New restaurants in Toronto have brought us fresh takes on tried and true egg sandwiches, barbecue, pancakes, fried chicken, skewers, vegan food and Italian. Head to these spots to find out whether their twists are better than the conventional versions.

Here are my picks for the top restaurants that opened in Toronto last month.

Chica’s

Nashville hot fried chicken can now be found in the Junction at this corner spot that does massive versions of the fried bird dish in ascending levels of spice.

Founder

Catfish and chicken hearts on skewers plus pho-inspired chicken salad, green curry fried chicken and cheeseburger bao make up the snack menu at this Dundas West bar that just replaced Saucy Pierogi.

Drake Mini Bar

The Drake Hotel empire welcomes a new little sibling into the family across the hall from Drake 150 in the Financial District. The smaller space allows them to take more risks with a sharing-style menu of small plates.

Rosalinda

Vegan diners now have another option in the city with this Financial District beauty where you can get vegan burgers, tostadas and other Mexican-inspired eats.

Sofia

Sip a martini and tuck into melon and prosciutto or fresh pasta at this glitzy new Yorkville restaurant that comes complete with pop art, a white piano and two patios.

Blackjack BBQ

You might get duck wings rather than chicken ones or hot turkey rather than hot chicken at this Leslieville spot replacing Loaded Pierogi, but run by the same people.

Kushimaru

Deep-fried kushikatsu skewers have arrived in Toronto at this Bay and Dundas newcomer. Quail eggs, Oreos, okra, salmon, cauliflower, fish cake and cheese are available on a stick here.

Good Things

Healing lattes, tonics, superfood smoothies, protein power bowls, immune boosting elixirs and toasts are what's on the menu at this cafe near Broadview and Dundas..

Egg Bae

Egg sandwiches are bae at this new all-day breakfast joint in Kensington Market. They come on house egg brioche and eggs are either scrambled or fried, with toppings like house-cured bacon and salmon.

Fuwa Fuwa

Toronto has another source for jiggly souffle pancakes at this Annex restaurant that does tiramisu versions of the Insta-worthy treat.

Friday morning's commute is proving rather messy on Toronto's public transit system, and not only because everybody is hot, gross, sweaty and ready to kill.

TTC officials announced shortly after 6 a.m. on Twitter that service on Line 1 was "severely impacted" by signal issues at Wilson Yard and that trains would be turning back at both Lawrence West and St. George stations.

6:18 and there's already a subway delay @TTChelps ! #ttcpic.twitter.com/AWJUBQngtk

— Sarah Lawless (@SarahALawless) June 1, 2018

Shuttle buses, they said, were operating, which is all well and good when there are enough of said buses available and it doesn't feel like 30 degrees outside with 87 per cent humidity.

Unfortunately for Toronto subway riders, it's June now.

@TTChelps grand ride on TTC this morning. Happy Friday to me! Forced off southbound train at Lawrence W and now on crowded sauna bus ride going nowhere 😡😡😡

— MSoares (@soccermae) June 1, 2018

With rush hour traffic getting heavier, the TTC decided to take trains from Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth) and move them over to the busy Line 1 (Yonge-University).

"Whenever you guys 'reroute' from Line 2, does this mean that the TTC is actually reducing service in Line 2 to make us as equally miserable as Line 1 riders?" asked one customer on Twitter. "#Favouritism."

"Customers will experience longer than normal wait and travel times," wrote the transit agency. "Plz utilize alternate routing to complete journey."

Wtf @TTChelps@TTCnotices ? Is this transit in a “world-class” city? People need to work. Subway trains every 30 min doesn’t cut it pic.twitter.com/c2zVbMfORv

— Jamie C (@JamieCaps) June 1, 2018

TTC spokesperson Brad Ross announced around 8 a.m. that full service had resumed on Line 1, but that shuttle buses would still be running.

The earlier issue at Wilson Yard may have been resolved, but as usual, secondary problems caused by this morning's delay continue to ripple through the entire system.

@TTChelps and HK, I was hoping #wilsonstation wouldn't do this to me again. Another day I am working from home. Please #fixwilson soon @JohnTory@joericciopic.twitter.com/YOKyhjBsXz

— Bikini Beach Body (@BikiniBeachBod1) June 1, 2018

As of 9:30 a.m., the TTC is reporting that customers may still experience longer than normal travel times southbound between York Mills and Bloor Stations.

