Good morning all. Apologies in advance for a shortage of posts this morning. I will be heading to Toronto today ahead of Thursday night’s Eastern Conference showdown between Toronto FC and the Red Bulls.
It is my first trip to Toronto so I am definitely looking forward to the trip. I know there are a good number of SBI readers from Toronto so I will ask what I usually ask when I go on an unfamiliar road trip. What are the best places to go in Toronto? What’s the best place to watch Chelsea-Liverpool today? How about the best place to grab a few beers? Let me know Toronto readers, I’m sure there are other readers who are curious about these same things as they make plans to visit Toronto this year.
I will be checking back in shortly so stay tuned.
dang… now i wanna go up to TO for this game
best fish you may ever eat (especially that far from an actual seacoast): Chiado, Portuguese place on College Street.
Don’t forget Toronto is amongst the most culturally diverse cities on earth – you can experience just about any type of cuisine you can think of. Don’t forget Greektown on the Danforth or Little Italy on College, and of course the growing Hispanic community here have some excellent spots near downtown.Asking to turn on a soccer match at bars, just about anywhere is widely accepted – no worries.
Too bad its so chilly today – its been great for the last couple of weeks in terms of weather.
http://www.nowtoronto.com has extensive listings of all kinds of things happening in toronto, there is a print version on most street corners as well.
Go under music tab and select ‘listings’, and click, then you have links to live music, and the clubs to see what’s going on where.
Direct links- clubs http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/music_dance7.cfm
music – http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/music_clubs7.cfm
I don’t know what kind fo guy you are, but for bar I would say horsehoe on wednesday for live music, the social on west queen west is usually good on wednesday for partying it up, and there are lots of other options. I live right downtown. You have my email if you want more details, or know more specifically what you’re looking for.
Enjoy the game, cheers.
The Hockey Hall of Fame
Hey guys, thanks a bunch for all of these suggestions. I will be looking to hit at least a few of these spots. I’m here until Friday afternoon so I’ve got some time.
I’m staying near the Skydome, which I think is near a lot of this stuff (I hope).
Thanks again and keep the ideas coming (for example, what’s the best spot on a Wednesday night?)
Ives if you want true Canadian cuisine stop by Tim Horton’s on the corner of every single street in Torono. Order a double-double and a donut.
I’m telling you Ives, you well get authentic italian food and a footy mecca if you do East Side Marios on Front Street. Best italian food anywhere in the city. If you like pasta, do East Sides for sure. You can pick the type of sauce you want, any kind of pasta and can add whatever “extras” you want within you sauce. Yeah, plus free pop refills. Exactly, where do you line up, right?
if you wanna watch fotty, then yes go to Scallywags at Yonge and St.Clair…good Irish fair next door at Finn McCools after the match…
But when you go to the TFC v NYRB match on thursday BE SURE to not sit in your designated seat and squeeze yourself into the RedPatchBoys or U Sector section at BMO field, just tell the ushers you know where your seat is and act like you go there all the time. My GF and i do it often so that we can join into all the crazy! this tactic by fans explains why the viewers at home see empty scattered seats in the stands. =) enjoy Ives
Ives, where you watching the TFC vs NYRB game? press box? if you’re interested, why not bury yourself in with the supporters of the north end elite? I have an extra ticket in the 4th row on offer…heck, you can even throw a streamer at your favourite NYRB player! lol.
Ives…you better be wearing TFC red!
Great summary write-up on ESPN Ives. I hope a lot of people tune in for this one cause out of all the ESPN2 games this year this one could be the most entertaining and best atmosphere. I’m sure that stadium will be rocking! People need to see the difference between soccer crazed fans signing throughout a game and what they’re used to with the other sports like NFL and NBA. The atmosphere is totally different and that is what will draw the new fans in.
Best place to watch footy in Toronto: Scallywags at Yong & St.Clair
Sholess and the Gate are only good on game days (after the matches especially). Otherwise they are empty.
Go for a stroll on Queen St, West. Have a drink at Graham Bell’s favourite bar: the Horseshoe. Or if it’s sunny and warm, the patio at The Black Bull.
Later at night, wander further west on Queen and chill at the Drake Hotel (one of the best lounges/bars/ live music venues in the city).
Ives is going to be in a drunken stupor for his entire stay in Toronto if he manages to get to visit even half of these bars.
Joel’s sightseeing list sounds like a great whirlwind tour of the city, if you ask me. You can’t go too wrong taking in the things on his list.
how much do you wnat ot spend on food?
What area are you going to be located?
Just so i can make suggestions for food.
There are a ton of good eats up here but they are dependent upon those two factors.
Some good suggestions here, could make more but dont know your budget or amount of time here.
Youre prob alright to do scallywags (bit if a hike if you are adventerous) or the duke of glocester (alot closer to everything else) for the CL game and shoeless joes and dufferin gate (they are downt he street from each other) for the TFC game.
Regardless hope you enjoy your stay in TO.
What do you guys think about SportsCenter puuting the ManU-Barca highlights on its regular rotation last night and not as an “ESPNDeportes Update”?
Progress….
Maybe.
East Side Marios on Front Street. Not sure many people know about it. It’s my little “find”.
Ives,
All the aforementioned recommendations are great, but The Dizzy gets my vote for today’s CL match.
In case you haven’t checked the weather report, be prepared for unseasonably shite weather tomorrow night at BMO.
