Camping has always been a favourite Canadian pastime, but The Buffalo Farm is taking the great outdoors to an entirely new level. If you’re itching to escape city life for a bit, The Buffalo Farm might be the perfect getaway.

Located on an idyllic 500-acre farm in Calvin, Ontario, this wilderness retreat has a variety of luxury yurt rentals. Each custom-built yurt accommodates up to 8 people, and sits on the banks of the Amable du Fond river, with two private beaches on the property.

A post shared by The Buffalo Farm (@thebuffalofarm) on Mar 5, 2018 at 8:01am PST

For something even more epic, the farm has a 32-foot suite for rent (Canada’s only two-storey yurt!) which boasts a 10-foot-long window overlooking the beautiful buffalo pasture. Or, perhaps a tipi rental is more your thing.

A post shared by The Buffalo Farm (@thebuffalofarm) on Feb 25, 2018 at 10:20am PST

Starting at just $95 per night, the yurts and tipis can be rented year-round, as each is equipped with wood stove, comfy queen-sized beds with organic linens and wool blankets, and washroom facilities.

A post shared by The Buffalo Farm (@thebuffalofarm) on Feb 26, 2018 at 11:23am PST

A fire pit, canoes, and 10kms of groomed hiking trails are also on the premises.

There are tons of activities on-site too, but for those who feel like venturing out for the day, the Eau Claire Gorge is just a few minutes from the farm, and the entrance to Algonquin Park (North Entrance) is less than an hour.

A post shared by The Buffalo Farm (@thebuffalofarm) on Feb 22, 2018 at 6:37pm PST

In addition to the buffalo, many rescued horses now reside on the farm’s animal sanctuary. Get up close and personal with the 14 young horses and buffalo and learn about their stories of overcoming abuse and neglect. A donation of $30 is requested for the care and upkeep of these animals.

A post shared by The Buffalo Farm (@thebuffalofarm) on Jan 21, 2018 at 8:18am PST

The Buffalo Farm has a variety of seasonal events on their calendar such as maple syrup collection in the spring, horseback riding in the summer, wildlife photography in the fall, and ice fishing in the winter.

Buck-a-shuck oyster deals in Toronto might not be as plentiful as cheap wing nights, but there's enough of them to keep any bivalve lover satisfied. While some of these specials are limited to happy hour, many more run all evening long.

Multi-Day

• Bar Neon offers buck-a-shuck daily from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• East Thirty Six runs their buck-a-shuck deal Monday to Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. while quantities last.
• Museum Tavern offers $1 daily at the bar from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. or until they run out. 
• Nome Izakaya does its dollar oysters on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 5 p.m. onwards.
• The Shore Club gets in on the fun Monday to Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. to close.
• Trinity Common starts there deal at 3 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursdays.
• Farmhouse Tavern runs their $1 oyster specials all day Thursday and from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

Tuesday

• Bar Hop on King St. extends your oyster dollar from 5 p.m. onward until supplies last. 
• Biff's Bistro will set you up with buck-a-shuck from 5 p.m. onwards.
• Boehmer does buck-a-shuck, $24 full steamed lobsters and half-priced wine starting at 5:30 p.m.
• Chantecler in Parkdale offers their deal starting at 6 p.m. and runs until they sell out. 
• Hole in The Wall does $1 oysters on from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• At The Mezz you can order as many half a dozen P.E.I oysters as you want.
• Veloute Bistro in the Beaches does $1 oysters on Tuesdays expect during Winterlicious and Summerlicious. 

Wednesday

• Batch has their special buck-a-shuck night starting at 5 p.m.
• Mr. Flamingo does dollar shuck oysters from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
• Nuit Social offers $1 oysters starting at 5 p.m.

