A cultural guide to Toronto
Canada’s characterful metropolis is alive with global influences, a youthful creative scene, and vibrant art institutions. Here’s what not to miss
Our essential guide to the best things to see and do in Toronto. Find more travel inspiration for more amazing cities here.
There are so many reasons why Toronto has been named the most Instagrammable city in Canada. Its wildly diverse cultural treasures are the lure—from brutalist structures to neoclassical architecture, street graffiti to museum masterpieces, and Michelin-starred plates to next-level food trucks.
And there’s more to experience all the time: The country’s top metropolis is booming, becoming more global by the day with a record-breaking number of new Canadians putting down roots for the last decade (immigration went up 103% in 2022 alone). The ongoing surge of international tastes, styles and sensibilities have had a hand in reshaping the city’s 158 neighborhoods completely, producing globally enlightened restaurants, world-class landmarks, cosmopolitan hotspots, and some of the most diverse gallery spaces in North America.
Art & architecture
Both art groupies and casual enthusiasts will feel at home walking the six floors of the Art Gallery of Ontario. Aside from the intricate design of the place (the original 1920s building was extended in 2008 by Toronto’s own starchitect, Frank Gehry) don’t miss its revolving permanent collection. In the city’s west end, the small-yet-mighty Daniel Faria Gallery is another must, for a top-tier roster of modern, interdisciplinary talents— pop stars and royals have been known to visit. Contemporary collectors will want to head to the Elaine Fleck Gallery in trendy Queen Street West.
If you can tear yourself away from the five-prism, interlocking exterior of the Royal Ontario Museum, check out the First Peoples Gallery on level 1 to see more than 1,000 Indigenous objects connected to Toronto’s past and present, including ceremonial headdresses and ancient birchbark canoes.
And those who aren’t afraid of heights should explore the city’s iconic CN Tower, Canada’s tallest spire, which measures 1,815 feet. Walk around the Q-tip-like structure or pay an additional fee to go outside and walk among the clouds in a safety harness.
Expert tips
The essentials
Fly into Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ). From there, the UP Express train takes 25 minutes to Union Station (tickets can be booked online), a rideshare takes around 30 minutes, or the 52A Lawrence West bus takes around 70 minutes. Tipping 10–15% is expected.
Getting around
Toronto has four subway lines that are color-coded and labeled 1 to 4. Line 1 loops near the waterfront, and 2 to 4 network Downtown. The streetcar service has nine lines that mostly run Downtown. With more than 100 routes, the Toronto bus system is well connected throughout the city. PRESTO is a reloadable, pay-as-you-go card that can be used for all public transport; single and day passes are also available.
Accessibility
Toronto is a flat and accessible city for those with mobility issues. It has tactile paving and audible signals at crossings for visitors with impaired sight or hearing. Only two-thirds of public transport is accessible: Visit the TTC website to find out which transport and stations are accessible and plan your trip. The Art Gallery of Ontario has an app that uses GPS to guide visually impaired individuals around the exhibits.
LGBTQ+
Church-Wellesley Village is the heart of the city’s LGBTQ+ scene, with bars, clubs, and events. The month-long Toronto Pride is held in June, with events taking place in or around Church-Wellesley Village.
Food & drink
Torontonians take brunch seriously, so book ahead. White Lily Diner, located in Toronto’s east end, just earned the city’s first Michelin Green Star for sustainable gastronomy: We love the buttermilk griddle cakes (with Canadian maple syrup), fresh doughnuts, fermented greens, and hashbrowns. For a casual lunch, hit the charming St. Lawrence Market, operating since 1803, with more than 100 specialty food vendors; in-the-know locals make a beeline to family-run Uno Mustachio and order The Godfather—the city’s best chicken and/or eggplant parmigiana.
Head over to Bacon Nation in Kensington Market for the Classic Canadian Sandwich (peameal, egg, cheddar), then walk it all off with a visit to the area’s vintage shops, starting with long-standing local favorite with Courage My Love.
