Toronto Restaurant Openings highlights the latest food news in Toronto and gives a preview of what's coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.

Open now

• Pilot Coffee Roasters has opened a new cafe outpost at 117 Ossington Avenue (at Argyle), just down the street from its recently shuttered Crafted Coffee.
• A second Toronto location of ChiChop, a Taiwanese-inspired fried chicken joint, has opened 630 Bloor Street West, sharing a space with Coco Fresh Tea & Juice in Koreatown.
• Harry's Steak House, named after the founder of Barberian's Steakhouse, is now open at 3277 Bloor Street West in Etobicoke.
• Green Earth Vegan Cuisine has relocated to 804 Danforth Avenue.
• Thai Kitchen Eat BKK has opened a Leslieville location at 898 Queen Street East in Lady Marmalade's former space. The popular brunch spot is moving to 265 Broadview Avenue and reopening soon.
• Gastro-bar Rustic Social House, serving "global comfort food & cocktails," has opened at 2083 Lake Shore Boulevard West at Humber Bay in Etobicoke.
• Coconut Seasons Hot Pot, Toronto's first à la carte coconut hot pot restaurant, is open now at 668 Silver Star Boulevard in Scarborough.
• Barkhouse Grill, a BBQ restaurant with burgers, sandwiches and all-day breakfast, is now open at 1470 Kingston Road in Scarborough.

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• Bawarchi Biryanis
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• Za Pizza Bistro

Opening soon

• Louix Louis, a restaurant and cocktail bar on the 31st floor of what will soon become the St. Regis Toronto, will be opening later this year at 325 Bay Street (at Adelaide). The menu will combine contemporary American cuisine with classic French technique.
• Casa Fuego, a Peruvian and Argentinian restaurant from the team behind Copacabana, is opening in Copacabana's downtown location at 230 Adelaide Street West (at Duncan).
• Sugarfina, a Los Angeles-based luxury candy retailer, will be opening standalone shops in First Canadian Place in the Financial District as well as inside Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga.
• Viaggio, an Italian spot from the chef and some of the team behind the shuttered Commodore, will serve fresh bread and pasta, and is set to open on Dundas West in October.
• Come See Me, a restaurant/bar, is taking over Li'ly at 656 College Street (at Beatrice) in Little Italy.
• Yifang Fruit Tea, a Taiwanese-style tea shop, will replace the recently closed Hoja Luwei at 615 Bloor Street West in Koreatown.

Have you seen restaurants opening or closing in your neighbourhood? Email tips to editors@blogto.com.

Toronto restaurants slated to open this fall include a new food hall and popular vegan pizza chain. There's also the latest from The Chase and something fancy inside the old Trump Hotel.

Here are the Toronto restaurants I can't wait to open this fall.

The Annex Food Hall

What's not to love about having a variety of dining options all in one spot? Basically a more curated food court, this soon-to-open food hall in the Annex will feature stalls from Toronto faves like PG Clucks, Eat BKK, El Nahual and Urban Herbivore.

Arthur’s

This American-inspired grill, cocktail lounge and rooftop terrace from Chase Hospitality Group (The Chase, Kasa Moto, Planta, etc.) will be opening at Yonge & St. Clair, and if the group's previous ventures are anything to go by, this one should be just as impressive.

Chin Chin Street Side Kitchen

A casual sibling to the Chin Chin restaurants in LA and Las Vegas, the first Toronto location will be opening at Spadina & Bremner Boulevard, with another location to follow in Mississauga. Look forward to West Coast-style Chinese American dishes like quinoa fried rice.

Louix Louis

The St. Regis Hotel (formerly Trump), the first Canadian location for the luxury hotel brand. A new restaurant and cocktail bar on the 31st floor will feature an outdoor terrace overlooking Lake Ontario, while the menu will combine contemporary American cuisine with classic French technique.

Osteria Rialto at Paradise

The Paradise Theatre in Bloorcourt is about to reopen this year and it will include an intimate restaurant called Osteria Rialto helmed by Basilio Pesce (La Banane, Canoe, Cheese Boutique), as well as a place to drink called Bar Biltmore, by Robin Goodfellow of Pretty Ugly.

Le Swan

Restaurateur Jen Agg recently bid adieu to her first restaurant, Black Hoof, but she has already moved onto a new project that should be opening any day now. Agg and her team have taken over Swan, the iconic diner on West Queen West, and added "Le" in front of it. Judging by the IG pics, the place looks dreamy.