Thursday

• Church Aperitivo on West Queen West does cheap oysters all night long. 
• La Societe draws a crowd with its buck-a-shuck deal from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Lbs. offers $1 oysters from open to close.
• Mildred's Temple Kitchen has $1 oysters from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Pearl Diver does a rather special buck-a-shuck deal for those with big appetites. Every Thursday you can get 100 oysters for 100 bucks from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Saks Food Hall at Yonge and Queen offers buck-a-shuck oysters from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

Friday

• Saks Food Hall at Sherway Gardens offers buck-a-shuck oysters all day.

Sunday

• Bar Hop Brewco on Peter serves buck-a-shuck oysters starting at 5 p.m. 
• Skin + Bones features $1 oysters and 1/2 price bottles of bubbly starting at 3 p.m.

Specials are subject to change so we recommend calling ahead to confirm.

The best shops to find locally made goods in Toronto aren’t just talking Canadian made. These stores sell hyper local products, some by makers who live just around the corner. Who needs the mall?

Here are the best shops to find locally made goods in Toronto.

St. Patrick's Day events in Toronto highlight the rich traditions of the Irish people while offering a uniquely Toronto take on the festivities, including a comedy show, film screening, and a fundraiser; all in addition to the usual drunken fun.

A long-standing Toronto McDonald's is about to reopen after temporarily closing many years ago.

The McDonald's across from the ROM at 192 Bloor St. West looked over the University of Toronto St. George Campus for over four decades until it closed in 2013 as part of a redevelopment project.

fav if ur still pissed about the mcdonalds on bloor closing

— Shannon McKechnie (@s_mckechnie) February 7, 2015

But now it appears that it's coming back after what seemed to many as five long, arduous years.

The prime location once boasted three floors and huge front-facing windows. It was very popular with students, tourists and nearby residents, serving as both a go-to for early morning breakfast, late night hangouts, and everything in between.

Pitch idea: "What does the Ave/Bloor McDonalds mean to you?"
I'm sure there's some heartfelt stories

— Lisa Power (@l1sapower) April 16, 2016

The McDonald's is set to finally re-open sometime this spring.

Footage of a Brampton man being chased by what appears to be a large, wild turkey is the toast of Reddit this morning, for obvious reasons if you've seen the clip.

First uploaded to YouTube on Wednesday, the video shows an older gentlemen being followed by a gigantic bird while taking a leisurely walk along a residential stretch of Mountainash Road in Brampton. 

The man attempts to shoo the turkey several times before grabbing a long twig from someone's lawn, and hurrying off in the opposite direction.

Unfazed, the turkey continues to charge after him.

An extended version of the clip uploaded to Reddit on Thursday night shows a car pulling up to rescue the man from his aggressive stalker.

The turkey is seen literally running after the vehicle as it drives away near the end of the video.

It's unclear what started the altercation between man and turkey, but this isn't the first time turkeys have been spotted in the recently-developed area, which isn't far from several ravines and wide open agricultural fields.

"I live about 1 minute walk away from there and I've seen this turkey too lol," wrote someone on the r/Brampton subreddit in response to the video last night.

"The GTA is a big place with lots of farmland," wrote someone else in the r/Toronto thread. "I see turkeys down backroads all the time."

Wild turkeys have also been spotted around Hamilton, Caledon, Etobicoke, and Scarborough, though usually they're more of a nuisance (or source of excitement) than an actual threat.

Speaking from experience, that man was probably smart to jump in a car. If angry turkeys are anything like angry geese, angry swans or angry ostriches, then good luck to the people of Brampton.

Food trucks and the Toronto go together like peanut butter and jelly... on stale white bread with the crusts cut off.

We the people may love our street food, but regulating the industry has proven difficult for city officials in recent years – not to mention business owners.

The rules surrounding food truck permits seem to be at a standstill with extremely limited options where food trucks can park, leaving crowds confused about where they can get their fix of arepas or Beavertails and when and how.

Will Mississauga figure it out before Toronto does? Maybe. 

Our neighbouring city's parks and forestry division is recommending a one-year pilot project that would allow for food trucks in nine different parks across the city, every day, from 7 a.m. - 11 p.m.

