Centro is the place to go for imported Italian foods. This family-run shop has been in the Corso Italia neighbourhood for over 30 years, and it’s one of my mum’s favourite places to shop. Upon entering, you will see an enormous array of cheeses hanging from the ceiling, a deli counter stretching the entire length of the store, and shelves with cookies, crackers, pasta, coffee, olive oil and other delights from Italy.
While some of the cheese and deli sold is locally produced, most of the products are imported directly from Italy. The cheese sold here is some of the finest. My mum will only buy her beloved parmigiano reggiano here and I really love the taleggio and gorgonzola, always fresh and tasty.
The deli meats are great too, and you can have a panino, or sandwich, made right before your eyes. The lady behind the counter can fill up a freshly baked bun with whatever your heart desires: prosciutto, mortadella, marinated eggplants, salami, etc.
My mum and I always try to get here before lunch, so we can head to the back of the store where there is a very modest dining area serving some of the best homemade Italian food. The place is usually filled to capacity, so getting here just before noon is a must. Whether it’s a veal sandwich with tomato sauce and roasted red peppers with mozarella, two sausages with rapini or dandelion on the side, lasagna with salad, homemade ravioli, and even Italian wedding soup, there is no skimping here. Portions are generous, the food is superb and the price is great - lunch will cost roughly $10 or so.

www.centrotrattoria.com
1224 St. Clair Avenue West (near Dufferin)
Toronto, Canada
+1 416 656 8111
Google map: bit.ly/GPtJ3g

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Open every day of the week, Tre Mari has been in business since 1960, offering Italian pastries, cookies, and bread, which are baked non-stop throughout the day. The bakery also features a full service hot table with lunch and dinner specials such as pasta, veal, sausage and meatball sandwiches, most plates for less than $10. The barista makes a great coffee, too.
Whenever I visit the bakery, I always follow the same pattern, taking a quick look around the bakery for an interesting find, and then stopping in front of the large display case, admiring the delicious confections. On my last visit, there were cannoli – crispy, light golden shells filled with a smooth and sweet ricotta cheese filling, millefeuille – ever so thin and light pastry layered with thick, creamy custard and icing sugar on top, lobster tails – deep fried pastry goodness in the shape of a lobster tail, and filled with crème fraiche, and chocolate marzipan logs, using a chocolate that is more bitter than sweet, which blends nicely with the almond. On this particular visit, I was torn between the cannoli and the chocolate marzipan, so I bought both. I sat down in the café and ordered an espresso, thick and earthy and not too strong. Pure heaven.
There are other Italian bakeries in the neighbourhood, some of them a bit more high end with fancy espresso machines and tablecloths, but I love Tre Mari for its simplicity and old world charm. There’s something really nice about sitting in this bakery, watching generations from the same family – grannies and grandkids – enjoying food and their time together.

www.tremaribakery.ca
1311 Saint Clair Avenue West
Toronto, Canada
+1 416 654 8960
Google map: bit.ly/GINYVa

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Torontonians who live in the Corso Italia neighbourhood refer to this store as Consiglio’s, but local Italians from across the city call it the “U Save Centre” because that’s what the huge lights flashing across the front of the store say.
Consiglio, the last name of the owner, can be found working in the store on most days. With three floors of jam-packed goodies - kitchenware, linens, specialty Italian food, and small appliances – this family-run business has been a fixture in the area for over 35 years.
Carrying well-known brand names at reduced rates, I never walk out of this shop empty-handed. Whether it’s a stove-stop espresso machine for less than $20, pasta and chocolates imported from Italy, tableware and embroidered tea towels, or the latest kitchen accessory, I am always thrilled with my finds.
My mum and I visit the U Save Centre at least once a month, and the place is always packed with local Italians looking for a bargain. On many occasions, we’ve seen tour buses unloading Italians from as far away as Buffalo right in front of the store! One of the salespeople tells me they get tour buses from various border cities in the US coming about once a month during the year, and more often in the summer months.
Corso Italia is perhaps one of the city’s most authentic Italian neighbourhoods, with most store owners speaking Italian as their mother tongue and most of the patrons frequenting the shops being Italian. The neighbourhood covers only a few blocks, with Mexican, Caribbean, and African shops nearby, but the area celebrates its Italian heritage with a huge Italian festival in July.