Ten

This fine-dining restaurant from chef Julian Bentivegna that's set to open this fall in Brockton Village will serve 10 courses to 10 guests at a time, hence its name. It will offer a seasonal and veggie-forward, multi-course tasting menu to diners all seated around a chef's counter.

Viaggio

Those who mourned the closing of The Commodore, rejoice! Chef Jon Vettraino and his former gang from the nautically-themed Parkdale joint are creating an Italian restaurant that will serve fresh bread and pasta. It's set to open on Dundas West in mid-to-late October.

Virtuous Pie

One can never have enough plant-based pizza, and fans have been (im)patiently waiting for this vegan pizzeria and ice cream parlour that originated in Vancouver to open its first Toronto location. It's finally going to open in Little Italy soon, and it looks like it's going to be delicious.

Yoshinaga

Japanese chef Tsuyoshi Yoshinaga (Yasu, Shoushin, Tachi) will be opening his eponymous restaurant, Yoshinaga, soon in Yorkville, and those who live to pursue and consume excellent, quality sushi have every reason to be excited.

Various events will be taking to Toronto streets this weekend. As a result, there's going to be a ton of road closures. If that's not brutal enough, subway service on Line 2 will start late at some stations.

If you're brave enough to drive, here's what you need to know to navigate around the city.

WE Day Toronto

Bremner Blvd. from York St. to Lake Shore Blvd. West will be closed September 18 from 7 a.m. until September 21 at 3 a.m. for the annual event.

On September 20 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., there will be lane restrictions on:

• Bremner Blvd. from York St. to Spadina Ave.
• Bay St. from Lake Shore Blvd. West to the railway overpass
• The Esplanade from Yonge St. to Lower Jarvis St.

Oasis Zoo Run

On September 22, a series of road and lane closures will take place for the run from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m., including:

• Plug Hat Rd. will be closed from Beare Rd. to Meadowvale Rd.
• One lane on Meadowvale Rd. will be closed from Plug Hat Rd. to Sheppard Ave. East
• Old Finch Ave. will be closed from Meadowvale Rd. to Reesor Rd.
• The southbound lanes of Reesor Rd. will be closed from Steeles Ave. East to Old Finch Ave.

Queen West Art Crawl 

On September 22 and 23, the westbound curb lane of Queen St. West will be closed from Gore Vale Ave. to 870 Queen St. West from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the annual art crawl.

Heroes of Suicide Ceremony and March

On September 23, the east sidewalk fronting 1083 Pape Ave. and the northbound curb lane of Pape Ave. from Woodville Ave. to O'Connor Dr. will be closed from 6 to 8 p.m. for the ceremony and march.

TTC Subway Closure

Subway service on Line 2 from St. George to Broadview stations will start at noon on September 23 due to beam replacement work on the Prince Edward Viaduct. As always, shuttle buses will operate between these stations for the duration of the closure.

Events in Toronto this fall will have you breaking out the sweaters, and enjoying apple cider and the smell of wet leaves. There's a big party at the library, as well as plenty of festivals for art, music, and podcasts. There are also plenty of free events too.

One naughty little nightboi is showing the world just how "uber" Toronto raccoons really are this week after breaking into a local home, eating all of the bread, and then pretty much laughing when asked to leave.

Toronto-based wedding planner Jenny Serwylo shared the harrowing story of how her kitchen was raided on Tuesday night via Reddit and Instagram, complete with photos of the (naturally) masked assailant.

"This adorable a**hole tore through my screen and broke in to my kitchen last night," she wrote in a Reddit post on Wednesday morning.

View this post on Instagram

What. A. Fucking. Night. #torontoraccoons #asshole

A post shared by Jenny Serwylo (@jserwylo) on Sep 19, 2018 at 12:32am PDT

What's a homeowner to do? Serwylo grabbed a broom and tried to shoo the invader outside.

The two accomplices he'd crawled through the window with left without contest, but the raccoon in Serwylo's pictures simply stared back at her while scarfing down english muffins, seemingly annoyed by the commotion she was causing.

"I was definitely hissing and growling at him in hopes he'd leave," she wrote. "He just looked at me like I was crazy."

An Instagram Stories video from that night shows the raccoon trying to hide his bread from Serwylo. She sarcastically assures him that she won't try to steal his food and begs, "Buddy! Just go home!"

A #Toronto raccoon managed to break into someone's house to eat their bread https://t.co/BT2Aaf0qoIpic.twitter.com/n1Bk8Lh4aB

— blogTO (@blogTO) September 20, 2018

The permanently hungry raccoon did leave eventually, but only after eating 100 per cent of the kitchen's bread stock. Serwylo quickly locked the window after him, but the critter later returned with some friends to scratch at the glass for about two hours.

