper Level 29
93 Front Street East
+ 1 416 603 1649
Google map: bit.ly/o8uT3m

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Scheffler’s Deli & Cheese has one of the largest selections of antipastos and appetizers in the market: stuffed peppers, olives, tomatoes and grape leaves; marinated olives, wild mushrooms, homemade pestos and dips. The deli selection is enormous, with one of the largest varieties of prosciutto in the city. Here’s an idea: grab some bread from any of the bakeries in the Market, and fill it with cheese and prosciutto from Scheffler’s – a great snack any time of day. And, just when you think you’ve seen everything the shop has to offer, you get to the cash register and admire the display of rare and hard-to-find chocolates, at reasonable prices to boot.

St. Lawrence Market, Upper Level 7
93 Front Street East
+1 416 364 2806
Google map: bit.ly/o8uT3m

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Kenny and Daniel know their cheese, and they always provide great recommendations. Whether you want soft cheese, hard cheese, mild cheese, or the beautiful runny, stinky stuff, these guys are very knowledgeable and they always make me look good: my guests always rave about my cheese platters. Even if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you can sample to your heart’s content and learn something new. The shop specializes in farmhouse cheese from Quebec and Europe.

www.chrischeesemongers.com
South Market, Upper Level 40, 93 Front Street East
+1 416 368 5273
Google map: bit.ly/o8uT3m

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Established in 1803, this is one of Toronto’s major markets. The complex consists of the South Market, where over 100 vendors, including butchers, bakers, cheesemongers and green grocers sell their goods on a daily basis (closed Sunday). On Saturdays only, the North Market features seasonal produce, meats and baked goods from over 50 local farmers; and on Sundays only, an Antique Market with over 80 dealers is open to the public. From antiquarian books to vintage jewelry, fine china and furniture, there is something for everyone here.

www.stlawrencemarket.com
92-95 Front Street East (corner of Jarvis Street)
+1 416 392 7219
Google map: bit.ly/nxKSpR

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A Chinese restaurant with the best Chinese food in Victoria. The food contains no MSG and is always light, fresh tasting, and un-greasy; and the menu includes a number of uncommon dishes. Peter, the owner/chef, makes his own curry powder, for example, using it in his curried beef rolls.
It is only the second Chinese restaurant I've been to that knows how to make a decent lemon chicken.
I've eaten there many times and cannot praise it highly enough.
It's a very small, very simple, very modest place, but if you want good Chinese food in Victoria, it's the place to go.

2224 Quadra Street, Victoria, BC V8T4C6
+1(250) 386 8802
Google map: bit.ly/ipAVXS

tel 250-386-8802

The #6 bus goes right past the door and the #10 only a couple of short blocks away on Bay Street.

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The Conservatory and park were established in the downtown core over 100 years ago. The Conservatory consists of six Victorian-style greenhouses containing flowers and plants from all over the world, ranging from seasonal to exotic tropical plants. In December, you can see over 40 different types of poinsettias; in spring, tulips, hyacinths, hydrangeas and Easter lilies; and in the summer, roses, and orchids, to name a few. The grounds are open every day of the year, from 10 AM until 5 PM.

www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/tours/allangardens.htm
777 Lawrence Avenue East Toronto, Ontario M3C 1P2
+1 416 397 1340
Google map: bit.ly/klhR0r

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Heritage Toronto Walks offers free neighbourhood walking tours, from April to October, covering all areas of the city. A walk may focus on architectural, historical, archaeological or natural heritage, depending on the area and the theme of the walk. Most walks are scheduled on weekends, although there are some on summer weekday evenings. Reservations are not required.

www.heritagetoronto.org/discover-toronto/walk

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Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival, formerly known as Caribana, is an event showcasing Caribbean culture, offering traditional music, cuisine, and performing arts. The organizers call it North America’s largest street festival, attended by over 1 million visitors each year. While Caribana runs for two weeks, the festival is highlighted in the final weekend when the street Parade of Bands occurs. The parade is made up of a series of steel bands, live soca, calypso, reggae and salsa performers and masqueraders that
compete for best costumes. There is also a two-day Caribbean art festival on Olympic Island.

www.torontocaribbeancarnival.com
July 12 – August 1, 2011

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If, like me, you’re one of those people that loves to check out gourmet grocers when you visit a city, then you must go to Pusateri’s. This place is like a candy store for foodies: the freshest fruits and produce available, including my favourite heirloom tomatoes in the summer and chanterelles in the fall; a meat and deli counter that rivals anything I’ve seen anywhere, their Kobe beef is flown in daily from Japan; a bakery section that contains windows upon windows of decadent, glorious pastries, macarons, tarts, pies, cookies, anything and everything your heart desires; cheeses of every kind, fresh bread, imported delicacies and a variety of prepared foods. There is a small cafe area, where you can sit and watch the world go by - if you’re lucky enough to find a spot. No matter what time of day, this place is always packed.

www.pusateris.com
57 Yorkville Avenue, ON M5R 3V6, Canada
+1 416 785 9100
Google map: bit.ly/kC2m8B

