You’ve read our choices for the best of Toronto. But you have a few opinions of your own. Here are your picks for the best our city has to offer, according to our online readers poll.
Artists
Best Local Author Margaret Atwood Best Local Band Broken Social Scene Best Local Busker Silver Elvis Best Local Choreographer Christopher House Best Local DJ DJ Tricky Moreira Best Local Fashion Designer Arthur Medonca Best Local Female Actor Sarah Polley Best Local Female Vocalist Divine Brown Best Local Film Maker Atom Egoyan Best Local Graffiti Artist La Bomba Best Local Male Actor Ryan Gosling Best Local Male Vocalist Kardinal Offishal Best Local Playwright Hannah Moscovitch Best Local Small Theatre Company Factory Theatre 125 Bathurst, 416-504-9971 factorytheatre.ca Best Local Songwriter Donovan Woods Best Local Stand Up Comedian Debra DiGiovanni Best Local Tattoo Artist Rob Coutts, Bobby Five, bobbyfive.com Best Local Visual Artist Richard Mongiat
Food & Drink
Best African Restaurant Ethiopian House 4 Irwin, 416-923-5438 ethiopianhouse.com
Best All You Can Eat Mandarin Various locations mandarinbuffet.com
Best Bagel What a Bagel Various locations whatabagel.com
Best Bakery Future Bakery Various locations futurebakery.com
Best Bar and Grill Milestone’s Various locations milestonesrestaurants.com
Best Bartender Jessica at Velvet Underground 510 Queen W, 416-504-6688 libertygroup.com
Best BBQ Chicken Swiss Chalet Various locations swisschalet.com
Best Beer Selection Bier Markt 58 the Esplanade (416-862-7575), and 600 King W (416-862-1175) thebiermarkt.com
Best Breakfast Sunset Grill Various locations sunsetgrill.ca
Best Burger Lick’s Various locations lickshomeburgers.com
Best Business Lunch Moxie’s Classic Grill Various locations moxies.ca
Best Cappuccino Starbucks Various locations starbucks.com
Best Caribbean Restaurant Island Foods Various locations island-foods.com
Best Caterer daniel et daniel 248 Carlton, 416-968-9275 danieletdaniel.ca
Best Chinese Restaurant Rol San 323 Spadina, 416-977-1128
Best Chocolate Shop Soma Chocolatemaker 55 Mill, bldg 48, unit 102, 416-815-7662 somachocolate.com
Best Dessert Shop Dufflet Pastries 787 Queen W (416-504-2870), and other locations dufflet.com
Best Diner/Greasy Spoon Dangerous Dan’s 714 Queen E, 416-463-7310 dangerousdansdiner.com
Best Falafel King David Pizza And Falafel 3020 Bathurst (416-781-1326), and other locations kingdavid-pizza.com
Best Fish and Chips Chippy’s 893 Queen W (416-866-7474), 490 Bloor W (416-516-7776) chippys.ca
Best French Restaurant Le Select 432 Wellington W, 416-596-6405 leselect.com
Best Gourmet Takeout Dash Kitchen 236 Danforth, 416-463-3274 dashkitchen.ca
Best Greek Restaurant Mr. Greek Various locations mrgreek.com
Best Indian Restaurant Nataraj 394 Bloor W, 416-928-2925 nataraj.ca
Best Italian Restaurant Terroni 720 Queen W (416-504-0320), and other locations terroni.ca
Best Japanese Restaurant New Generation Sushi 493 Bloor W, 416-963-8861 newgenerationsushi.com
Best Latin Restaurant Boulevard Café 161 Harbord, 416-961-7676 boulevardcafe.sites.toronto.com
Best Lunch Under $10 Quesada Mexican Grill 234 Wellington W (416-644-0876), and other locations quesada.ca
Best Martini Eat My Martini 648 College, 416-516-2549
Best Mexican Restaurant Quesada Mexican Grill 234 Wellington W (416-644-0876), and other locations quesada.ca
Best Microbrew Mill Street Brew Pub 55 Mill, 416-681-0338 millstreetbrewery.com