"We'll get to the bottom of this morning's issues at Wilson Yard and share what we know, when we know," said Ross. 

"While service levels and crowding is manageable at the moment, expect slower than normal travel times between now and end of rush hour. Have a good weekend everyone."

Although not Toronto's first book vending machine — the beloved "Biblio-mat" at Monkey's Paw on Bloor Street West came before it and served as inspiration — Carry On Books, the new book vending machine that launched today is certainly a game-changer for those in and around the Billy Bishop Island Airport. 

Even better, the machine is situated "pre-security" so you don't need a boarding pass to take advantage of it. Put in place by the Literary Press Group, an association made up of 60 Canadian independent book publishers, the vending machine features 20 independent titles.

Books are priced between $16 and $20, the machine accepts debit and credit, no cash, according to the Toronto Star. 

The machine will be rotating 30 titles throughout the summer, from publishers Book*hug, Brindle & Glass, Inanna Publications, Nightwood Editions, Playwrights Canada Press and Stonehouse Publishing. 

Carry On Books is an "experiment" running from June 1 to Aug. 31 and was funded by the Canada Book Fund. 

As for why this machine is in the airport, “We thought Billy Bishop was the best place to launch a book vending machine because there’s no real entertainment options on the flight,” Christen Thomas, Literary Press Group's executive director, told the Toronto Star. “We often see passengers reading the literature on the plane.”

Ready or not, the City of Toronto is officially kicking off bikini season this weekend.

Nine of our biggest and best public beaches will open to the public on Saturday, June 2, according to a press release from the city, all of which will remain open until Labour Day.

What this means, in part, is that lifeguards will soon be on duty at all of the following open swimming beaches every day between 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.:

• Bluffer's Park Beach 
• Centre Island Beach 
• Cherry/Clarke Beach
• Gibraltar Point Beach 
• Hanlan’s Point Beach 
• Kew-Balmy Beach 
• Sunnyside Beach
• Ward's Island Beach 
• Woodbine Beach 

The opening date also pertains to beach facilities like washrooms, change rooms, showers, snack bars, concession stands and volleyball courts (where available).

All of the beaches listed above, with the exception of Sunnyside, have been awarded Blue Flag status for 2018, meaning they've been recognized as having excellent water quality, safety, amenities and environmental management.

"City of Toronto beaches are great places to relax, escape the heat and get active," said Mayor John Tory in a release on Friday announcing this year's beach opening date. "I encourage residents to take advantage of the opportunity to go outdoors and cool off this weekend." 

The last two beaches to open this season will be Marie Curtis Park East Beach and Rouge Beach, where lifeguards will be on duty as of June 16.

Rooftop patios in Toronto will have you drinking and dining in the clouds. From soaring pools to the 51st floor of the Manulife Centre, you'll be taking in the cityscape from a vantage point unlike anywhere else. 

Check out all 50 essential Toronto rooftop patios in this photo gallery.

After back-to-back sold out events, SMASH presented by RBC Wealth Management, returns for its most immersive art party to date. Want to go? We’ve teamed up with the Gardiner Museum to give you a chance to win a pair of tickets to the party June 21.

Check out all the contest details here.

Among the latest crop of new (or soon-to-open) boutique lodging spaces in Toronto is Canada's first Ace Hotel — an ultra hip chain synonymous with Portland, Oregon and its emphasis on "creative gumption."

The new hotel is currently under construction at 49-51 Camden Street, next to Brant between Richmond and Adelaide Streets, and developer Alterra predicts it will be open sometime in 2019.

Only 10 other Ace Hotels currently exist worldwide — all of them in hot creative cities such as New York, Los Angeles, London, Chicago and, of course, Portland, where the brand originated in 1999.

The new Ace Hotel's red brick exterior has been described as a nod to the industrial past of its neighbourhood, which includes the nearby historic Waterworks building. Image via Alterra.

Construction has been underway on the building since at least 2016, with excavation that began mid-way through last year. As Urban Toronto notes this week, the 13-storey building is now close to rising above ground level.

This means that we'll soon start to see a stately red brick building start to rise across from St. Andrew's playground and, thanks to some recently-released renderings from Alterra, we now know what that'll look like.