While displeased with the destruction of her screen and bread, Serwylo says she and the raccoon did share "some really cute moments between the yelling and broom waving."

Fortunately, the thieves didn't poop on anything — but that doesn't mean they're welcome back.

Serwylo wrote in her Reddit post that she "couldn't find any wildlife control places that were open in the middle of the night" and asked about what to do if it happens again.

If you come to Toronto use this handy guide to the Trash 🐼https://t.co/MpJkb41czq

— ex·pa·tri·at·ed (@ActiveMeasures1) September 20, 2018

Toronto Animal Services will only assist with wildlife when injured or sick, but plenty of commenters recommended private pest control companies.

The City of Toronto itself says that residents should secure all uncapped chimneys, loose shingles and openings in attics, roofs and eaves, garages and sheds to prevent break-ins from happening in the first place.

"If raccoons do get in, you can evict them and discourage them from re-entering," reads a page on the city's website dedicated to raccoons.

"Hang ammonia-soaked rags, play a loud radio tuned to an all-talk station, keep the area brightly lit," it advises. "Make sure no animal is trapped inside a sealed area — the animal will die and decompose."

And of course, don't leave your bread out on the counter.

It's not raining outside but one Toronto airport is completely flooded this morning. Billy Bishop Airport by the waterfront looks like a lake right now with water creating chaos in the area near the parking lot.

1/2 A water main break at Bathurst just south of Queen’s Quay has resulted in flooding in the vicinity of mainland operations @BBishopAirport. City of Toronto crews are on the scene to address the water main break—

— Billy Bishop Airport (@BBishopAirport) September 20, 2018

City of Toronto crews are working to repair a water main break that is causing flooding in the area immediately outside the island airport.

1/2 Sept 20. Update: Limited vehicle access to airport as a result of water main break on Bathurst St. No impact to passengers using the tunnel or ferry. No impact to flights or airside operations.—

— Billy Bishop Airport (@BBishopAirport) September 20, 2018

This is the second time in the past six weeks that a flood has caused a commotion at Billy Bishop. However, this time it's not expected to cause flight delays.

Toronto's Island Airport is truly living up to it's name this morning #YTZpic.twitter.com/f4Zn4RkFGq

— Bjoern Rost (@brost) September 20, 2018

While there doesn't seem to be any reported flooding inside the airport itself, it has impacted the water supply in their lounges, including the bathrooms.

Hi Kathryn, we're working on a solution for the washrooms and should be up and running very soon.

— Billy Bishop Airport (@BBishopAirport) September 20, 2018

Photos posted on Reddit show flooding in the parking lot, limiting vehicle access.

Billy Bishop Airport has asked anyone with scheduled flights today to "Please leave extra travel time if you are flying from [the airport] this morning," and that anyone travelling to the island via tunnel or ferry will not be effected.

Weekend events in Toronto look to celebrate the grand opening of the Museum of Contemporary Art and encourage you to pick up a new book buddy at Word on the Street. House of Vans takes over The Bentway and there's lots of festivals, music, parties and markets to check out.

"Enough is enough" when it comes to new buildings, say people who live on Bathurst between King and Queen Street West.

A newly-launched Change.org petition is asking locals to speak out against the development of a 16-storey, mixed-use building at 149 Bathurst Street.

When proposed to the city in 2016 by developers Centrestone and Carlyle, the building was actually meant to be 19 storeys high with a total of 155 residential units.

A revised zoning amendment application was submitted in June with slightly smaller specs (only 88 units with about two thirds of the original gross floor area.)

Still, putting anything new on the narrow lot proposed for the project would mean demolishing seven existing dwelling units and a formerly licensed rooming house with six separate rooms.

Someone who goes by the moniker "Save Toronto" isn't having it.

Critics of the proposed development on Bathurst between Richmond and Adelaide say that it doesn't fit the character of the neighbourhood. Image via RAW Design.

"There's a development proposal for a 16-storey condo on a lot less than 100-feet-wide, right up against old victorian style two-storey row houses that share walls on both sides," reads their petition.

"Being right on a major street, this project completely does not compliment the landscape of neighbouring properties, and is honestly an eyesore."

Renderings by the architecture firm, RAW Design, show that the building would indeed rise high above its immediate neighbours, though several other newer structures in the area are comparable in size and style.