www.consiglioskitchenware.com
1219 St. Clair Ave. West (near Dufferin Street)
Toronto, Canada
+1 416 653 6622
Google map: bit.ly/GPRug9

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If you want to see Toronto through the eyes of a local, join any one of the themed walking tours hosted by Tour Guys.
There’s the Beer Makes History Better Tour, where you spend the afternoon visiting a few
unique and historical pubs, all while getting an introduction to Canadian beer, with a focus onlocal and regional craft brews, as well as learning the role beer played in the city through the last century.
The Graffiti Tour takes you through the back alleys and laneways of downtown Toronto, with an expert local guide who talks about the history of graffiti, the different forms and styles, and the many sides of the graffiti issue in the city, i.e. art vs. vandalism.
Tour Guys also offer a free Toronto Tour, which is a great intro to the city. The 90 minute tour takes you through the few blocks surrounding City Hall and its surrounding landmarks.
If private tours are your thing, you can arrange for someone to show you around for a few hours or a full day.

www.tourguys.ca
+1 647 230 7891

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The Chef’s House is the first restaurant of its kind in Canada. It’s run by the famous George Brown College Chef School, with students training to cook, bake and serve the public in an open-concept kitchen. Housed in a 3,200 square foot heritage building, the 70-seat space offers daily lunch and dinner menus, food and wine workshops, as well as special food events.
Everything in the restaurant is made from scratch, including breads, salad dressings,
condiments, and ice cream. The menu changes every few weeks, all while taking advantage of local produce and the best available seasonal ingredients. The restaurant promotes local, sustainable food and is an advocate for the Slow Food Movement.

www.thechefshouse.com
215 King Street East, Toronto, Canada
+1 416 415 2260
Google map: bit.ly/zI4cV8

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Torontonians know the end of winter is near when the Canada Blooms event is just around the corner. Canada’s largest flower and garden festival is also attended by many out-of-towners, with people booking hotel rooms very early.
Canada Blooms features six acres of gardens created by Canada’s top designers and landscape architects, all with a grand display of colours, textures and scents.
Over 200 hours of free lectures and gardening demonstrations are offered, as well several
design competitions, featuring the floral creations of non-professionals, locals, and international competitors.
Visitors can also participate in daily workshops, ranging from Thai fruit and vegetable carving, seed starting, 15-minute flower arranging, and small scale composting.

www.canadablooms.com
Direct Energy Centre
Halls A & Heritage Court, 100 Princes' Blvd, Toronto, Canada
+1 416 447 8655
Google map: bit.ly/xsyT7n

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St. John’s Bakery provides much more than delicious, organic bread. This business is
owned and operated by St. John’s The Compassionate Mission. With strong values and a focus on using only organic, natural and mostly local ingredients, St. John's provides training opportunities and employment to people struggling with poverty, mental illness and other issues.
While the bakery specializes in handmade organic sourdough breads made in the traditional French method, other types of bread, such as rye, baguettes and spelt are also made. All sweets – scones, tarts, croissants, cookies, and cakes – are also handmade from scratch.
My favourite is the olive boule. This round sourdough loaf is crusty on the outside and soft in the inside, and packed with pieces of black olive and hints of cilantro. I’m also a big fan of the rosemary breadsticks, but if I don’t get there by Saturday morning around 9am, they’re all gone.
St. John’s bread is very well-known and their products can be found all over Toronto at organic food suppliers and farmers markets.

www.stjohnsbakery.com
153 Broadview Avenue, Toronto, Canada
+1 416 850 7413
Google map: bit.ly/ArMoP8


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Te Aro is one of those cafes that offers a superb cup of coffee every single time. Whether it’s a latte, Americano, cappuccino, or espresso, I am never disappointed.
I always feel welcome when I come here: the baristas are eager to please and they know
their coffee. Patrons can linger with a paper or laptop for as long as they want. And with little touches like a water pitcher and glasses on each table, magazines, and comfortable chairs, it’s also very inviting.
Saturday mornings are packed with couples, singles, families with small children – this café has high chairs – all enjoying their favourite brew while eating scones or breakfast sandwiches.
Named after a New Zealand suburb, Te Aro is located in Toronto’s Leslieville neighbourhood, a hip spot for shops, galleries and restaurants. Indeed, you can spend hours in this neighbourhood after enjoying a great cup of java.
All coffee is made with beans roasted on-site, and in small batches. Since its inception in 2009, Te Aro has scored top ratings in coffee reviews and is also now available in several cafes and restaurants thoughout the city, but I like getting my coffee at the source.