"The building will punctuate what is already a hub for Toronto's creative design set," reads the developer's website, hailing architect Shim Sutcliffe's design as "a nod to the area's industrial past."

Toronto will be the 12th city to get its own Ace Hotel after Kyoto, Japan, in 2019. Image via Alterra.

The hotel will boast a total of 124 rooms upon completion, according to Alterra, some which will likely include an acoustic Martin Guitar and/or a working turntable "with a curated selection of vinyls," as is the case with other Ace Hotels.

"We are not here to reinvent the hotel, but to readdress its conventions to keep them fresh, energized, human," reads the hotel's main website.

"Always go with the best idea, regardless of where it comes from and be willing to learn from anybody," the blurb continues before going on to talk about truth, fate, free will and trying not to be a jerk.

"Work can be a beautiful thing when done beautifully, and it's a lot more fun done together than apart," it concludes. "This, more than anything else, is why people want to sleep with us."

Okay.

Google's high-tech urban development experiment is now well underway in Toronto and, as promised, engineers are ready to start showing off some of what they've been building.

Sidewalk Labs, the Alphabet-owned organization responsible for Toronto's new "neighbourhood of the future," announced on Friday that it would be opening up a public workshop and event space in the city on Saturday, June 16.

"We've transformed an old fish processing plant and parking lot into an experimental work space," reads a public invitation from Sidewalk Toronto. "We're excited to co-create and share our explorations with you as the project evolves."

On Saturday June 16, from noon to 6pm, @sidewalklabs will open “307,” a new experimental workspace at 307 Lake Shore Boulevard East, with #OpenSidewalk, a monthly event series. Come explore prototypes, performances, workshops, and more. RSVP now! https://t.co/va319a16gnpic.twitter.com/p0go3zLDXv

— Sidewalk Toronto (@SidewalkToronto) May 31, 2018

Called 307 (after its address at 307 Lake Shore Boulevard East), the venue is located in a building that used to house such MLSE entertainment properties as NBA TV Canada.

The area where it sits will eventually be part of Quayside, which is what Sidewalk Labs and Waterfront Toronto have named their forthcoming, 12-acre "smart-city" district along the eastern waterfront.

Sidewalk Labs doesn't plan on breaking ground until 2020, but it already has teams in the city experimenting with technology and hosting public roundtables.

The purpose of opening 307 is to share some of the work that's already being done in terms of what's planned for Quayside, to get feedback from Toronto residents and to interact with locals through cool community projects like a learning garden. 

"Inside and outside we’ll be exploring some of the ideas that could become part of this future neighbourhood," reads the invitation, "and establishing an open venue for community co-creation."

The Alphabet-owned Sidewalk Labs has partnered with the Scadding Court Community Centre to set up Market 307, a spin on the latter's successful Market 707. Image via Sidewalk Labs.

Sidewalk says that 307 will be open to the public every weekend, but the space will also play home to a monthly event series called "Open Sidewalk" where people of all ages and abilities can check out prototypes, participate in workshops and take in performances, among other things.

An on-site market called Market 307 (modelled after Scadding Court's Market 707 at Dundas and Bathurst) will also be serving food and non-alcoholic drinks all day from vendors like Gushi, Pierogi Me!, and Jammy Dodger.

As far as the prototypes go, Sidewalk Labs revealed on Friday that the following would be available for the public to check out at its first Open Sidewalk event later this month:

• The Dynamic Street: Modular pavement and lights that can be programmed to give more street space to pedestrians, more of the time.
• Building Blocks: An exploration of flexible ways for communities to make outdoor furniture.
• Navigating 307: A partnership with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind that tests how Bluetooth beacons can help visually impaired visitors navigate evolving spaces.
• Plan Your Neighbourhood: A new data-driven approach to urban planning known as "generative design."

You can learn about and, hopefully, play with some of these things on June 16 from noon to 6 p.m. when Sidewalk Labs officially opens the 307 public workshop in Quayside.

Warehouse sales in Toronto this June have everything to get you ready for summer, without breaking the bank. There's big savings to be had on designer furniture and shoes, while Kitchen Stuff Plus is looking to clean the house out for the season.