A hearing is set for the proposed development on Bathurst, between Richmond and Adelaide, on Monday, September 24.

The petition encourages locals to come out and voice their concerns.

"While generating more property tax revenue is great for the city, more condos in this area is the last thing we need."

If you're a multimillionaire looking for a home in the 'burbs, look no further than Oakville, where you can buy the most expensive house for sale in Canada for a cool $59 million. 

Sitting on Lake Ontario on Oakville's 'Gold Coast', the country estate Chelster Hall is the priciest residence on the Multiple Listings Service (MLS) right now, according to its listing agency, luxury real estate brand Sotheby's International Realty. 

Chelster Hill began construction in 2001 and was completed in 2006. Photo via Sotheby's Realty. 

The down payment alone on this gargantuan waterfront castle at 1150 Lakeshore Rd. East will set you back $11.8 million, and a monthly payment will cost roughly $257,341—basically four times what the average Canadian makes in a year. 

The home of retired beer mogul Hugo Powell, former president of Labatt Brewing Co. and ex-CEO of Belgian brewing company Interbrew, Chelster Hall may look like it was built in the 1800s but was actually only completed in 2006.

The property features an indoor and outdoor pool, plus many other hotel-like amenities. Photo via Sotheby's Realty. 

The ten-acre property was designed by local architect William Hicks and inspired by the historic homes of England, specifically the Jacobean architecture of Blickling Hall, where Anne Boleyn was born. 

Named after Powell's golden retrievers (the most rich person thing to do ever), this property is essentially the ultimate place for wealthy folk to entertain their wealthy friends.

The Jacobean-style home has a library with a winding staircase. Photo via Sotheby's Realty. 

Those with a net worth of $200 million and over (aka the only people who can afford this property) will feel extra safe with two sets of gates arming the entrance—a security measure Powell implemented after being robbed at gunpoint in Brussels.

The 43,850 square-foot house is equipped with six bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, and enough parking spaces for 30 Maybachs and Lambos, with a James Bond-style underground lot for avid car collectors.

The basement has a movie theatre, dance room, and a full bowling alley. Photo via Sotheby's Realty. 

Aside from the standard chandeliers and fireplaces, the home also comes with an elevator, indoor and outdoor pool, full gym and spa. There's also a Tuscan wine cellar big enough to store all 7,000 bottles of Château so-and-so's.

In terms of entertainment, you'll find a full movie theatre, billiards room and a bowling alley in the basement. Outside is a tennis court—you're not rich if you don't have plenty of tennis outfits—and a sprawling forest of trees, planted pre-construction. 

Chelster Hall also includes a separate chapel located on the property. Photo via Sotheby's Realty. 

And for the pious, there's a separate 800-square-foot chapel located on the property, complete with pews and crosses. 

Though the price for Chelster Hall is already mindblowing, the property was actually more expensive two years ago, when it first went up for sale with ReMax Aboutowne Realty for $65 million.

If prices keep going down yearly, Chelster Hall could theoretically be affordable to the average Canadian in a couple decades or so. Unless Drake decides to invest in another mega-mansion.

Developers just announced that one of Toronto's most construction-heavy hoods will be getting two more residential high-rise buildings, one of them 33-storeys tall and the other 36.

Line 5 by Reserve Properties and Westdale Properties promises to address the "fundamental changes in the way Torontonians live their lives" through technology and thoughtful design — with a dedicated ride-share pick-up space, and hot and cold storage in the lobby for online food orders.

The condos sound cool, but locals will likely be unhappy about the location: Right in the heart of Yonge and Eglinton, where instant density has become so much of a problem that sewer capacity is being questioned.

Yonge and Eglinton residents don't want any more #condos built https://t.co/5KbhyHBEfD @benmyers29 & @condoloft#ToREpic.twitter.com/jgFPCxTmRO

— Bullpen Consulting (@BullpenConsult) June 28, 2018

Residents in the area have been speaking out in recent years against the fast-growing number of condo towers in and around the Yonge-Eglinton centre.

Councillor Jaye Robinson has been working with the city's Planning and Growth Management Committee to try and cap the heights of new buildings in what has become "the most densely-populated growth centre in the Greater Golden Horseshoe."

"Due to the rapid influx of new residents, the City's infrastructure, including transit, schools, and utility services is under significant pressure," she wrote in a June letter.

"There is a lack of green space, parks, sunlight and sky view in the area."

The newly-announced Line 5 condo development near Yonge and Eglinton will boast a 10,000-square-foot fitness centre and designer pool, among other next-level amenities. Image via Reserve Properties and Westdale Properties.