Welcome to TO!
I’m with Zoran for finer dining I recommend
Bymark (Downtown)
The Rosebud (Queen West)
Tomi-Kro (Queen East)
Duke of Gloucester on Yonge is a nice pub but their big screens (projector) are really fuzzy and it gets jammed, but it’ll be full of English fans.
There is a big visting toronto thread here: http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=1045
Red Patch Boys do pre and post game at Shoeless Joe’s at King and Dufferin.
As for beers if you like live music check:
The Horseshoe – http://www.horseshoetavern.com
The Hideout on Queen West
Good places to get beers/party
– Underground Garage on King and Blue Jay Way
– Mod Club Thursday/Satruday 722 College West
– Grace O’Malley’s Duncan and Pearl
– The Madison huge pub on Madison just north of Bloor.
As for sigthseeing
– Check out Queen St West of University for shopping, ladies and assorted everything all the way to Ossington.
– College St West of Bathurst is little italy with lots of cafes and places to sit out and yell in italian
– Bloor St/Yorkville area for shopping, check out the Royal Ontario Musuem and that huge crystal montrosity
– CN Tower (duh)
– The lakshore..go for a run or something
There’s lots of info in the BS thread.
Cheers
Scallywags @ Yonge and St Clair for the CL game.
Pre-TFC Match:
Shoeless Joe’s @ King and Dufferin
Ives,
not sure what your budget is, where you are staying, but if you are looking for some finer dining, there are a bunch of places in the core. Bymark, Canoe, Jump, Harbour 360 etc. Also C’est What and Irish Embassy are good places to grab good beers (both near Yonge and King).
(Note on two places mentioned above: Dufferin Gate and Shoeless Joes are within a minute of each other on foot.)
Chill with the RPB’s… i’m not even an RPB and I love goin to Shoeless Joe’s! 🙂
King & Dufferin!
Ives,
I’ll not offer suggestions on where to go etc. as that’s already been covered.
I just want to mention that you should be prepared for an atmosphere that exists no where else in MLS. Have a great time.
The Dizzy on Roncesvalles is a great low-key place to watch the match. I know of 10 or so people who will be there. Scally’s is also a good option.
I think there’s still a ‘Welcome to Toronto’ FAQ stickied on the top of the Toronto FC sub-forum on Big Soccer. just checked: http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=526247
Best place to catch Liverpool v Chelsea is Duke of Gloucester.
http://www.dukeofgloucester.net/
Best place pre-post TFC vs Red Bulls is Dufferin Gate.
http://www.restaurantica.com/on/toronto/dufferin-gate-tavern/23017667/
RPB meet at the Shoeless Joe’s nearest to Dufferine Street.
Big Soccer has a good threat for visitors to Toronto:
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=526247
Oh and one last thing. Shoeless Joe’s (King & Dufferin) has the best atmosphere possible with the Red Patch Boys – Pre and Post match… The atmosphere is insane!! The place is packed wall to wall… You’ll experience chants and great spirit!!
As far as today’s game, you can go to the Duke of Gloucester, which is on Yonge, between Wellesley and Bloor (accross from the Scientologists) – great English pub, lots of fans there. Closer to Downtown than Scallywags and a fantastic place to grab a few beer.
Alternatively, you could head out to Little Italy and a place called Il Gato Negro (given the two English teams maybe not the best option, but where I go for many Champ league games).
Outside of the game, and assuming you want to stay away from the corporate side of bars and clubs, a great pub with fantastic food is the House on Parliament (not surprisingly, on parliament street in Cabbagetown).
A great idea for any first-timer is to try one of the various ethnic neighbourhoods – greektown on the Danforth, Little Italy on College west, Indiatown on Gerrard East, Portugaltown on Dundas west, or either of the Chinatowns (Spadina or Broadview/Bloor).
As a long time Toronto resident, your best option for the Liverpool v Chelsea match is a pub called Scallywags:
11 St Clair Avenue West
Toronto, ON M4V 1K6, Canada
+1 416-922-3737
It will be predominantly be Liverpool support, and the atmosphere should be electric. In terms of an excellent place to eat, I highly suggest The Beer Bistro for excellent pairing of the best beer on the planet.
8 King Street East (at Yonge Street)
Toronto, Ontario
M5C 1C4
Tel: 416.861.9872
Fax: 416.861.9251
Email: info@beerbistro.com
Hope this helps….
Come to the Dufferin Gate (Corner of King and Dufferin) and hang with the Mighty U Sector. You would definitely be welcome.
here’s the map for scallywags
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=l&hl=en&geocode=&q=scallywags&near=Toronto,+ON,+Canada&ie=UTF8&ll=43.686851,-79.393859&spn=0.0072,0.014591&t=h&z=16
take the yonge street subway line north to St. Clair and you’re right there.
Ives, you are going to love Toronto!!! Too bad you are coming during a cold day here, but the atmosphere will be electric tomorrow, similiar to last year’s May rainy game against Houston….can you say Welsh!!
The RPB are normally at Shoeless Joe’s to grab a pint before and after the game. As for the Chelsea/Liverpool game, I am not sure, as I’ll be at work..haha!!! I did post this thread on the RPB website, so you’ll get a lot of responses.
Head to Scallywags at Yonge and St. Clair. Better show up early as the bar will be packed. Distinctive Liverpool slant.