It's that time of year again. We're opening the poll to 10 new best of categories including Italian restaurants, vinyl record stores, fried chicken, fish tacos, sushi and more. Voting ends on Sunday June 3 at 6 p.m..

Take the poll here

Australian rules football. Unless you’ve flipped through the sports channels after a big night out, you’ve probably never heard of it. Despite its relative obscurity, the game has quietly blossomed in Toronto — with the local league entering its 30th season.

With nine clubs across the province — including seven in the GTA — the Australian Football League of Ontario (AFL Ontario) has grown to become the largest league in the Western Hemisphere.

The sport, known colloquially as "footy," can be confusing to the uninitiated, but with elements from a range of sports Canadians have found they all bring different skills to the game.

Generally played with 36 people on the ground, on a field the size of two football pitches, opposing players — without pads or helmets for protection — run, kick and handpass (similar to an underarm volleyball serve) the oblong ball down the enormous pitch with the objective of kicking it between the middle two of four upright posts. Simple, right?

With the physicality of rugby and football, the running and foot skills of soccer and the 360-degree flow and high-scoring nature of basketball, new players can all bring a different perspective to the game.

Central Blues player Bruce Parker first picked up the sport in 1993 when the Mississauga Mustangs recruited him through a shopping mall display booth.

Players run, kick, pass and do a volleyball-like serve to get the ball down the field. 

“It’s not rugby. It’s like soccer, but without offsides. You can catch the football and you can tackle your opponent,” Parker says.

“Fast-paced high scoring, everything you love about team sports all rolled into one game. It’s the culture, if done properly, of Australian sociability and camaraderie through sport that really appeals to Canadians like myself. That’s what keeps people playing.”

Toronto received its first taste of footy in 1988 when the Australian Football League — then the Victorian Football League (VFL) — played an exhibition match at Varsity Stadium.

Despite the men in short shorts and tight singlets, or perhaps because of them, 18,571 people watched professional teams Collingwood and Hawthorn with quite a bit of confusion.

But the seeds for footy in Toronto were sown.

A group of expat Australians and their Canadian friends formed two teams — the Mississauga Mustangs and Toronto Panthers— which then played the first amateur match on Canadian soil, or anywhere in the Western Hemisphere.

A new league quickly sprouted and today is represented by men’s and women’s teams from Hamilton, Ottawa, Guelph and Kitchener-Waterloo, but most of the teams still come from Toronto.

Through most Saturdays over the summer, Toronto clubs play their home games at the purpose-built Australian football oval at Colonel Samuel Smith Park in Etobicoke, but the teams train throughout the city.

Tackling is permitted in Australian rules footy. Ouch! 

Parker says while there is a strong Australian expat presence, the players are mostly Canadian.

“We are always trying to recruit more Canadians,” Parker says. “They are the backbone of our clubs. Australians are a great source of knowledge, but at the end of the day they return to Australia."

The clubs are also open to all fitness and experience levels.

“The important thing is that you’re just willing to try something new," Parker says. "There are no try-outs. Just get in contact, rock up to a training session and join in the fun.”

Events in Toronto today bring good news to music lovers as Field Trip kicks off at Fort York. Elsewhere, there's a vintage streetwear flea, artwalk, a beer festival and a big street festival on Dundas West.

Beaches near Toronto will have you escaping the city for some much needed R&R. If you've had your fill of city life and need a bit of a vacation, head to one of these nearby spots for a little down time. There's sun, sand, and for the most part significantly less pollution (noise and otherwise) to bring you down.

Here are my picks for the top beaches near Toronto.

Port Darlington Beach 

A lovely beach in Clarington with great paved walking trails all around, you'll find yourself in your happy place watching the waves and catching some sun from this beach. One thing to keep in mind is that, according to beach-goers, you should be prepared to leave the beach to use the bathrooms as the facilities onsite are rarely open. 

Paradise Beach (Town of Ajax Public Beach)

A gem just off the waterfront path, this Ajax beach may be smaller, but it's got a lovely sandy sitting area and some picnic benches too. The sand doesn't go in to water, its all rocks, so take some water shoes with you. What you don't get in a sand bottom is made up for with the view of Toronto and the CN tower across the lake. 

Lakefront West Park

Head to a more eastern Lake Ontario beach to escape the crowds of Hanlan's Point and Woodbine. This Oshawa beach offers an expansive stretch of sand and water, with parks and tons of sports facilities around. You can lie in the sun, play beach volleyball or throw a ball around at the baseball diamonds.

