The Best Shopping in Toronto
Toronto's got the international labels and brands, it's got classic department stores the Bay and Holt Renfrew, but its shopping scene has also got a funky side that you may not expect. Find records and books, and vintage costumes and beautifully restored couture dresses, and lots of unique finds—many of local design—in the shops and boutiques along Queen Street West, in York, and right in the heart of downtown.
93 Front St E, Toronto, ON M5E 1C3, Canada
Toronto's St. Lawrence Market is crammed with 120 vendors, butcher counters, bakeries, ethnic eateries, and seafood shops. But there's one reason why most people come here: the peameal bacon sandwich, which is dished up at the Carousel Bakery....
3092 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6P 1Z8, Canada
Part gift shop, part ladies’ boutique, and part fantasyland for girls, this little store in the booming Junction neighborhood has its own unique identity. Owned and carefully stocked by a former costumer, this spot aims to offer a...
128 Cumberland St, Toronto, ON M5R 1A6, Canada
With a client roster that includes Kate Moss and Lady Gaga, Divine Decadence Originals clearly knows its stuff. Located in the tony Yorkville neighborhood, this vintage-couture boutique offers rack after rack of extraordinary garments,...
695 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1E6, Canada
It’s safe to say that Canadian designer Hayley Elsaesser doesn’t skimp on color. An Australian education allowed her to soak up some sun and feel-good vibes before returning to her homeland to make a splash on the...
1167 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1X3, Canada
Grasshopper Records is a vinyl outpost on Dundas West well worth a look if you’re a sonic purist, or in the market for the best in Toronto indie music. The owner is a Toronto rocksmyth of some renown, but I won’t spoil the surprises for you here –...
2959 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6P 1Z2, Canada
Design fans fond of minimalism and Marie Kondo can add another M to their repertoire: Mjölk. Swedish for "milk"—and pronounced mi-yelk—this lifestyle shop and gallery is all about simple beauty. Housed in a Victorian...
102 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON M6J 2Z4, Canada
This charming jewelry boutique on Ossington features one-of-a-kind pieces that incorporate both vintage sensibilities and modern styles. Finished items set with semiprecious stones are displayed alongside loose beads and trinkets that...
883 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1G5, Canada
Co-owned by my former Canadian Literature professor at University of Toronto, Joanne Saul, Type is the bookstore she has always dreamed of opening. You can't help but be charmed by this 'little bookstore that could' when you walk in; it's...
744 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1E9, Canada
Keen to find Canadian fashion? Look no further than Coal Miner’s Daughter, a mini chain of boutiques that carries a trove of clothing and accessories, mostly from Canadian designers. Walk out with a vintage-style frock from...
1191 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1X3, Canada
In Portuguese, saudade is yearning for something that once was. And at Saudade, a lifestyle store smack in the center of Toronto’s Little Portugal neighborhood, the goal is to make the customer yearn for the old country (or wish a...
Tempt fate at the Monkey Paw’s Book-O-Matic machine, where for the price of a toonie you’ll be delivered an archaic tome in the vein of Elementary Arabic, Vol. 3. I’ll let you know how my studying gets on. The Monkey’s Paw...
