Gateway to Chinatown East, the grittier little sister of the Asian outpouring on Spadina, is the Riverdale Library (370 Broadview, 416-393-7720), built in 1910 and one of 2,500 famed serve-the-people book nooks funded by U.S. philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.
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Fuel up first one block south at the Rose Café (324 Broadview, 416-406-9906), with its impressive transom doorway like a French colonial outpost. No surprise, then, that the tiny eatery specializes in Vietnamese bahn mi baguette sandwiches (France colonized Vietnam till 1954) – crusty, so French, full of cilantro and only $1.75 – plus sweet yam tapioca and supersized sesame cookies.
A buck goes a long way in these parts. At Phoenix Bakery (346 Broadview, 647-438-0933), it’ll score you three egg tarts, two steamed buns or a monster hunk of sponge cake. And if your tresses need tweaking, haircuts in the ‘hood are $9.
Back up on Gerrard, head east to the Dai Kuang Herb Market (595 Gerrard East, 416-466-9207), where Wuchaseng (Siberian ginseng) is $1.99 a box.
On the north side, the Dragon Hobby shop (612 Gerrard East, 416-778-4775) stocks testosterone-pumped replicas of every mode of metal destruction: rockets, tanks, military fighter planes and armoured toy soldiers .
Back on the south side, River Seafood House (formerly Super Grand, 615 Gerrard East, 416-778-8888) offers dim sum in hospitable hypomania, as does nighthawk Pearl Court (633 Gerrard East, 416-463-8778), an insomniac heaven.
Stop at Top Bakery House (635 Gerrard East, 416-462-2876) for a monster almond cookie and continue east to Degrassi. On the north side is Mi Mi, (688 Gerrard East, 416-778-5948), the coolest Vietnamese resto on the strip, with its orange-washed walls, soaring ceiling and magnificent hostess.
Turn right on Degrassi, the street that inspired the famous TV series (scenes from the first episode were shot at number 98). A left on First lands you in a red-brick time warp, a typical street of the late Victorian era. A bit east is the street’s oldest house, 165 First, build in 1886.
Back on Gerrard, find the totally authentic 1950s Logan Grill, (807 Gerrard East, 416-461-4477), an open-just-till-4-pm $4.50-breakfast joint that’s closed so much locals figured it was a Mafia front. No, actually, it has another secret – it doubles as a movie set. In September, Brad Pitt was there filming The Time Traveler’s Wife.
Hopping on the 506 car east, we’re on our way to the India Bazaar, 10 minutes away by TTC, 20 on foot.
First Indiatown stop has to be the Pakistani Lahore Tikka (1365 Gerrard East, 416-406-1668). Stick your nose in the door to get a feel of the funky tent-like interior with colourful fabrics hung wall to ceiling.
Get your Islamic fix at Islamic Books (1395 Gerrard East, 416-778-8461), one-stop shopping for Islamic insight, with prayer rugs and Qurans, and – no religion has a monopoly on schlock – I Luv Islam mugs.
Kitchen Queen (1416 Gerrard East, 416-466-4314) features 30 kinds of brass bells, incense burners and the all-important tiffin tin ($15), a truly miraculous way to carry curry without plastic containers. Also check the tiny terracotta Diwali dishes for tea lights (three for a dollar).
The grocery heart of Little India is B.J. Supermarket (1449 Gerrard East, 416-469-3712), with its bonanza of starch staples, naan, chapati, roti and pita. Trays of burfis and a $1.29 bag of sugar-coated fennel seeds tempt.
A small mall on the north side, the India Centre, houses a spirit man promising expertise in palmistry, face-reading and black magic ($20 for a half-hour). For less expensive comfort, India Paan (1427 Gerrard East, 416-461-8914) serves thick and creamy Kashmiri chai. Use it to wash down a pistachio King Kulfi ice cream as you sit dreamily under a massive picture of Mecca.
Ellie Kirzner
Global grub
Pearl Court
633 Gerrard E, at Broadview, 416-463-8778. This busy Cantonese cantina calls itself the best Chinese restaurant in Toronto and has a wall plastered with rave reviews dating back to the 80s to prove it. Regulars know to ignore the à la carte lineup and focus on the dim sum carts. Open daily 8 am to 4 am. Average main $10/$7. Licensed. Access: barrier-free, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN
Lahore Tikka House
1365 Gerrard E, at Highfield, 416-406-1668. Yes, it’s still under construction, finished “by the end of June” the official word. What year nobody’s saying. Until then, this hectic east-side Pakistani eatery seats customers in a series of interconnected sari-decorated trailers. Patience, folks – it took 20 years to build the Taj Mahal. Open Sunday to Thursday noon to 1 am, Friday and Saturday noon to 2 am. Average main: $9. Unlicensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN
Siddhartha
1450 Gerrard E, at Craven, 416-465-4095. Sure, there are a number of similar north Indian buffets in Little India, but, compared to the competition, Tipu Chowdhury’s all-you-can-eat spread is the classiest by far. Not into meat? Then check out Siddhartha’s cousin, Pure Vegetarian, just down the street (1411 Gerrard E, at Hiawatha, 416-466-9777). Open for $9.99 lunch buffet daily 11:30 am to 4 pm, $12.99 dinner buffet 4 to 10:30 pm. Average main: $10. Licensed. Access: barrier-free, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN
Steven Davey
