The Ossington Strip
Torontonians will remember the days that Ossington Avenue was extremely uncool, totally sketchy and rampant with crime. Fast forward to today and the strip between Dundas West and Queen Street is anything but. In fact, it has been one of Toronto’s hottest areas since the revival of the west-end over a decade ago. Make an morning-afternoon-evening-night filled day with some of our favourite spots.
Bellwoods Brewery — This ever-growing Toronto microbrewery and brewpub is a must-stop on the strip, no matter what time of day you visit. Known for brewing a wide selection of beers, but in limited quantities, there is something for everyone (including delicious snacks!) to go along with a visit to this booming local business.
Cote de Boeuf — No hip Toronto neighbourhood is complete without a local butcher shop, but Cote de Boeuf takes it to the next level by also offering dining options in-house. So whether you want to walk in for a quick grab-and-go of fresh produce or prepared foods or set up a private dining experience for you and your close friends, Cote de Boeuf has you covered.
Lost & Found — It appears that every awesome men’s store in Toronto is equipped with a coffee bar, and the same goes for Lost & Found which is part clothing boutique, and part espresso bar. The difference here is that the owners are incredibly nice, always friendly and know everything there is to know about the brands they carry. So feel free to sip your coffee as you browse their merchandise which is all hand-made and sourced locally or from the US, or just chill out and listen to the tunes on their amazing leather couch.
Jonathan & Olivia — This retailer is a true staple on the strip after opening over 7 years ago. It is a go to boutique for the fashion-forward men, women, even children in your life. The store design is so clean and well curated that it resembles a gallery, and it’s easy to get lost in the sea of amazing merchandise. But be warned, this great shop won’t be nice to your wallet!
Bang Bang Ice Cream and Bakery — We know spring is just around the corner. So it’s probably time for an ice cream sandwich. And if you’re going to go anywhere it has to be here. Choose your own cookie flavour and then choose your ice cream flavour of choice. This shop has all the classics plus bold options like orange cardamom, white sesame, and London fog. Need we say more?
Oddseoul — Oddseoul is great dinner or late night snack eatery on Ossington serving up ‘East meets West’ food. What does that mean? How about tempura chicken and devilled eggs, bulgogi cheesesteak, or ssam platters. Good news for you late night bar hoppers is that the kitchen is open to 2 a.m.
Mamakas Taverna — Apart from the overwhelming amount of Greek restaurants on the Danforth, the rest of Toronto has virtually none. Mamakas Taverna aims to solve that dilemma for west-enders by serving up traditional mezze and grilled meats inspired by coastal Greek and Turkish cuisine. That means flaky spanakopita, whole grilled seabass, lamb-chop lollipops with tzatziki and delicious bougasta for desert.
Emporium by I Miss You — This shop has a rare collection of some of the best-kept vintage accessories in the city. Beautifully curated, they have chosen a relatively small selection of items to merchandise from the 1900’s to 1950’s. Check out vintage leather goods, jewellery and accessories for both men and women.
Hawker Bar — In case you didn’t know already, Toronto is obsessed with street-food inspired restaurants. Hawker Bar continues to satisfy these cravings offering up Singaporean style street food and some awesomely creative cocktails. It’s been so popular that they are expanding to the second floor of their building, and shockingly for the Ossington strip, will now take reservations.
Pizzeria Libretto — No discussion of Ossington restaurants is complete without mentioning Pizzeria Libretto, the Italian pizza joint that arguably began much of the strip’s revival, and spurred countless openings of rival pizza joints (sorry Pizza Pizza!). Now with several locations around the city, the original spot is still buzzing thanks to its consistently crispy and always delicious pizzas.
The Dakota Tavern — Tucked away just north of Dundas on Ossington sits one of the best live music venues in the city. It also resembles a dusty old saloon right out of a classic Western film and yes, has some of the city’s only live country music. They also have one of the best Sunday brunches in the city (from noon-3pm). All-you-can eat for $12 and a regular Sunday bluegrass band? Sounds like a great hangover cure to us.
Sweaty Betty’s — It is hard to describe this eclectic hole-in-the-wall bar on Ossington, except that it’s an awesome place to g o back to bar basics: drinking (and no fancy cocktails), talking with friends, and relaxing on couches while music plays. Despite its name, this no-fuss bar is a great alternative to the sweaty dance parties that take place at a lot of other bars on the strip.
