I am from Montreal, which means I have spent most of my adult life casually dismissing Toronto in the way that Montrealers do. It's bigger, sure. But it doesn't have the character. It doesn't have the food. It's just... offices and condos and people who talk about real estate.
I went with four friends for a long weekend and I owe Toronto an apology.
The Food Scene Is Serious
Toronto has one of the most genuinely diverse food scenes of any city in the world, and unlike many cities where "diverse" means a few ethnic restaurants in tourist areas, here it goes deep. Kensington Market alone contains within a few blocks: excellent Jamaican, proper Portuguese, some of the best Korean fried chicken I've ever eaten, and a cheese shop that deserves its own trip.
Chinatown is one of the most vibrant in North America. Little Italy is good. Little Portugal is better. The St. Lawrence Market on a Saturday morning is a food lover's version of heaven.
The Neighbourhoods
- Kensington Market: Bohemian, chaotic, full of vintage shops and street food. The anti-mall. Go on a Sunday when it's pedestrianised.
- Distillery District: Victorian industrial architecture converted into galleries, restaurants and a weekend market. Beautiful and very Instagram-friendly, which we're fine with.
- Leslieville: Where locals actually live. Excellent brunch, independent coffee shops, no tourists.
- Waterfront: Better than expected. The lake is genuinely beautiful and the islands ferry (a 15-minute ride) gives you a view of the skyline that reframes the whole city.
"I've been telling people not to bother with Toronto for years. I've been wrong for years. This is my formal correction." — me, on the flight home
The CN Tower
Yes, obviously. The glass floor is as terrifying as advertised. The view extends to Niagara on a clear day. We went at sunset, which I'd recommend over midday — the light across the lake turns the whole thing into something close to extraordinary.
Getting Around and Group Logistics
Toronto is large but navigable. The subway is simple; the streetcars fill in the gaps. We had five people and rented one large Airbnb in Leslieville, which worked perfectly for the group dynamic — easy to split up during the day and regroup in the evenings without the coordination overhead of being in different hotels.
Expenses were logged as we went. Final settlement at the airport was fast. The only argument was about whether we should extend the trip by another two days, which we couldn't, but probably should have.