If approved, the project would begin this May and run until the end of next April.

Vendors, selected through a lottery process, would be able to set up shop at Jack Darling Memorial Park, Paul Coffey Park, Erindale Park, Mississauga Valley Park,  Dunton Athletic Fields, R.K. McMillan Park, Syntex Green, Max Ward Sports Park and Meadowvale Sports Park.

Toronto had tried to do something similar back in 2013 at Woodbine Park, Sherbourne Common, Roundhouse Park, Canoe Landing and Allan Gardens.

It didn't quite work out.

Yonge-Dundas Square has been called a lot of things by a lot of people, but "extraordinarily ugly" sounds kind of harsh (true as it may be) – especially coming from someone who helped design it.

Toronto-based urban design and architecture studio Brown + Storey tweeted out a photo of the bustling site on Wednesday with two words – "the horror" – and the hashtag "#deathofpublicspace."

This, after journalist Shawn Micallef pointed out that even more digital screens were being added to the already hyper-commercialized space.

The horror. #deathofpublicspacepic.twitter.com/WZSenO2adU

— BROWN+STOREY (@BrownStorey) March 7, 2018

"The original architectural firm behind Dundas Square concedes that the City has allowed it to go to shit," wrote another Toronto journalist, Jonathan Goldsbie, of Brown + Storey's tweet.

The firm had indeed been a driving force behind the project back when they were tapped to design the civic space in 1998.

In an interview with The Star on Thursday, Kim Storey (one half of the accomplished local architecture duo) revealed what happened to change her opinion so drastically.

Dundas Sq - now it's more a commercial rental commodity, and very little 'public space'. Disappointed that with all the attention given to issues of public space in this city, this was allowed to happen. https://t.co/BwjVUA2HHq

— BROWN+STOREY (@BrownStorey) March 7, 2018

Storey said that she and partner James Brown once considered the work a point of pride. They'd envisioned it as "a site for a democratic society to gather, discuss and demonstrate, and to be a community."

And then the city started installing huge digital signs everywhere, changing the vibe from "public gathering space" to one of urgent consumerism.

The firm now considers Yonge-Dundas Square – with its ever-increasing amount of ad space – an embarrassment.

"There has to be some place where we are not bombarded by advertising, to have a respite from all of this," said Storey to The Star. "Once you start bringing signs in, it closes down the space."

I admire architect Kim Storey’s honesty, outrage about the commercialization of Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square. (I have been leading tours of Toronto for almost 10 years and never, ever take people there). https://t.co/lv3JnfmxsK

— Sean Hertel (@Sean_Hertel) March 9, 2018

When asked about whether or not they tried to intervene, the firm wrote on Twitter that it had. Hard.

"We raised concerns and were ignored or dismissed (except for Shawn's earlier article) by the management board, the local councillor and by general public indifference," reads a reply sent Wednesday. 

"Seemed like an impossible battle to fight on our own.  Heartbreaking in many ways."

Heads up, frugal fashionistas and fashionistos: Nordstrom Rack is almost here.

The "off-price retail division" of the American luxury department store Nordstrom is gearing up for its Canadian launch at Vaughan Mills, just outside of Toronto, in roughly 13 days.

A "grand opening tailgate celebration" will kick things off on March 22 at 9:00 a.m., with the store set to open officially just an hour later at 10:00 a.m. 

The Rack will offer savings of up 70 per cent off regular priced merchandise from its fancier, but much pricier department stores. Expect brands like Ted Baker, Theory, and Bobbi Brown for a mere fraction of what you'd pay elsewhere.

According to previous reports, the 35,000-square-foot store will be located across from the Nike Factory Store at Vaughan Mills.

A second local Nordstrom Rack location is set to open on May 3 at Yonge and Bloor.

Everybody's best friends at big teleco have confirmed that they're hiking home internet rates this spring – because when you provide an essential service with virtually no competition, you can do whatever the heck you want!