Based on the concerns expressed by residents at a community meeting on June 21, Robinson proposed that permitted building heights be restricted to 20 storeys or lower.

City Council voted in favour of the plan in July, and yet, today, Reserve and Westdale announced their 33 and 36-storey high Line 5 buildings on Broadway, just a stone's throw from the major intersection.

It looks like the condos are coming, whether residents like it or not, foreshadowing how important Yonge and Eglinton will be as a mobility hub when the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is finished.

Line 5 will add a total of 930 new units to the up-and-coming city centre. It'll also have an outdoor Zen garden.

Long live Falafel Queen, a late-night haunt to many drunk and hungry twenty-somethings back when Smoke's Poutinerie was still a cigar shop and Mr. Sub ruled the corner.

Known for its 5 a.m. closing time and top-notch "shawafel," the restaurant closed this summer, leaving a hole beside RBC that once hung a friendly yellow sign.

Now, the space has a new sign above it. It says PH Shawarma and has cool flames — plus, a rooster.

The restaurant is pretty new, but its offers are pretty similar to those of Falafel Queen. Expect to find samosas, hummus, lentil soup, shish tawook, falafel balls, shawarma platters and wraps.

Will PH live up to its popular, long-running predecessor? Only time and that zany split-in-half rooster will tell.

Glory Hole Doughnuts, known for making some of the most decadent 'nuts in the city, is opening a new location on Toronto's east side.

The Parkdale bakery has actually been hosting an Instagram scavenger hunt to keep people guessing where the brand new store will surface.  

View this post on Instagram

CLUE 1: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Use your sleuthing detective skills to find #GHD2ndLocation! 🕵️🕵️‍♀️ Rules are simple: 1. Each Friday in Sept we will release a clue which will bring you closer and closer to the spot 2. Comment your best guess and tag friends for extra help 3. The winner will be the first person to correctly identify the closest *major intersection* and score themselves a free DOZEN DOUGHNUTS!! 4. You'll have to wait for the official announcement on October 1st! (We'll keep posting clues all month even if someone guesses right) 5. There may be extra hints in our stories throughout the week 🐒

A post shared by Glory Hole Doughnuts (@gloryholedoughnuts) on Sep 7, 2018 at 1:09pm PDT

Every Friday since its announcement, the bakery has been posting clues on IG as part of its #GHD2ndLocation scavenger, while throwing in some hints on its Instagram story here and there.

The first clue was a Toronto subway map with the words "Wrong side of the tracks" leading many to believe it was somewhere around Danforth and Main, near the train tracks. 

The second clue, an ambiguous-looking green map posted last week, was a little less straightforward.

View this post on Instagram

Clue #2 for the #GHD2ndLocation scavenger hunt. Y'all have some GREAT GUESSES! Some have even guessed RIGHT 🤐 but you'll have to wait for the big reveal on Oct 1st to find out. KEEP THOSE GUESSES COMING!! This map belongs to the previous tenant, in our new 'Little' community 🐶🐾

A post shared by Glory Hole Doughnuts (@gloryholedoughnuts) on Sep 14, 2018 at 10:24am PDT

"This map belongs to the previous tenant, in our new 'Little' community," reads the caption, leading many people to suggest the store will be located in Little India. 

According to the caption some people have already guessed the location, meaning the chance to score those doughnuts has come and gone. 

View this post on Instagram

GHD is proud to announce we have finally found a 2nd location!!!! A scavenger hunt is well on its way for YOU to get a sneak peak of our newest baby! Stay tuned for more details! Can’t wait to be serving you more doughnuts! Happy Wednesday 🌈😎🤘🏽🍩🙏 . . 📸 @traceparticles . . . .

A post shared by Glory Hole Doughnuts (@gloryholedoughnuts) on Sep 5, 2018 at 5:35am PDT

If you want to know the answer it's 1505 Gerrard East in the former home of Uberdog in Little India. They revealed it themselves on their Instagram. The new bakery is scheduled to open in October.

You know what's cooler than having a pool? Having a friend with a pool that you can use any time without having to worry about vacuuming, skimming, chlorinating, winterizing or, you know, paying for the damn thing.

Failing that, you could always hit up a public pool and take your chances with the pee, but ew. And good luck drinking cerveza with your friends on cute pool floaties at the Y.

Enter Swimply: an online marketplace similar to Airbnb that lets people rent out their backyard swimming pools when they're not in use.

Tbis private indoor pool  can be rented from its owners in Brooklyn for $125 an hour. Image via Swimply.

