Your Super Friendly Design District Guide – Queen West

This Queen West guide covers its wildly diverse art scene and foodie culture (see Boralia’s pine-smoked delights).

Word of Mouth

1 “I’m always wary of restaurants that look so good, but the food at The Good Son (1096 Queen St W) is amazing and worth the price. The service is great. The cocktails are original and they’re always changing their menu. I’ve never had a bad meal there. I recommend the burger!” – Andrew Livingston, Neat

2 “Boralia (59 Ossington Ave) is the most inventive, delectable food we’ve had in a long time. The Mussels Smoked in Pine Needles and Pine Ash Butter (c.1605!) are unforgettably delectable.” – Kate Eisen, INabstracto

3 “After shop hours, we’ll get together and grab a bite at OddSeoul (90 Ossington Ave), the Korean fusion spot with a wicked sharable menu. And the only spot you might find us after a round or two at the staff local is Sweaty Betty’s (13 Ossington Ave).” – Evan Redsky, Planet of Sound

4 “Union (72 Ossington Ave). Best vibe of any resto on the strip. Fresh, local, reasonably priced, people having wine at 3pm in the window, engaging staff. Côte de Boeuf (130 Ossington Ave) as well. Super-charming, amazing mix of grocery and secret wine bar.” – Neil James, Stylegarage

5 “I’m a sucker for tasting menus and Canis (746 Queen St W) is one of my favourites in the city. The food and atmosphere remind me of some of my favourite spots in Copenhagen. I think it’s the closest you can get without jumping on a plane.” – Chris Hanz, Average

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Must-Stop Shopping Spots

6 “My favourite spot to spend time would be Type Books (965 Queen St W) opposite Trinity Bellwoods. It has a good general selection of fiction and art and design books.” – Lawrence Blairs, Atomic

7 “Atomic (965 Queen St W). Lose your mind in this brilliantly curated jewel of a design shop. Every piece is thoroughly researched and beautifully presented. His lighting from the mid- to late-19th century is incomparable. Always a treat to visit Lawrence and catch up on design.” – Kate Eisen, INabstracto

8 “Park & Province’s (927 Queen St W) selection of unique yet classic and understated pieces. They bring in pieces with classic tailoring and craftsmanship, which I value more and more as I passed the 50-year mark!” – Christian Imler, Ella+Elliot

9 “The Town Barber x Major Treat Coffee (1158 Queen St W) has become a one-stop shop for us. Not only does the friendly crew at Town serve up one of the fresher fades in the neighbourhood, but they also keep us in the swing of things with the coffee bar up front. Plus, they’ve got great taste in music!” – Evan Redsky, Planet of Sound

10 “I think Dynasty (1086 1/2 Queen St) is the best plant store in Toronto. The fast turnover ensures the plants are always healthy, and that there’s always something new to look at. They also carry a unique pot selection sourced from other local businesses.” – Andrew Livingston, Neat

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Sights Worth Seeing

11 “The AGO (317 Dundas St W) is my go-to place when I want to immerse myself in beautiful art. I particularly love spending time in the Henry Moore room.” – Lawrence Blairs, Atomic

12 “Dufferin Grove (875 Dufferin Park Ave) is one of the more dynamic parks in the city. There tends to be a lot going on in such a small area; from the pizza oven, the skating rink, the fire pits to the soccer fields.”– Chris Hanz, Average

13 “Stephen Bulger Gallery (1356 Dundas St W). Their new space up on Dundas (which we did the sound for) is incredible. They got a wonderful new gallery and bookshop – always worth a gander.” – Evan Redsky, Planet of Sound

Explore the rest of Toronto with our other Super Friendly Guides to Midtown, West End, Uptown, King West, King East, and Queen East.