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Rawlicious is Toronto's only raw food restaurant where nothing is cooked above 118 F so that all of the enzymes, vitamins and minerals remain in their original state. Sceptics take note: this is not just a pile of cold vegetables on a plate; this is truly delicious food. I love my meat, don’t get me wrong, but I try to visit Rawlicious at least once a week; whether it’s dine-in or take-out.
The recipes in this vegan organic restaurant contain no gluten, meat, dairy or refined sugar, but they are anything but boring. I’m actually hoping they will come out with a cookbook soon.
Some of my favourites are the Pad Thai, containing kelp and zucchini noodles with lettuce, peppers, carrots, onions and cashews, all coated with a lovely thai sesame sauce, making this a lighter and cooler version of the pad thai everyone is familiar with; the Pasta Bolognese, a great spin on the classic dish, is also very good: also made from long strands of spiralled zucchini, along with a fresh tomato marinara sauce and “neat balls,” a mix of nuts, seeds and vegetables, all packed into tight little balls of delicious goodness.

www.rawlicious.ca
20 Cumberland Street, ON M4W 1J5, Canada
+1416 646 0705
Google map: bit.ly/jD8fqt

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Ice cream is one of my favourite treats, and Summer's always leaves me satisfied. This family-owned shop has been making ice cream for over 26 years. It has a wide variety of yogurt as well as milk-based and sorbet treats. They also make waffle cones on the premises, and you can have your ice cream in one of them at no extra charge. Just the smell of waffle cones baking on site is enough to leave me intoxicated with happiness. I can't think of a better way of enjoying a perfect summer evening than with my favourite cone while strolling through the fashionable streets of Yorkville.
My favourite flavour this year: key lime pie. This yogurt-based ice cream is made with lime juice and zest, as well as bits of graham crust. At only 120 calories per scoop, it is refreshing and satisfying at the same time. Flavours come and go, but one that has been popular among the locals for many years is the Toronto pothole: almonds, marshmallows, peanuts, chocolate chunks, road tar, and gravel, delightful and decadent.

www.summersicecream.com
101 Yorkville Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 1C1, Canada
+1 416 944 2637
Google map: bit.ly/ioy4p0

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This is a great place to grab a drink before heading out to dinner - it’s quiet and low-key and has none of the pretension that most Yorkville bars have. The rooftop lounge has a balcony that has a great view of the city; on a clear day, you can see for miles. With old-style service, this venue is perfect for a first date.

Park Hyatt Hotel
4 Avenue Road, ON M5R 2E8
+1 416 925 1234
Google map: bit.ly/lfDiTc

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This Parisian-style creperie offers the best crepes I’ve tasted outside of Paris. The smells of espresso and crepes fill the air and you can watch them being prepared right before your eyes. My favourites: the Julia, with chocolate spread and raspberry jam, and the Cote d’Azur, with goat cheese, tomato, basil and olive oil. And unlike most of the cafes in Yorkville, this cafe won’t put a dent in your pocketbook: a crepe and espresso will cost you just over $10.

www.crepesagogo.com
18 Yorkville Avenue, ON M4W 1L4, Canada
+1 416 922 6765
Google map: bit.ly/lrZKVA

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I love heading out to the island to watch this dragon boat regatta. This year, the 23rd Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival expects about 180 to 200 teams, with over 5,000 athletes. The Festival will welcome teams from across Canada, the US, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. This year’s event will showcase vendor displays, on-site workshops, food, and entertainment from the Latin American and Caribbean ethnic backgrounds.

www.dragonboats.com
Centre Island, June 25th and June 26th, 2011
Google map: bit.ly/kwQee6

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Located on Ward’s Island, the Rectory is a two-story, stucco residence built in 1948 and originally housed the priest in charge of the nearby island church, St. Andrew-by-the-lake. It has been a restaurant since 2003, offering a gorgeous outdoor patio, among a lovely garden. This is a great place for brunch.

www.therectorycafe.com
102 Lakeshore Ave, Ward's Island
+1 416 203 2152
Google map: bit.ly/lBBhiV

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You cannot visit the Distillery District without having a beer, and the Mill Street Brew Pub, which is located in the original Gooderham and Worts tankhouse, is the place to go for one or two. This open-concept brewery produces handcrafted beers and ale, offers extensive pub-style food, as well as tours and sampling. My favourites include the Original Organic Lager (with 100% certified organic ingredients) and the Coffee Porter, which is similar to a stout with notes of coffee.

www.millstreetbrewpub.ca
55 Mill Street, Building 63, Toronto, ON M5A
+1 416 681 0338
Google map: bit.ly/iLDR6E

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This boutique sells one-of-a-kind jewelry, textiles, accessories, paintings, glass and ceramics, all made by over 100 Canadian artists, craftspeople, and designers. I like browsing through this boutique, it has some very original pieces.

"www.distillgallery.com
55 Mill Street, Building 47
+1 416 304 0033
Google map: bit.ly/iLDR6E

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SOMA is one of my favourite chocolate shops in the city. The products are hand-crafted on site, and the small cafe has a large glass wall that allows you to watch as professional chocolate makers produce heavenly creations: bars, truffles, cookies, biscotti, and shortbread.

Try one of my favourites: the Mayan hot chocolate, which is so thick, you can eat it with a spoon; I love the blend of rich, dark chocolate with just the right amount of spiciness. The stilton walnut gelato is also excellent, as well as the Australian ginger covered in dark chocolate. Oh, and the “affogato”, a lovely shot of espresso poured over one scoop of Madagascar vanilla gelato, heavenly. A word of warning, though: set yourself a budget before you walk through the door.

www.somachocolatemaker.com
55 Mill Street, Building 48 on Tankhouse Lane
+1 416 815 7662
Google map: bit.ly/iLDR6E

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