Bronte Beach Park

If you are down to do a full day trip, this beach in Oakville is never a let-down. In close proximity to Bronte Village, you'll be able to spend your day doing much more than just laying out in the sun. There's a bevy of shops and restaurants in the area, as well as a large playground to keep you busy.

Innisfil Beach Park

This Innisfil beach is the jack of all trades, as far as beaches are concerned. It boasts three soccer fields, two baseball diamonds, playgrounds, a public boat launch and a long stretch of shoreline where you can relax on the sands or take a dip in Lake Simcoe.

After years of popping bottles and hosting the occasional celebrities like Kevin Hart and Lebron James, a 12,000 square-foot Toronto nightclub will soon be demolished to make way for two new towers: the 45-storey  Nobu Residences. 

Maison Mercer, the massive luxe party venue in the Entertainment District, is set to close at the end of the month for good. 

The incoming building will simultaneously be a condo, hotel, and home to Canada's first Nobu restaurant all in one space. The residence's 700 units have been on sale since last year.  

To celebrate its impending demolition, Maison Mercer held its last international DJ event last night with a set from Welsh DJ Jamie Jones, founder of the music label Hot Creations. 

In an Instagram post this week, the club wrote: "After spending numerous nights with Toronto's party people on Mercer Street, Maison Mercer is officially shuttering its doors." 

"While this marks the end of years of sold-out parties, appearances by celebrities and performances by some of the globe's most renown [sic] musicians, it breaks our hearts to say that this downtown beacon for nightlight is departing the entertainment district." 

Maison Mercer is probably best known for its private bottle service, along with its audio capabilities – courtesy of its top of the line Funktion-One sound system – lush patio and boujee nighttime crowds. 

While the venue will continue to host more events for Pride this month, it's last party will take place on July 1. Looks like the party's finally over. 

The cobbled streets of the The Distillery District make up one of the most tourist-friendly areas in the city. Home to the annual Festival of Lights and Christmas Market, this revived historic site features upscale restaurants, distilleries and a smattering of galleries. It's easy to spend the day walking around here or exploring it on a segway, if you prefer.

Here's how to spend a day in the Distillery District.

Breakfast and Coffee

For that morning pick-me-up, head to Balzac's for a parfait or scone to enjoy beneath a giant Vaudeville chandelier or, for something distinctly Distillery, choose Arvo for pourover coffee and one of their chocolate croissants from Delysees. 

Arvo Coffee uses glass pour over coffee makers for that morning cup of joe. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Morning Activity

There's no shortage of artsy things to peruse in the Distillery, with furniture and jewellery studios hidden in the old buildings. For one of the most popular stops, waltz into Corkin Gallery, a 10,000-foot space where you can catch the latest exhibition by international talent. 

Lunch

Formerly Boku Sushi, the less pricey Boku Noodle Bar serves up a menu of Japanese noodles, poke bowls and small izakaya-style snacks.

For one of the best BLTs in the city there's Brick Street Bakery, which also offers a famous Coronation chicken sandwich and an assortment of bread baked fresh at their Leslieville store.

The BLT from Brick Street Bakery is a popular lunch option in the Distillery. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Shopping and Culture

There's so many stores to check out in this neighbourhood that you simply won't find anywhere else thanks to the longstanding policy to feature independent shops over chains.

For vintage goods, Blackbird Vintage always has some interesting finds while those looking to upgrade their wardrobe might do well to pick up the latest classic-wear for men and women at the spacious Gotstyle, or  at John Fluevog where you'll find the designer's quintessential quirky shoes. 

You can grab a pair of funky shoes at John Fluevog. Photo by Tanya Mok. 

For fashionable fits and sunnies there's Crimson & Clover, or City of Angels for L.A.-inspired looks. Deciem is where you'll find the brand of locally made skincare products. For sportswear fashion, Sport Gallery is a unique spot for retro goods and apparel.

Afternoon Snack

Indulge your sweet tooth at Cacao 70 or SOMA for all things chocolate, Greg's Ice Cream for one of the best scoops in the city or Sweet Escape — tucked away at the back of the Bergo building — for ice cream flavours like caramelized banana and birthday cake. 