Best Middle Eastern Restaurant Jerusalem House 955 Eglinton W (416-783-6494), and 4777 Leslie (416-490-7888) jerusalem-restaurant.ca
Best New Restaurant (less than 1 year old) Sidecar 577 College, 416-536-7000 sidecarrestaurant.ca
Best Pizza Amato 534 Queen W (416-703-8989), and other locations amatopizza.com
Best Place for Ice Cream Dutch Dreams 78 Vaughan, 416-656-6959 dutchdreams.ca
Best Pub Food Brazen Head Irish Pub 165 East Libery, 416-535-8787 brazenhead.ca
Best Restaurant For A Date 7 West Café 7 Charles W, 416-928-9041 7westcafe.com
Best Restaurant Patio Trattoria Nervosa 75 Yorkville, 416-961-4642 eatnervosa.com
Best Restaurant Server Cherry Cola from Shanghai Cowgirl 538 Queen W, 416-203-6623 shanghaicowgirl.com
Best Restaurant Oliver & Bonacini 2901 Bayview, 416-590-1300 oliverbonacini.com
Best Sandwich California Sandwich 244 Claremont (416-603-3317), and other locations californiasandwiches.com
Best Seafood Restaurant Oyster Boy 872 Queen W, 416-534-3432 oyster.boy.ca
Best Specialty Coffee Shop Bulldog Coffee 89 Granby bulldogtoronto.com
Best Specialty Pizza Magic Oven 788 Broadview (416-868-6836), and other locations magicoven.com
Best Splurge Restaurant Blowfish 668 King W, 416-860-0606 blowfishrestaurant.com
Best Steak The Keg 515 Jarvis (416-964-6609), and other locations kegsteakhouse.com
Best Thai Restaurant Salad King 335 Yonge, 416-971-7041 saladking.com
Best Veggie-Friendly Restaurant Fresh 326 Bloor W (416-531-2635), and other locations juiceforlife.com
Best Vietnamese Pho Hung 200 Bloor W, 416-963-5080
Hot Spots
Best Art Gallery Art Gallery of Ontario 317 Dundas W, 416-979-6648 ago.net
Best Bar or Pub The Beaconsfield 1154 Queen W, 416-516-2550 thebeaconsfield.com
Best Beauty Spa Elmwood Spa 18 Elm, 416-977-6751 elmwoodspa.com
Best Blues Club Silver Dollar 486 Spadina, 416-975-9631 silverdollarroom.com
Best Body Piercing Blair byblair.com
Best Comedy Club Yuk Yuk’s 224 Richmond W, 416-967-6425 yukyuks.com
Best Concert Hall Massey Hall 178 Victoria, 416-872-4255 masseyhall.com
Best Dance Club Circa 126 John, 416-979-0044 circatoronto.com
Best Dyke Bar Beaver Café 1192 Queen W, 416-537-2768
Best Free Event Gay Pride
Best Gay Bar Woody’s 465-467 Church, 416-972-0887 woodystoronto.com
Best Gym/Fitness Club Goodlife Fitness 12 St Clair E (416-927-8042), and other locations goodlifefitness.com
Best Jazz Club The Rex 194 Queen W, 416-598-2475 rex.ca
Best Karaoke Bar Gladstone Hotel 1214 Queen W, 416-531-4635 gladstonehotel.com
Best Large Theatre Canstage Bluma Appel Theatre (27 Front E), Berkeley Theatre (26 Berkeley), 416-368-3110 canstage.com
Best Live Music Club Sound Academy (formerly the Docks) 11 Polson Pier, 416-649-PIER (7437) sound-academy.com
Best Museum Royal Ontario Museum 100 Queen’s Park, 416-586-8000 rom.on.ca
Best Park High Park
Best Pool Hall Rivoli 332 Queen W, 416-596-1501 rivoli.ca
Best Repertory Theatre Revue Cinema 400 Roncesvalles, 416-531-9959 revuecinema.ca
Best Small Theatre Factory Theatre 125 Bathurst, 416-504-9971 factorytheatre.ca
Best Yoga Studio Yoga Sanctuary 2 College, suite 306 (416-928-3236), and 95 Danforth, suite 301 (416-461-6161) yogasanctuary.net
Media
Best Blog Torontoist torontoist.com Best Local Radio DJ/Host DJ Tricky Moreira FLOW 93.5 flow935.com Best Local Radio Station FLOW 93.5 flow935.com Best Local TV Personality Dina Pugliese CityTV citytv.com Best Local TV Station CityTV citytv.com Best Website Facebook facebook.com
Shops