The U.S. company launched in Toronto earlier this month after a radio host mistakenly announced that it was available here, spurring a rush of Canadian sign-ups.

Hey, it may be too cold to swim outside for most of the year, but Toronto goes hard when it comes to hot weather — and next summer could very well see a pool party renaissance thanks to the sharing economy.

Only one pool has been approved for rental in Toronto so far, but CEO Bunim Laskin told CTV this week that eight more are currently going through Swimply's stringent application process.

The pool available in Toronto now bills itself as a "Canadian Oasis" with luxurious seating areas, an outdoor bathroom, a changing room, a hammock, pool toys and more. You can rent it on a weekend for $50 an hour, or $40 per hour on weekdays.

Described as a 'Canadian Oasis', this Toronto pool comes with lounge chairs, change rooms and free Wi-Fi. Image via Swimply.

Like Airbnb, Swimply lists a wide range of properties with an even wider range of price points. Some pools can be rather expensive, especially if you're looking to stay for an entire afternoon — like this $200/hr heated infinite horizon pool in Miami Beach.

Others, like this shallow pool in an otherwise barren New Jersey backyard, can hold up to 15 people for just $30 an hour.

People who want to rent out their backyards have to meet some pretty strict criteria in terms of safety and quality, but those who get in stand to make a lot of extra cash off something that's normally just a money-suck.

The rest of us get to plan sweet summer pool parties at someone else's house. Splurge on the unicorn floaties, friend— it's the closest our generation will ever get to having backyards of our own.

Dufferin Grove may call to mind a park across the street from a mall for most Torontonians, but the surrounding neighbourhood by the same name has just been called one of the world’s coolest by Time Out. 

Dufferin Grove falls at #39 out of 50 of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world, just behind Montreal’s Petite Italie at #37 and Prague’s Karlin.

Other neighbourhoods on the list include Highland Park in Los Angeles, Peckham in London and Hayes Valley in San Francisco, with Embajadores in Madrid taking the top spot. 

Restaurant SoSo Food Club and brewery Burdock are shouted out by the travel advisors, who cite a tight-knit community as the source of the neighbourhood’s vibrancy. 

Parks, Duff Grove included, are also noted as a hub for community life in the city. While the park can be the setting for some, ahem, eccentric behaviour, Dufferin Grove is simultaneously home to public fire pits as well as music and theatre performances. 

For those not that familiar, Dufferin Grove is technically bordered by Dufferin, Ossington, Bloor and Dundas West.

Here are the complete rankings:

• 1. Embajadores, Madrid
• 2. Euljiro, Seoul
• 3. Nueva Villa de Aburra, Medellin
• 4. Metaxourgeio, Athens
• 5. Princípe Real, Lisbon
• 6. Strasbourg-Saint-Denis, Paris
• 7. Neukölln, Berlin
• 8. Yanaka, Tokyo
• 9. Highland Park, Los Angeles
• 10. Fitzroy, Melbourne
• 11. Peckham, London
• 12. Noord, Amsterdam
• 13. Ancoats, Manchester
• 14. Enmore, Sydney
• 15. Bandra West, Mumbai
• 16. Shuk HaPishpeshim, Tel Aviv-Jaffa
• 17. West Village, New York
• 18. West Loop, Chicago
• 19. Tangba Jie, Chengdu
• 20. Osu, Accra
• 21. City Bowl District, Cape Town
• 22. Sant Antoni, Barcelona
• 23. Monti, Rome
• 24. Leith, Edinburgh
• 25. Hornstull, Stockholm
• 26. Sololaki, Tbilisi
• 27. Phibsboro, Dublin
• 28. Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro
• 29. Former French Concession, Shanghai
• 30. Roma, Mexico City
• 31. Cedofeita, Porto
• 32. Prawirotaman, Yogyakarta
• 33. Wynwood, Miami
• 34. Hayes Valley, San Francisco
• 35. Wan Chai, Hong Kong
• 36. Ari, Bangkok
• 37. Petite Italie, Montreal
• 38. Karlín, Prague
• 39. Dufferin Grove, Toronto
• 40. Central District, Seattle
• 41. Palermo Soho, Buenos Aires
• 42. Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur
• 43. Kadıköy, Istanbul
• 44. Tanjong Pagar, Singapore
• 45. Kitay-Gorod, Moscow
• 46. Langstrasse, Zurich
• 47. Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi
• 48. South End, Boston
• 49. Sanlitun, Beijing
• 50. Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai

The list was compiled by local Time Out editors, city experts, and a global survey of 15,000 people. 

