Queen Street West between Spadina and Dovercourt is the gallery-district food strip: Banh Mi Boys at 392 Queen, The Drake Hotel at 1150 Queen, Loga's Corner, Czehoski. Late-night and pre-show eats.
Order The full tasting menu; the kitchen drives the night.
Alo on the third floor of 163 Spadina has run Toronto's reference contemporary tasting room since 2015, a Michelin one-star kitchen under chef Patrick Kriss.
Order Whatever the kitchen sends out; the menu is set per booking.
Edulis on Niagara Street has been chefs Tobey Nemeth and Michael Caballo's truffle-and-game tasting kitchen since 2011, Michelin one-star since 2022.
Order The Aloette burger and a slice of lemon meringue pie.
Aloette on Spadina is Patrick Kriss's all-day diner below Alo since 2017, the burger and rotisserie chicken the surviving favourites at lower price.
Order A latte and a scone on the patio facing the park entrance.
White Squirrel on Queen West backs onto Trinity Bellwoods Park, the city's reference park-side patio cafe with Reunion Island beans and a baked-goods counter.
Order The single-origin pour-over and an Early Bird egg-and-cheese bagel.
Early Bird Espresso on Queen West has run a multi-roaster cafe since 2014, rotating Toronto roasters on bar plus a small all-day breakfast menu of sandwiches.
Order A box of macarons, including the rotating seasonal flavours.
Nadege Nourian's flagship patisserie on Queen West has run French pastry since 2009, macarons and seasonal entremets opposite Trinity Bellwoods park.
Order A 12oz bag of the Coyote House Blend for filter.
Reunion Island has roasted in Etobicoke since 1995, a wholesale-first Toronto roaster supplying restaurants and offices across Ontario and Quebec.
Order A glass of the Slovenian or Croatian rotation.
Archive 909 on Dundas West is a natural wine bar since 2013, owner Allison Wines's small room pouring Eastern European and Canadian growers with a rotating.
Order The signature smoked Manhattan presented under a glass dome.
BarChef on Queen West is Frankie Solarik's modernist cocktail bar since 2008, theatrical drinks with dry ice, smoked glass domes and botanical foams.
Order The five-spice pork belly banh mi and the kimchi fries.
Banh Mi Boys on Queen West is the Pham brothers' banh mi counter since 2011, fusion fillings on Vietnamese baguettes plus steamed bao and rice bowls.
Order A butter chicken poutine with extra curds and a side of perogies.
Smoke's Poutinerie on Queen West is the Canadian chain's reference late-night counter, 30 gourmet poutines including butter chicken and Philly cheesesteak.
Order Bread from St John's Bakery and stone fruit from the Niagara orchards.
Trinity Bellwoods Farmers Market runs Tuesday afternoons through summer in the park's southeast corner, 30 Ontario producers plus a few prepared-food stalls.
Le Dolci on Dundas West is a female-owned culinary school since 2011, 15+ baking and pastry classes including macarons, croissants, doughnuts.
On this list, shown aboveBanh Mi Boys
Order Mrs Biederhof's blueberry buttermilk pancakes and Wally's savoury cheese tart.
Mildred's Temple Kitchen in Liberty Village is Donna Dooher's brunch institution since 2008, an iteration of her 1989 Queen West original, the buttermilk.
Order The brunch board with maple sausage and a Caesar on the patio.
The Drake Café on Queen West is the boutique hotel's all-day cafe and weekend brunch room since 2004, Saturday Drag Brunch with Miss Moço the fixture.
Order The Italian Trio with hot peppers; add a Coke and eat in Trinity Bellwoods Park.
Lambo's Deli on Bellwoods is the takeout-only Italian sandwich counter since 2021, thinly sliced cured meats on a fresh roll, the Italian Trio the staple.
Order A frozen palomas with the patatas bravas.
The Drake Sky Yard on top of the Drake Hotel is the city's reference all-season rooftop bar since 2004, the Queen West view and a seasonal Spanish-style snack menu.
Order A draft beer at the bar before the band starts.
Horseshoe Tavern on Queen West has been Toronto's reference rock-and-roll dive bar since 1947, the room where the Rolling Stones, Wilco and the Tragically Hip.