Cacao 70 is one of many options in the Distillery where you can indulge your sweet tooth. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Tastings and Tours

It's not called the Distillery District for nothing: get your pre-drink on before dinner at the Mill Street Brew Pub with free samples of beer on tap, or take an hour-long tour of the Ontario Spring Water Sake Company and sample four types of sake.

For flights of gin, vodka and whiskey, head to Spirit of York and do a distillery walk-through. For something non-alcoholic, there's Vom Fass with barrels of olive oil you can sample all afternoon. 

Everything is made on site at the Spirit of York Distillery where you can cozy up to the bar for some tastings. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Dinner

Any of the restaurants by the Distillery Restaurant Corp. are a good bet: enjoy the fabulous nighttime patio at the two-floored Mexican restaurant El Catrin, oysters at Pure Spirits or a drink of absinthe with your French food at Cluny. They also have really good weekend brunch. 

Drinks and Entertainment

Catch the latest rendition of your fave Beckett at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts by Soulpepper Theatre. If you spent too long at dinner and missed the show, you can opt for bottle service at the Stirling Room instead — just remember to register for guest list.

Toronto businesses that closed in May ranged from long-time coffee and lunch spots to popular Japanese and Dutch-Indonesian restaurants whose departures many will mourn.

Here are the most notable Toronto businesses that closed in May.

Aft Kitchen & Bar

This Riverside BBQ joint that opened over five years ago was a staple in the area. Its owner has decided to renovate and transform the space into something new, and possibly more booze-focused.

Big Tuna Poke Bar

Was it just a 2016 fad? After two years, the city's first all-poke restaurant in Koreatown quietly shut its doors. It's being replaced by something called The Pocha.

Carters Landing

Another one that didn't make it past two years, this controversial chain restaurant on the waterfront at Woodbine Beach closed last month, with no word on what will replace it. 

Casa Coffee

Practically a Kensington Market landmark, this corner cafe and bulk food shop said goodbye last month after 55 years in business. This popular hangout will certainly be missed by many.

Corktown Kitchen

A casual neighbourhood spot on King East, this local restaurant offered globally inspired fare that was "Canadian at heart" for dinner and Sunday brunch. It permanently closed in May after three years.

Dooney's

Once a long-time Annex fixture, this popular cafe closed its doors (for the first time) after 27 years in that neighbourhood in 2009. It relocated and reopened in Bloorcourt in 2015, only to close again last month, this time for good.

Greenleafs

For over 30 years, this take-out food stall in the Financial District's PATH offered healthy and affordable lunch options like salads, wraps and juices. Its owners finally decided to close up shop in May.

Noorden

It was always meant to be a two-year pop-up, as this Dutch food bar with Indonesian influences by Yonge & Eg knew its lease would expire after two years. It served its final delicious rijstaffel (a veritable feast of Indonesian dishes, Dutch style) on May 26, but no worries because there is still Little Sister and Bar Batavia.

Shiso Tree Cafe

Fans of this J-town restaurant that specialized in Japanese-style pasta were shocked and saddened to learn that it had closed permanently. Its fusion dishes like okonomiyaki fries and pasta will be missed.

Boku Sushi

The sushi joint in the Distillery District briefly closed before re-opening as the re-branded Boku Noodle Bar with a more accessible menu of ramen and poke bowls.

Restaurants in Toronto for a Filipino kamayan feast, also known as a boodle fight, are the best places to get your hands dirty. These "hand-to-mouth" meals have their origins in the mess halls of the Filipino military; gather around these banana leaves with friends and gorge on garlic rice. 

Here are some restaurants to fill up on kamayan in Toronto.

Tinuno

One of the most popular restaurants for kamayan right now, this super low-key spot in St. Jamestown is just steps from Sherbourne station. It's tight on space here, but for $15 per person you get a mix of seafood like milkfish and squid rings alongside juicy skewers of pork. 

Boodle Fight

This Danforth East spot is a no-frills restaurant serving up kamayan meals for $15 a head. It's fairly spacious, giving you some more elbow room while you dig into their sticky garlic rice and piles of seafood and grilled meat. 

Dbarkadz

If there's two things that go intrinsically together, it's good Filipino food and karaoke. Between shelves of Filipino products, this Ellesmere hot table, store and restaurant has set up tables for diners to pig out on boodle fights with a bonus karaoke set up for large groups. 