For a breathtaking dinner, cross town to Cluny Bistro in the Distillery Historic District. This stained-glass-clad spot never disappoints, with delicious French dishes such as asparagus fondu, steak frites, and scallop and celeriac crudo. For stunning Thai, there’s Midtown’s Lao Lao Bar: Specialties here include drunken noodles, banana leaf-steamed fish, and jeow bong pineapple-fried rice—served in the shell of the fruit.
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Music & nightlife
It’s a rite of passage for Canadian music royalty (think Feist, The Beaches, Alanis Morrisette) to return to the city’s intimate and beloved Neoclassical concert venue Massey Hall. What’s more, the site’s intimate new space, TD Music Hall, seats just 500 and is devoted to emerging singers, composers and rappers.
Those looking for a smaller, late-night dance venue should line up at the just-opened Sari NOT Sari, a Filipino-owned nightclub that brings in top DJs. Prefer something more relaxed? Book a Matsui whiskey tasting at After Seven, an unassuming Japanese cocktail nook hidden behind a yogurt shop in Toronto’s arts district.
Visitors who prefer to zen out after a day’s sightseeing should book an Evening Social session at the boozeless anti-club known as Othership: The modern bathhouse’s two-hour gathering includes a shared sauna and ice-bath experience, soundtracked by chilled music.
Hot ticket
Downtown’s hybrid living-working-dining-entertainment complex, The Well, is tailor-made for families looking to let the kids run wild for a few hours in a multisensory area. Along with retail giants, you’ll find a skating rink and a family friendly, immersive and interactive art installation called Acadia Earth. Explore its 10 hi-tech rooms that incorporate augmented reality, virtual reality and projection mapping focused on nature and biodiversity.
Watch before you go
The Toronto International Film Festival, held each September, is one of biggest and most prestigious film events in the world, and one of the few that offers tickets to the public. But the city’s starring role in the film industry doesn’t end there: The now-iconic graduation scenes from Mean Girls were filmed at the University of Toronto’s Convocation Hall; in X-Men, scenes in Professor Xavier’s school were shot in a Gothic Revival mansion called Casa Loma, which is open to the public; while in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the Toronto’s Greektown stood in for Chicago’s Greektown.
This pedestrian-only cobblestoned area served as the city’s whiskey production center in the 1800s. Today, visitors can soak up its Victorian-industrial aesthetic while exploring shops, entertainment, restaurants and bars. Big draws are the artisanal java at Arvo Coffee, dessert at Sweetie Pie (the Chocolate Bourbon slice is bliss), the exhibitions at the Corkin Gallery, and the craft beer on tap at Pure Spirits Oyster Bar. Browse the boutiques for European and Canadian designers but don’t miss the district’s crown jewel: the award-winning Soulpepper Theatre, which runs all year long.
As a kissing cousin to New York City’s Fifth Avenue and LA’s Rodeo Drive, Yorkville’s chic streets house the city’s most upscale department stores (Holt Renfrew, Harry Rosen), luxury brands (Versace, Chanel and TNT) and restaurants (from Sotto Sotto’s lavish Italian fare to Joso’s exquisite seafood menus). Those staying in one of the area’s five-star hotels such as the Four Seasons might finagle a last-minute table at Café Boulud, or coveted tickets to Canadian Opera Company productions, concerts and exclusive events such the star-studded Toronto International Film Festival.
Toronto’s eclectic hipster HQ holds a surplus of indie shops, third-wave cafés, galleries and street art. Its maple tree-lined, 36-acre Trinity Bellwoods Park is perfect for dog walking or family picnics (made easier with the grab-and-go menu at nearby Sud Forno—do get the excellent cannoli and croissants packed with zucchini frittata). Plus, try the city’s most talked-about Indian-fusion bistro Barkat.
Elio Iannacci is an award-winning culture writer whose work is featured regularly in The Globe and Mail. He has also written for Elle, The Hollywood Reporter, Maclean’s and The Toronto Star, as well as more than 80 publications worldwide.
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