Neighbourhood: St. Clair West
One of the city’s sweetest strips — literally and culturally — St. Clair West mixes longtime European roots with a fresh crop of sweet treat shops and cute cafés. With a walkable main drag and plenty of quirky detours, it’s a neighbourhood with all the lived-in vibes of visiting your favourite nonna’s house.
The area has also managed to hold onto a heartening number of its beloved older businesses, with several shops and restaurants thriving here for three, four — even five — decades. And while the St. Clair streetcar line may have undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years, the neighbourhood still feels like one of Toronto’s most lived-in and locally loved corners.
It also boasts one of the city’s oddest naming origin stories. According to some delightfully weird local lore, “St. Clair” came from a resident so enamoured with a character in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” (or perhaps a stage production of it) that he adopted the name, stuck it on a sign as a joke, and it just … stuck. There are a few versions of the tale floating around, but they all end the same way: the name became official.
Walking perks:
As a historically Italian and Portuguese enclave, the neighbourhood is home to many coffee shops, so there’s always somewhere cosy to stop and sip on an Americano. It’s also the city’s unofficial dessert HQ, featuring a truly wild density of gelato and ice cream parlours, bakeries, and chocolate shops. Your sweet tooth will definitely be sated.
How to get there:
Hop on the 63 Ossington or 7 Bathurst bus to intersect with St. Clair West.
Stop # 1: The Occult Shop (1371 Bathurst St.)
Start your stroll at this 46-year-old spooky institution that sells all manner of arcane wares. From alkanet root to yohimbe, the alphabet of herbs is extensive. Browse books on Celtic myth, tarot decks for every mood and a crystal for whatever you’re feeling. Don’t miss the incense — their seasonal limited editions are a treat.
Head north on Bathurst, checking out the local library branch on your right, which looks like an old brick building and a modern black cube got squashed together in some kind of horrible accident. Once you hit St. Clair West, keep an eye out for the fun red squiggle — the first of a series of wild streetcar-stop toppers. Turn left to start your stroll on St. Clair West proper.
Hot tip: Looking for a cosy night in post-walk? Rent a boardgame from the friendly folks at boardgame café and game store The Guild House (579 St Clair Ave W) to tackle later.
Stop #2: Wychwood Barns (601 Christie St.)
As you meander west, admire the old brick apartment buildings near Kenwood Avenue and the postcard-worthy grounds of St. Michael and All Angels Church. Turn left down Wychwood Avenue and stroll a few blocks south to reach Artscape Wychwood Barns. You’ll find pretty flowers, a lively off-leash dog park, and loads of cool (often free) arts programming inside.
Retrace your steps back up Wychwood Avenue to return to the main strip.
Hot tip: If you’re in need of something sweet to eat during your boardgame session later, score a slice of fresh pie to-go from cute café The Company We Keep (634 St Clair Ave. W.); they offer all kind of mouthwatering varieties, including sweet potato and vanilla, pumpkin with salted cashews, sour cherry, and maple bourbon pecan.
Stop #3: Bar Ape (283 Rushton Rd.)
A frequent favourite in our Where Chefs Eat series, Bar Ape is one of the city’s hottest joints for frozen treats. And what tour of St. Clair West, a.k.a. Sugartown, would be complete without a delicious dessert?! Take a right on Rushton Rd. to take your pick from gelato soft-serve, sundaes, or bars and flavours like cereal milk and cinnamon twist, grape shiso, and Thai mango. Don’t forget to bring cash!
Stop #4: Graham Park (138 Arlington Ave.)
Cross the street and head straight down Charley Roach Lane, which turns into the epically named Feel Good Lane. (You’ll know you’re at the right place when you see it emblazoned on the side of a wall.) This kicks off the makeshift outdoor art gallery filled with fabulous graffiti pieces splayed across the garage doors. Follow the laneway down to Graham Park, which has a new pickleball court and ping-pong table, along with charmingly bright play structures in chic shades of turquoise and mauve. (Leaving the park, enjoy the other fantastic Feel Good Lane mural capping the other end; hang a left to get back to St. Clair W.)
Stop #5: Chocolat de Kat (824 St. Clair W.)
St. Clair W. has long been home to the most excellent ChocoSol; now, new neighbours like Stubbe and Dubaïmo have joined the cocoa revolution. Our fave from the new class is Chocolat de Kat; stop in to sample their colourful bonbons. Strawberry matcha, PB&J, and birthday cake, oh, my!
Hot tip: Pop next door to James Rottman Fine Art (830 St. Clair W.) to get your CanCon quota; they often have eye-catching post-war and contemporary art exhibits on display featuring homegrown talents.
Stop #6: Mezzetta Restaurant and Tapas Bar (681 St. Clair W.)
Turn around and wander back the way you came, making sure to take a photo en route of the neighbourhood’s two best signs for your groupchat: Toronto’s most hilariously named convenience store, Jug Town (684 St. Clair W.), and Gilligan’s Isle Travel (661 St. Clair W.), featuring a wacky old-school desert-island cartoon.
Time your walk so you can finish off your stroll with a delicious early supper of Mediterranean dishes at one of our city’s most precious hidden gems, home to such delicacies as house-made harissa, exotic green beans, potato moussaka, and cheese boureka (the sultan’s stew is a must-try, too). If you go on a weekday before 6:30 p.m., you can score a glass of sangria, patatas bravas, queso Manchego, and espinaca for just 20 bucks!
A local’s favourite spots
Lois Kim, co-owner of Futura Granita + Gelato, who just celebrated their eighth anniversary.
Why I love St. Clair West:
We love the community here. We grab our coffee at Oakwood Espresso and get to chat and catch up with our regulars, who are also regulars there. It feels like a small town in a big city. Ice cream shops can often be situated in touristy areas where you only see a customer once. We have seen our customers’ children grow up and go away to university. The area of St. Clair West in which we are situated is a neighbourhood that is growing and changing. We love that there are decades old mom-and-pop shops alongside newer businesses that moved here. There is literally something for everyone here!
Oakwood Espresso (342 Oakwood Ave.)
This is a neighbourhood staple for espresso drinks and the the vibes. No fancy strawberry matcha drinks here, just straight-up great espresso. Tony, the owner, has created a little community hub in the middle of Oakwood Village: a place where everyone knows your name!
The Eagle Twins (954 St Clair Ave. W.)
An all-day-diner-style restaurant, this unassuming spot is busy from morning to night with high-school kids and neighbourhood regulars. We always get the chicken shawarma pita. The pita is bursting with chicken seasoned with their special spice blend and full of fresh veg. Sometimes I add a side of their super crispy onion rings, and they also make a killer poutine that is drenched in gravy.
La Morena (1175A St Clair Ave. W.)
At this family-owned spot, you can find so many varieties of empanadas: Ecuadorian, Chilean, Argentinian and Colombian! Our go-tos are the classic Argentinian beef empanada and we can’t resist the Colombian chorizo empanada (it’s fried!).