As previously reported, Rogers Communications will be increasing the cost of all "in-market legacy internet packages" with download speeds of more than 20Mbps by $8 a month starting Monday.

Bell Canada will raise its broadband internet prices by $5 a month in Ontario starting this April, with overage charges going from $3 to $4 extra per gigabyte, according to the Canadian Press.

Telus is not participating in the price hike this time around, though it did recently end bundle discount for customers with multiple services.

@Rogers and @Bell raising internet and data prices AGAIN after a $10.2B increase in revenue in 2016 and we’re already one of (if not) the highest paying country for these devices, yet there’s no justification for increase... classic corporate greed!

— Adam Donlan (@Donsauce) March 9, 2018

Representatives from both Bell and Rogers told CP by email that their "price adjustments" will "help fund improvements in the reach and capabilities" of their growing networks.

This has proven confusing to some experts, who acknowledge that network expansion does cost money, but aren't quite sure why prices have gone up so much and so often in recent years.

Half a billion dollars from the federal government alone has been set aside specifically for this purpose.

Meanwhile, Canadian internet service revenues climbed to a whopping $10.2 billion dollars in 2016 (the most recent data available,) according to the CRTC, marking a jump of more than 10 per cent over the previous year.

My, what poor timing you have, @Rogers.

I'm glad "customers like me" are using the Internet more and more. It's absolute bullshit that you and @Bell and @TELUS find it okay to over charge for a stable internet connection, acceptable speeds and no data cap.

Do better. Fix it. pic.twitter.com/xzjkD36660

— negasonic teenage kavvy (@kavmac) March 9, 2018

People are spending more time online than ever before, to be fair, and more use means more spending – but it's getting hard for some Canadians to keep up.

Fortunately, as many online are pointing out today, smaller, independent ISPs like Tekksavy and Coextro say they have no intentions of raising their prices at all.

The only problem is that these providers aren't available everywhere. Rural customers, in particular, are often stuck with few telecom provider choices – if not just one.

"The CRTC 's competitive market at work, folks," wrote Canada's Forum for Research & Policy in Communications of the news. "And why we should all fear the idea of the CRTC deciding which websites you can - or can't - visit."

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario has unveiled an official logo and name for its forthcoming chain of marijuana dispensaries.

Introducing the Ontario Cannabis Store (or "OCS," as it will likely come to be known) and its minimalistic, sans-serif, black and white logo.

Ontario Cannabis Store will be the brand name of the province's new cannabis agency, including its stores and online channel. (Image via LCBO Cannabis Updates)

"We are confident the brand name and logo will help ensure Ontarians are able to safely and easily identify Ontario Cannabis Stores as the sole legal retailer of non-medical cannabis in Ontario," reads the LCBO's dedicated cannabis updates blog.

"The name is designed to convey a safe, simple and approachable environment for consumers, and agency employees, in a clear and easily understood manner."

If safe and simple were what the LCBO's design team was going for, consider this a smashing success.

The creative team behind the Ontario Cannabis Store logo. #ONpolipic.twitter.com/XKyQ2jq2zl

— Andrew Tumilty (@AndrewTumilty) March 9, 2018

Along with the logo and name, LCBO Cannabis Updates revealed more details on Friday about its board of directors, online stores and in-store shopping experience.

The Canadian commerce platform Shopify will be powering both brick-and-mortar and online sales channels for Ontario's cannabis agency, including its stores and online channel.

"Shopify will also supply the technology to power screens throughout the physical stores that give consumers product and health information which will follow federal guidelines and marketing provisions," reads the post.

"The in-store point-of-sale system will operate through iPad hardware."

Very hip, Ontario. Very hip indeed.

Have you seen a giant penis in the parking lot of Women's College Hospital? You're not alone.