Friday is here and events in Toronto are sure to have you out and about this weekend with a huge designer fashion market and a laneway party. House of Vans takes over The Bentway and Elevate kicks off in celebration of Toronto's tech community.

This stunning home was featured not once, but twice, in House and Home, and when you see the pictures you’ll see why.

The spacious home, that once belonged to former Hudson’s Bay president Bonnie Brooks, was designed by Jill Kantelberg so it oozes style.

The stone floors that are throughout the bright open plan main floor are based on 17th century flagstone. I personally think all stone floors is really cold and uninviting, but with enough carpets it wouldn’t be too bad.

Even though the main floor is open concept, there are all sorts of nooks and crannies where you can find a space to have some undisturbed quiet time.

The kitchen, which had its own spread in House and Home, is so interesting. It was custom-built and is the perfect mix between country and modern. However, it is quite small. 

This house only has two bedrooms, which for $3.5 million seems like kind of a let down.

The master bedroom is simple and minimalist. It has a walk-in closet and a spa-like en suite.

Despite all that’s going on inside the house, I think the backyard is really the piece-de-la-resistance. Surrounded by a private green forest, the backyard offers the luxury of privacy that is so hard to come by in this city.

The Essentials

• Address: 78 Wychwood Park
• Type: House
• Bedrooms: 2 +1
• Bathrooms: 4
• Size: 121.39 x 145.34 feet
• Realtor: Gillian Oxley & Joseph Robert
• Hit the market at: $3,495,000
• Sold for: $3,500,000

Why it sold for what it did?

The property, the beautiful interior and I’m sure the fact that this home was featured in House and Home didn’t hurt either.

Was it worth it?

While normally I would say it’s insane to spend $3.5 million on a two bedroom home, this one is beautiful and it does come with a huge property with so much privacy that the price is almost justifiable.

A once-controversial house that stirred neighbourhood resentment for its colourful exterior and outlandish design is now on sale for nearly $3 million. 

For over 20 years, the blue, geometric structure at 1 Bond Ave. has been a point of intrigue for drivers and pedestrians travelling along Leslie St. between York Mills and Lawrence. 

Unlike any other residential properties in the city, 1 Bond Ave., along with its equally wonky counterpart 3 Bond Ave. next door, have perplexed and vexed their neighbours—and at one point (if you can believe it), even had a hard time selling.

One Bond Ave. was designed by architect Zak Ghanim in 1996. Photo via Sotheby's International Realty.

Commissioned by real estate agent Nick Bernhard and designed by prolific architect Zak Ghanim in 1996, both designs were equally lauded and criticized for their cartoonish, Fegan Floop-esque colour palettes of purple, blue, and yellow when they finished construction. 

The design, which Ghanim won several awards for, was so unusual that some local residents—horrified by the indecorousness of it all—complained, stalling permit approvals for more than a year. 

Though the property received endless media attention, it seems the pearl-clutching citizenry of Toronto just wasn't ready to trade in more common stucco finishes and asphalt shingles for the unconventional, accordion-like design of 1 Bond. 

The house's unconventional design initially drew criticism from local residents. Photo via Sotheby's International Realty.

Bernhard, who was living in 3 Bond at the time, put up the neighbouring house for sale in 2004 and searched for a buyer for six months before eventually selling 1 Bond for $750,000, down from the original asking price of $895,000. 

Today, the house is listed by the luxury real estate company Sotheby's International Realty (whose agents are also currently in charge of selling Canada's most expensive home) for $2.95 million. 

With three bedrooms, two fireplaces, and a perennial garden that surrounds the perimeter, the home is definitely a little less eye-catching than its exterior, but that's not saying much, considering the focal point outside is the dagger-like truss over the portico.  

Once sold for under $750,000, 1 Bond Ave. is now going for an asking price of nearly $3 million. Photo via Sotheby's International Realty.

You'd think the increase in price would imply Toronto's taste in residential design has gotten more creative over the past decade, but don't be fooled. That's just the reality of the housing market in general.

Real estate prices across the board have gone up exponentially since Ghanim introduced his designs to this quiet little North York neighbourhood.

In fact, many neighbouring homes covering over 5,000 square-feet of land run upwards of $3 million, meaning this iconic piece of architecture is still selling sh0rt, considering its artistic value. 

Perhaps the fact that both 1 and 3 Bond Ave have been re-painted to more subdued colours (meaning, without the yellow) since the early years of its introduction will help the property's sale this time, though there's a chance a more adventurous international buyer might bite if Torontonians don't come around.