www.te-aro.ca
983 Queen Street East, Toronto, Canada
+1 877 558 3276
Google map: bit.ly/xiHLnt


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My all-time favourite Thai restaurant in the city is Salad King. I started eating here well over 20 years ago when it was a tiny kitchen with two tables, mismatched chairs and counter service. Still going strong and always packed, the food here is still exceptionally delicious and affordable. What has changed is the crowd: no longer devoted exclusively to university students, it now caters to young professionals, families, and drop-in fans from across the city. Don’t let the line up scare you, be patient – it’s well worth it.
The restaurant is full of energy and may be a bit louder than the usual resto, but this is all part of the experience. Seating is at communal tables and you can even ask your server for items not on the menu, which has a spice scale from mild to 20 chilis. I once ate next to a fellow who was eating his green curry with 11 chilis and he couldn’t stop crying. My spice scale is 4 chilis.

www.saladking.com
340 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M5B 1R8
+ 1 416 593 0333
Google map: bit.ly/zmFLe5

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One of my favourite places to visit – on weekends or a night after work – is the TIFF Bell
Lightbox, an avant-garde cultural centre and home to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Opened in 2010, it houses a cinema complex, galleries, workshops, two restaurants, and a roof-top terrace.
With different events every day of the week, TIFF offers screenings, lectures, festivals, great food, special exhibits and, of course, great cinema. There are 5 public cinemas with insulated sound space and the first in North America to show 16 mm, 35 mm and 70 mm film in addition to digital movies.
I love brunching at LUMA restaurant. With attentive service and great food, this is the perfect spot for a small or large group. LUMA also has a great dinner and cocktail menu. The Canteen restaurant, located on the ground floor, is a great spot for more casual and quick dining.
My favourite films to watch are those offered by the Contemporary World Cinema programme, where you can see some of the best films from around the world, many of which are unlikely to be widely released.
Ever since its opening last year, the space has featured outstanding exhibits, from Tim Burton to Federico Fellini and now the Grace Kelly exhibit.

www.tiff.net
350 King Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 3X5
+1 416 968 3456
Google map: bit.ly/ycH4AC

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Winterlicious, and it’s cousin Summerlicious, are two extremely popular food festivals held yearly in Toronto. This year, Winterlicious runs from Friday, January 27 until Thursday, February 9.
During the event, major restaurants from across the city offer a special three-course fixed price menu, some at very large discounts from their usual pricing. Ranging from $15, $20 or $30 for lunch and $25, $35, and $45 for dinner, the meal includes a starter, an entrée and dessert, with drinks and gratuity extra.
This event has grown from 35 restaurants participating in its inaugural year 10 years ago, to 175 participating this year. Reservations are accepted beginning January 12 – make them early to avoid disappointment. In fact, be armed with three or four restaurant choices as you may not get your first pick.
Depending on which reservations you choose, this event can be a great value, as some of the restaurants participating have starters costing near $25. My favourites – for food and value – are Auberge du Pommier, Canoe, Kultura, and Mistura.

wx.toronto.ca/inter/se/restaurants.nsf/Winterlicious

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Known to locals as “the Gladstone,” this hotel is located in the trendy Queen Street West area, where there is an abundance of arts and design studios and galleries. The hotel attracts both tourists and locals on a daily basis, hosting art exhibits and music gigs every night of the week.
The café also has menus for any time of day or night.
The most original hotel rooms in the city can be found here: there are 37 unique, individually designed rooms by local Toronto artists. The Biker Room features furniture and accessories influenced by motorcycles and biker culture. The Canadiana Room has an antler chandelier with forest wallpaper on one wall and cedar paneling on another.
Built in 1889, the Gladstone is Toronto’s oldest continuously operating hotel, with one of the last hand-operated elevators in the city. A true gem. Prices start at C$165, about £104 or 120 €.

www.gladstonehotel.com/
1214 Queen Street West Toronto, ON M6J 1J6, Canada
+1 (416) 531 4635
Google map: bit.ly/vUC8Tw