The Toronto Sun reported today that both doctors and patients have "noticed on their Google Maps phone app, what appears to be a phallic shaped island" in the hospital's parking lot near Grenville St. and Surrey Pl.

What these people actually saw was a long, oval-shaped parking island with a widened base at one end - not atypical for a hospital cab stand, but kind of funny given where it is, pointing directly at giant sign that says "WOMEN."

It is highly unlikely that Women's College Hospital– a leading ambulatory care and teaching hospital recognized by the World Health Organization – will do anything based on these reports.

The phallic shape can only be seen from above, after all, and it doesn't really look that much like human genitals – unlike the TTC's now-legendary penis-shaped map at Downsview Station.

Come on, you knew I was going there. 

The parking island at Women's College Hospital may get a few snickers today, but the TTC's boner of a map will live on in the hearts of Torontonians forever.

Downsview Park dick map: A Part of Our Heritage.

Events in Toronto today will see the beginning of the World of the Fatimids exhibition and a small but poignant exhibition of the work of Magnum photographer Bruno Barbey.

The top cafes in Markham have some of the best coffee in the area and tasty treats, plus, if you’re lucky, a good space to study or kick it with friends.

Here are my picks for the top cafes in Markham.

Alchemy Coffee

Not only does this cafe on Highway 7 have great coffee, it also has one of the best breakfast menus in Markham. Chicken and waffles, eggs benny and piles of pancakes topped corn flakes, berries, and condensed milk – it's a morning miracle.

Platform Espresso Bar

This pretty space has beautifully crafted lattes that are perfect for Instagram. Not only that, this Highway 7 cafe serves brunch, like French toast in a mug and chicken waffles plated with unique handfuls of curly strips of thin potato.

Dak Lak

Considering it's a tiny small in PMall, there’s nowhere to sit at this cafe, but people still line up for their drinks anyway. This spot serves Vietnamese coffee but they really specialize in desserts with yogurt, jelly, and coconut milk.

Red Bulb Espresso Bar

Occupying a one hundred year-old house on Main Street, this cafe gets it beans from one of the best roasters in the city, Social Coffee Company, plus a menu of empanadas, quiches, and cookies for Circles and Squares.

Funky Munky

Inspired by the owners' daughter's love of monkeys, this high-ceilinged cafe in a plaza on Markham road has a lively interior that fills up with groups who come for the milk teas and stay for the good vibes.

It's no longer mandatory to eat pasta in a fancy restaurant equipped with hankies and lit candles: fast-food Italian is becoming a trend in the city, and businesses are now serving faves like gnocchi and fettucini in boxes, Chinese-takeout style. 

While places like Pasta Mondo on St. Clair West have been serving takeout Italian for years, the last month has seen the inception of new competitors changing a cuisine once reserved for sit-down affairs and making it more accessible.

A post shared by Jensen Constantino (@jensenlovesfood) on Feb 3, 2018 at 9:33am PST

The newest pasta-to-go phenomenon about to hit Canada is Dal Moro's, a Venetian brand that opened last week on Yonge just north of Wellesley.

Dal Moro's makes all their pasta fresh in-house daily, and the fact that their customers have to eat out of cardboard containers doesn't seem to detract from the experience. 

Fusing high quality dining with quick service packaging, the restaurant doesn't just cook basic noodles smothered in red sauce; they also have trendy options like black squid ink sauce and frutti di mare. 

A post shared by PASTUCCI'S (@pastucciscanada) on Feb 27, 2018 at 10:50am PST

Another newly-opened restaurant Pastucci's is operating the same concept in Etobicoke, serving a build-it-yourself menu of penne and rigatoni packaged in takeout boxes. 

Serving al dente pasta – noodles that are slightly undercooked – the brand's mantra is all about healthy eating, since al dente pasta is apparently better for you than the overcooked stuff.

A post shared by Pasta Mondo (@pastamondo) on Jan 20, 2018 at 10:09am PST

This new boxed-Italian trend is actually more about customization and speediness than packaging.