If the weather isn't to your liking this fine Friday morning, fear not — it's all about to change in dramatic, violent, window-shattering fashion.

Temperatures are expected to skyrocket in the City of Toronto this afternoon, soaring up to nearly 30 degrees Celsius by 2 p.m.

Then, according to Environment Canada, it'll drop off by more than 20 degrees, reaching just 8 degrees Celsius overnight as a cold front moves across southern Ontario.

Storms are expected as warm and cold systems clash, with winds so powerful that Toronto Hydro is preemptively its warning customers of potential power outages.

Special weather statement in effect. Strong winds expected to start tomorrow afternoon. #ONstorm

Here's how to prepare for possible outages: https://t.co/wPtqJ81sRh

— Toronto Hydro (@TorontoHydro) September 20, 2018

"Damage to buildings, such as to roof shingles and windows, may occur," wrote Environment Canada in a special weather statement for the City of Toronto on Friday morning.

"Loose objects may be tossed by the wind and cause injury or damage."

The federal weather agency notes that gusts of up to 80 km/h are expected to develop this afternoon and evening, with higher speeds likely during thunderstorms.

Hourly forecasts suggest that we'll see the worst of it between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday.

Significant severe weather threat across S Ontario tmmr. Warm front tonight will usher in a hot/unstable airmass for tomorrow ahead of a strong cold front. Severe storms will develop NW of the GTA and may impact commute (3-6 pm) with heavy rain & strong, damaging winds. #onstormpic.twitter.com/Gme9MjBFeS

— Stormwx1 (@stormwx1) September 21, 2018

This wacky weather pattern just so happens to line up perfectly with the autumnal equinox. Talk about an acute transition between seasons.

Environment Canada says that winds should diminish overnight, but that doesn't mean everything will be business as usual in Toronto over the weekend. 

As we learned (over and overagain) this spring, wind can wreak serious havoc on homes, cars, businesses and public spaces.

Bring in the patio furniture, is what I'm saying, if you don't want to lose it. And bring an umbrella to work.

The best omakase in Toronto leave your meals in the hands of the most discerning itamae. A traditional way to eat a chef-chosen selection of dishes, omakase—which means "leave it up to you" in Japanese, offer adventurous diners high quality fish in an innovative way. 

Here are the best omakase in Toronto. 

With recent reports that Ontario will experience a milder than normal October and November, it has many autumn fanatics breathing a sigh of relief that the brightly coloured leaves will be able to stay put for just a little longer before the dreaded snow arrives.

It also means that there will be more time this season to get outside and enjoy the parks and hiking trails in and around Toronto that will be bursting with colour in just a couple weeks. 

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A post shared by ViewsFrom[416] (@viewsfrom416) on Jul 13, 2018 at 7:15am PDT

Luckily, there are countless day-trips to choose from, but nothing quite compares to the lookout point at Dundas Peak.

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A post shared by ALI S | TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY (@alis.bubbles) on Oct 30, 2017 at 2:06pm PDT

Located just an hour from Toronto in the picturesque community of Dundas, the Dundas Peak Trail can be accessed via the Spencer Gorge Conservation Area. 

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Located just off the parking lot is the main attraction of the Spencer Gorge Conservation Area - Webster's Falls. This extremely popular spot is probably the most visited waterfall in all of Hamilton, due to it's accessibility.

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After stopping to take a few pics of the falls, you should continue along the 3.9 km trail until you reach Tew's Falls - Hamilton's tallest waterfall at 41 metres high. 

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A post shared by Katherine (@kat_m_palumbo) on Oct 7, 2015 at 11:13am PDT

The trail then continues onward along the escarpment until you reach the most scenic point that overlooks the towns, train tracks, and endless foliage of the Dundas valley. The peak is twice the size of the American side of Niagara Falls, so it's not the ideal spot for those afraid of heights!

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A post shared by Angela Tilley (@artilley_) on Nov 22, 2017 at 12:15pm PST

Dundas Peak is stunning year round, but is most visited in the autumn because of the fiery views that seem to go on forever.

Although you might be tempted to get close to the rock's edge for that epic 'gram, to do so is extremely dangerous.

Unfortunately, each year many people have sustained serious injuries or worse from wandering off the marked trail, so be smart and cautious.

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The parking lot at Spencer Gorge Conservation Area is $10 per vehicle, and is extremely crowded on weekends, so go early if you want to avoid the masses.