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The Royal Ontario Museum has millions of items on display in over 30 galleries and one of my favourites is the “Teck Suite of Galleries: Earth’s Treasures.” It is composed of the Gallery of Minerals, the Gallery of Gems and Gold and the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame Gallery.
The mining industry in Canada is extremely important, and it’s only fitting that a large part of the second floor is devoted to such exquisite treasures. The exhibits showcase wonderful specimens of minerals in a variety of colours and shapes, including fluorescent green. There are several cases filled with gold, diamonds, garnets, opals, and jade, as well as exquisite pieces of jewellery. Throughout the exhibits, there are about 40 interactive touch stations that provide in-depth information on several specimens. I can spend hours browsing here, admiring the beauty of so many pieces, all while learning so much about geology.

www.rom.on.ca/
100 Queens Park Toronto, ON M5S 2C6, Canada
+1 (416) 586 8000
Google map: bit.ly/sYw4d0

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This free event showcases outdoor entertainment, including carolers, brass band concerts, choirs and European folklore dancing. The Distillery District is a historic area with brick-lined streets filled with cafes, restaurants, and shops, all housed in Victorian-era industrial buildings.
The entire district is decorated and lit up for the season, including a 45-foot White Spruce tree with 18,000 light ornaments, located in the main square. There are endless things to do for people of all ages. Kids can ride the Ferris wheel, visit the Reindeer Zoo, walk through a fairy tell forest maze, learn about Christmas traditions all over the world, and make ornaments and stocking stuffers. Adults can try a variety of specialty beers, mulled wines and Christmas cocktails, as well as shop for hundreds of unique and local handicraft products, as well as
Christmas merchandise and specialty baked goods. There is also plenty of “street” food to be had: hot chestnuts, grilled sausages, and warm pretzels with artisan mustard. This is the perfect place to get you in the mood for the Christmas holidays.

www.torontochristmasmarket.com
Distillery Historic District, Toronto, Canada
+1 416 364 1177
Google map: bit.ly/s4vwiP

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Nathan Phillips Square, located at the forecourt to Toronto City Hall, hosts numerous events throughout the year, and starting November 26 until the middle of March, the famous outdoor skating rink will be open to the public.
Visitors can rent skates, get them sharpened, and have access to the indoor changing rooms.
This is the perfect way to end a winter day in the city. Skate rental includes 2 hours of skating. Adults = $10.00, and children = $5.00.
If you’re in town on November 26, be sure to attend the Cavalcade of Lights, beginning at 7pm in the Square. The event features the official lighting of the city’s Christmas tree, fireworks at 8pm, live musical performances by award-winning Canadian artists, and a skating party on the rink.

www.cityskaterentals.com
100 Queen Street West, Toronto, Canada
+1 416 304 1400
Google map: bit.ly/vcZFli

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BIXI is a public bicycle sharing system that has 1,000 bikes at 80 docking stations within
downtown Toronto. To find a docking station, visit toronto.bixi.com.
How does it work? Find a docking station, grab a bike, and use your credit card to pay for up to 24-hour access. You can drop off your bike at any docking station. Trips less than 30 minutes will cost the $5 system access fee, and anything longer will cost usage fees: an additional 31- 60 minutes will cost $1.50; an additional 61-90 minutes will cost $4, and every 30 minutes thereafter will cost $8. When the bike is returned to the dock, fees will be billed to your credit card.
The name BIXI is a contraction of the words BIke and taXI.
Originally implemented in Montreal, BIXI has expanded across Canada and around the world, with systems in Boston, London, Melbourne, Montreal, and Washington, D.C., among many others.

https://toronto.bixi.com

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Since its opening in 1969, this science museum has been attracting families, teens and adults.
The Centre has several hundred interactive exhibits, featuring everything in science and nature, including geology, astronomy, human anatomy, communication, Toronto’s only planetarium, and KidSpark, a play area designed specifically for kids aged eight and under.
Until November 30, there is a special exhibit of Leonardo da Vinci’s workshop, with 20 scale physical models of his inventions, including a mechanical lion, a robot soldier and the self- propelling cart. Visitors can also interact with his famous paintings by zooming into details on the Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. There are also interactive touch-screens to help you turn the pages of his notebooks, with sketches and 3D models leaping from the page.
The IMAX has some great screenings, too. Catch “Rocky Mountain Express”, where you take a steam train through the Canadian Rockies, learning about train travel while seeing spectacular mountain scenery and gorges along the way. Also on IMAX, “Under the Sea” where spectators visit the beautiful underground world of the Great Barrier Reef.
Finally, there are various food options, from snacks to beverages to full meals, ranging from fast food to healthy options.