Taking high-carb pasta meals and offering gluten-free or vegetarian options, brands like Del Moro's and Pastucci's are capitalizing on a new world where busy eaters want to gorge on Italian classics while staying healthy at the same time. 

After 36 years of business, the only independent used book store in the city north of Eglinton is closing its doors forever. 

The Handy Book Exchange– which, since 1982, has offered the Avenue and Lawrence community a cozy place to gather and peruse thousands of books – will be no more on April 1. 

“Everybody is very upset about this," says the store manager Carole Nelles.

According to Carole, Handy Book has long experienced property issues like leaking roofs, and is now being forced to evacuate while the space undergoes renovations. 

After the changes are made, Carole says rent will go up to $6,000 a month – an astronomical price compared to what the store is paying now. 

With no new affordable property nearby to call home, Handy Book Exchange has nowhere to go. 

“I’ve had people coming in crying,” says Carole, who has run the store for 13 years since her close friend and original owner of the store, Olive Navis, passed away. 

"The single, older people that are retired, they come here to meet people, to talk to people."

Now tasked with the daunting prospect of getting rid of around 50,000 books before the end of March, Handy Exchange is selling its books for $1 each. 

Filled from top to bottom with books on all topics ranging from literature to architecture, plus a room dedicated to children’s books, there are hopes that the store’s longtime following of dedicated readers will be able to come collect as many books as possible. 

Those that can’t sell will be donated to charities like the Raptor’s Read to Achieve program, partnering with Demar DeRozan to bring books to underserved children in the city. 

"This was a part of the community," says Carole. "A big part." 

Restaurants across Toronto are starting to put up specially-designed signs on their doors to let customers know that they're anti-fur.

Developed by animal rights activist Len Goldberg and designed by graphic artist Louise Jorgensen, the signs have made their way permanently to the front doors of at least 10 vegetarian restaurants around Toronto and London since the beginning of March. 

Vegetarian Jamaican restaurant Ital Vital has adopted the anti-fur campaign. Photo via Len Goldberg.

Places like Kensington's vegan Cosmic Treats, V's Caribbean in Mount Dennis, and popular Jamaican joint Ital Vital in Scarborough have all adopted the campaign, which is conducted through Animal Rights Toronto. 

The sign, which depicts a coyote and a winter parka with a fur-lined hoodie, says, "We prefer that you not wear fur." 

In smaller print below, it adds, "If you're wearing animals' fur, we still warmly welcome you to our establishment, but we hope you'll open your heart to animals and go fur-free." 

The project has spread mostly online through the support of web campaigners who have encouraged local businesses to join the movement.

Vegetarian and veg-friendly restaurants interested in taking part of the campaign first contact Len, who then sends them a copy of the poster and an adhesive frame. The signs can also be translated and delivered in any language.

Dosa Mahal is receiving support from patrons for their anti-fur sign. Photo via Len Goldberg.

Participating restaurants like Dosa Mahal in Bloordale have so far received nothing but support for their strong anti-fur stance from patrons online. 

Brenna Angel commented via Facebook, "Thank you, for not only serving great food, but for sticking up for animals! I love that No-Fur sign on your door! More establishments need to operate with this level of compassion." 

According to Elliot Alexander, the co-owner of Cosmic Treats, the language of the poster is neutral while still getting its point across.

"[It] really lets everyone know that everyone is welcome in our restaurant," he says in a video conversation with Len Goldberg, "Also making them cognizant of the fact that their fashion choices can involve the suffering of an animal."  

A legendary Chinese restaurant known for their incredible steamed buns is opening a location in Chinatown this October. 

Renowned internationally for their iconic baozi (Chinese buns) made of half-leaven dough and filled with juicy meat and a bit of soup, Goubuli will soon have a second spot on the ground floor of the Dragon Condo at 270 Spadina Avenue.