Best Jeans Store Over the Rainbow 101 Yorkville, 416-967-7448 rainbowjeans.com
Best Leather Store Danier Various locations danier.com
Best Men’s Clothing Store Harry Rosen Various locations harryrosen.com
Best Music Equipment Store Steve’s Music Store 415 Queen W, 416-593-8888 stevesmusic.com
Best Natural Food Market Big Carrot 348 Danforth, 416-466-2129 bigcarrot.ca
Best Newsstand/ Magazine Store La Presse Internationale 622 College W (416-535-9666), and other locations
Best Optical Store Hakim Various locations hakimoptical.ca
Best Pet Store Small Wonders Pet Emporium Inc 140 Danforth, 416-462-3773
Best Sex Supplies Store Condom Shack 231 Queen W, 416-596-7515 condomshack.com
Best Shoe Store Heel Boy 682 Queen W, 416-362-4335 heelboy.com
Best Skate/Snowboard Shop Boardsports 2008 & 2010 Yonge, 416-485-9463 boardsports.ca
Best Specialty/ Used Record Store Rotate This 801 Queen W, 416-504-8744 rotate.com
Best Sporting Goods Store Sporting Life 2665 Yonge (416-485-1611), and other locations sportinglife.ca
Best Unique Gift Store Rolo 24 Bellair, 416-920-0100 rolostore.com
Best Used Bookstore BMV 10 Edward (416-977-3087), and 2889 Yonge (416-482-6002)
Best Vintage Clothing Store Divine Decadence 136 Cumberland, 416-324-9759
Best Vitamin/Herbalist Store Tutti Frutti Health Food Store 64 Kensington, 416-593-9281
Best Women’s Clothing Store Winners Various locations winners.ca
Best Art Supply Store Curry’s Various locations currys.com
Best Audio Equipment Store Bay Bloor Radio 55 Bloor W, 416-967-1122 baybloorradio.com
Best Bicycle Store Spokes and Sports 1899 Avenue, 416-787-6238 spokesandsports.com
Best Bookstore Indigo Various locations chapters.indigo.ca
Best Bulk Food Bulk Barn Various locations bulkbarnfoods.ca
Best Camera Store Henry’s 119 Church (416-868-0872), and other locations henrys.com
Best CD/Record Store HMV Various locations hmv.ca
Best Computer Store Future Shop Various locations futureshop.ca
Best Costume Store Malabar 14 McCaul, 416-598-2581 malabar.net
Best DVD/Video Store Blockbuster Various locations blockbuster.ca
Best Farmer’s Market Dufferin Grove Dufferin Grove Park, 875 Dufferin duferinpark.ca/market
Best Furniture Store Ikea 1475 the Queensway (416-646-4532), and 15 Provost (416-222-4532) ikea.com
Best Indie Video Store Queen Video 412 Queen W (416-504-3030), 688 College (416-532-0555)
Best Jewellery Store Mark Lash 9033 Leslie ##8, Richmond Hill, 905-881-5229 marklash.com
Best Mall Eaton Centre Yonge and Dundas torontoeatoncentre.com
Movers & Shakers
Best Activist Organization ACT 399 Church, 416-340-2437 actoronto.org Best City Councillor Kyle Rae Best Local MP Peggy Nash Best Local MPP Michael Bryant
Services
Best Bike Mechanic Curbside 412 Bloor W, 416-920-4933 curbside.on.ca Best Cell Phone Provider Rogers rogers.com Best Dentist Judy Sturm 77 Bloor W, 416-967-4212 yorkvillesmiles.com Best Doctor Steve Gottesman 491 Lawrence W, suite 101, 416-787-0117 Best Driving School Young Drivers of Canada yd.com Best Florist Blooming Hill Flowers 1700 Avenue, 416-781-7135 bloominghillflowers.com Best Hair Salon Fiorio Salon & Spa 1819 Avenue (416-256-4700), and other locations fiorio.com Best Internet Provider Rogers rogers.com Best Introduction/ Dating Service eharmony.ca Best Language School/Classes George Brown College georgebrown.ca Best Travel Agent Flight Centre Various locations flighcentre.ca Best Veterinarian Downtown Animal Hospital 579 Church, 416-966-5122 downtownanimalhospital.com