www.ontariosciencecentre.ca
770 Don Mills Road, Toronto, Canada
+1 416 696 1000
Google map: bit.ly/tHQkNT

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Most Torontonians love their coffee and donuts and the place to go is Tim Hortons, also known as “Tim’s” or “Timmies”. This chain of restaurants, found every few blocks throughout Toronto and its suburbs, is as Canadian as the maple leaf.
Line-ups in the morning are usually right out the door at most locations, as a decent cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich won’t put a dent in your pocketbook. The coffee is actually quite good, for a fast-food joint, and they have other options besides donuts: tea biscuits, sandwiches, wraps, and soups. The restaurant prides itself on their “always fresh” policy and their coffee is served within 20 minutes of brewing.
Founded in 1964 by a Canadian hockey player, Tim Hortons is Canada’s largest fast food
service with over 3,500 stores in Canada. It also has locations in the US and many Canadian Forces bases, including Kandahar.
The most famous of its donuts are the “Timbits”, donut holes available in various flavours: Dutchie (donut with raisins, covered in a sugary glaze), Honey Dip, Chocolate, Jelly Filled, Glazed, and Apple Fritter.
Donut flavours vary from store to store, and they always have special flavours throughout the year: red glazed donuts for Canada Day and the Strawberry Bloom donut, a bloom-shaped donut, dipped in vanilla fondant with a strawberry filling and topped with strawberry-flavoured sprinkles.
To experience true Canadiana culture, every visitor to Toronto must step into a Tim Horton’s at least once.

www.timhortons.com

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Toronto’s downtown core has an underground tunnel system that links over 50 buildings and office towers, five subway stations, six hotels, parking garages and major attractions in the city, all with underground passageways full of places to shop.
According to the Guinness World Records, PATH is the largest underground shopping complex linking 28 km (17 miles) with over 1,000 shops and services. Once a year, the PATH hosts the world’s largest underground sidewalk sale. The underground system also provides a great haven from the elements, with heating in winter and air conditioning in summer.
I love taking the PATH in the cold, winter months, where I can walk without a coat for miles at a time. I must admit, it can be a bit confusing getting around, but that’s all part of the fun.
Wandering around, not really knowing where I’m going on a lazy day, browsing shops, sitting in a café, it’s all great fun when the weather outside is dreadful.
To help you get around easier, each letter in the PATH is a different colour and represents a
direction: P is red and represents south, orange, A, directs pedestrians to the west, blue, T, directs them to the north, and the H is yellow and points to the east.

www.toronto.ca/path/pdf/path_brochure.pdf

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Looking to see Toronto through the eyes of a local? Sign up for a free visit to one of Toronto’s diverse neighbourhoods, led by a friendly greeter who shows you a different perspective of the city.
Toronto Greeters are not professional tour guides, but volunteers who love their city and want to share with visitors the special places that mean something to them. Visitors can select one of over 50 neighbourhoods that they would like to discover in-depth, or they can select one of 14 themed visits, exploring public art, architecture, music, and the waterfront. If you don’t know what to select, you can opt for “Greeter’s Choice” and be surprised.
Want to know where to go for the best shoe shopping? Where to stand to get the best shot of the CN Tower? Where the best walking trails are? Seeing a neighbourhood through the eyes of a local allows you to learn things you wouldn’t pick up on your own or read in a guide book.
This service is offered year-round to individuals, families, and groups of up to 6 people. Visits are offered in over 30 languages, including Arabic, Farsi, Marathi and Tagalog.
How to sign up: Fill out the online form, located on the City of Toronto website, at least one week before arriving: https://wx.toronto.ca/inter/city/tap.nsf/VisAppl?OpenForm.
Visitors are matched with greeters, based on language, age, interests, and neighbourhood. E-
mails are exchanged in advance to ensure the volunteer understands what the visitor is hoping to learn from the experience.

www.toronto.ca/tapto

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