Goubuli is one of the oldest brands to come out of China, going all the way back to 1858. Originating in the northern city of Tianjin, the brand's name translates to "dog ignores" in mandarin – a play on the historic restaurant owner's tendency to ignore small talk during busy hours. 

A post shared by 理不狗 Goubuli Canada (@libugou_canada) on Jan 12, 2017 at 9:16am PST

The restaurant's first Toronto location opened on West Beaver Creek in 2016 and saw major success due to their famous baozi – known to each feature 18 wrinkles on their crown – stuffed with fillings like juicy pork, crab, or shredded seafood.

A post shared by 理不狗 Goubuli Canada (@libugou_canada) on Jan 12, 2017 at 9:07am PST

The restaurant also serves Tianjin-style snacks like smoked meats and signature Northern dishes like handmade noodle soups and jelly fish with black vinegar.  

A post shared by 理不狗 Goubuli Canada (@libugou_canada) on Jan 12, 2017 at 9:10am PST

Super authentic dishes include a traditional Beijing hot pot – served in an ornate copper pot – that's available through reservation only. 

The top Peruvian restaurants in Toronto are the go-to spots for lomo saltado and pollo a la brasa. Explore a fusion of flavours from Peru’s Indigenous recipes mixed with some international ingredients and wash it down with some boozy pisco, Peru’s national drink.

Here are my picks for the top Peruvian restaurants in Toronto.

Kay Pacha

Head to this St. Clair West restaurant for bites of Peruvian classics with a twist. Meals at this higher end spot are pricey, so prepare to spend more on your yuca fritas and pisco cocktails.

King’s BBQ Chicken

This low-key Roger’s Road eatery serves up Chifa – Chinese food made Peruvian-style that’s incredibly popular due to the big Chinese population in Peru. Portions are huge here and you truly get a bang for your buck on favourites like lomo saltado.

Mochica

With an eye for presentation, this Little Italy spot serves up a gastronomic-style menu created by Cordon Bleu chef Martin Ore, whose dishes are inspired by his ancestral Mochica culture.

Mira

The brainchild of the chef behind Byblos and Patria, this eclectic spot on King West is definitely the hot spot for Latin American dining. Full of fun and colourful custom decor, Mira, which means ‘look’ in Spanish, is undoubtedly the hippest place in the city for Peruvian. 

Los Chicos Brasa

Specializing in rotisserie chicken, this Peruvian restaurant on Highway 7 East sits in a plaza flush with mostly Asian restaurants. Their menu is pretty affordable as far as Peruvian food goes, and they get points for carrying the Peruvian cream soda, Inca Kola.

The top places to drink Absinthe in Toronto are where to go to chase the green fairy. Pour this highly intoxicating drink from a classic Absinthe fountain with a cube of sugar to full experience this French phenomenon.

Here are my picks for the top places to drink Absinthe in Toronto. 

L'Absinthe Bar at Coq of the Walk

Head upstairs to this Little Italy absintherie’s parlour for an immersive absinthe experience. This belle epoque-themed area houses 12 types of absinthe, some served from the traditional fountain, and a sommelier who will be happy to educate you on this this cloudy drink.

Hocus Pocus

This Queen West spot is a witchery – yes, you read that right – so it only makes sense they’d also carry this magical drink. Providing one of the best pouring shows on this list, different varieties of absinthe come with the whole deal: of sugar, smoke, and flames.

Bacchanal

You won’t spot this menu right away, but ask for the absinthe list and this French bistro near West Queen West will hand you a selection of eight absinthe types, served in one ounce pours.

Cluny Bistro

Offering a modern French dining experience in the Distillery District, this restaurant has absinthe pouring from fountains in one ounce servings, plus a deadly cocktail called the Distillery Sazerac which has a bite of American Lucid Absinthe.

Barchef

Specializing in cocktails, this Queen West bar carries Absinthe from the France and Czech Republic like Hill’s Genuine, which is actually more of a blue colour but just as potent as the green stuff.