Wilson’s Haus of Lechon

As the name implies, this friendly Little Manila spot is one of the best spots for Filipino-style lechon in the city. For $25 a person, you can get a standard boodle fight menu with their juicy rotisserie chicken, or pay an extra $10 to add on some of their famous lechon to the feast.

Casa Manila

The frilly decor at this Filipino institution at Don Mills and York Mills makes an interesting place to consume this humble meal. They have allotted portions per person (still brought out on communal banana leaves) meaning you don't have to fight over that last piece of squid. 

Brunch Fest is back in Toronto for 2018. Like last year's incarnation, this three day food festival is all about indulgent breakfast fare along with lawn games, a chilled patio and live music.

Here are 25 things to look forward to at Brunch Fest in Toronto this year.

The first day of Dundas West Fest kicked off yesterday, filling the stretch of Dundas between Ossington and Lansdowne with music, pop-up shops and food vendors. 

Marking the beginning of festival season in Toronto, crowds slowly began filtering onto the street around 5 p.m. to start perusing all the entertainment being offered and celebrate the official end of sweater weather. 

Dundas West Fest first began as a one-day event six years ago but has now expanded into a Friday and Saturday celebration that spans 12 city blocks.

#TTC 505 Dundas: Buses detour both ways via College, Ossington, after 8 am, during Dundas West Fest. https://t.co/5LsXIjWWF3pic.twitter.com/mSwlxSA6iW

— Transit Toronto (@transittoronto) June 2, 2018

Today the area parties on, diverting buses from the area since early this morning at 8 a.m. and continuing on until midnight tonight. 
More than 200 vendors set up shop to sell goods, from accessories to Dundas West-themed artwork and patches from Inner Decay. 

In true Dundas West fashion, there was an abundance of vintage clothing and pop-ups like Homebody Collective selling succulents, and outdoor sales by resident mainstays like Grasshopper Records.

Local restaurants and bars like The Federal and Sukhothai expanded their reach by extending patios and storefronts out into the sidewalk, and the Elephant in the Attic's side street display made for a perfect IG op. 

A post shared by Smoke Signals Bar-B-Q (@smokesignalsbarbecue) on Jun 1, 2018 at 4:40pm PDT

Business' like Antler, Uncle Mikey's and Smoke Signals Barbecue stretched out with sidewalk-side grills serving up small portions of their most popular offerings. 

Leaking into Little Portugal, many of the festival's vendors were repping with Portuguese food like grilled chicken and sausages courtesy of local favourites like Bairrada Churrasqueira.

A post shared by Vegan Soul in Toronto ✌🏼️❤️ (@vegansoulinthecity) on Jun 1, 2018 at 7:13pm PDT

Vegan hot dogs from Good Rebel Vegan, grilled pineapple from St. Lawrence Market's Urban Fresh Produce and fresh watermelon juice courtesy of Little Italy's Anti Vice Juicery dotted the street.

A post shared by Dundas West Fest (@dundaswestfest) on Jun 1, 2018 at 5:11pm PDT

Outside of Full of Beans, a small impromptu stage hosted music performances and stand up comedy.

Courtesy of the salsa institution Lula Lounge just right next door, the sponsored Lulaworld Stage featured Caribbean quintets, Brazilian vocals and salsa lessons. 

Closer to Ossington, a music stage brought to the festival by the The Garrison occupied the Beer Store parking lot with acts from Toronto's favourite marching band The Teeny Tiny Music Show and Hot Garbage. Nearing the edge of the festival by Lansdowne, the Dundas-St. Clarens Parkette transformed into a "magical" park experience presented by the Harry Potter-themed bar The Lockhart, also situated on Dundas West. Alongside Steamwhistle and Red Bulls stalls, a little wooden shack selling "potions and elixers" were slinging out cocktails for $9, including the Botanist, which was essentially just a gin and tonic, and the Tea Leaves drink, a mix of Earl Grey syrup and ginger ale. Tonight, the Lockhart will serving their drinks until 11 p.m. As expected, the party picked up as it got darker, bringing out walkers for the full night market experience. 

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Crowds gathered outside of the feasTO food truck slinging handmade dumplings. 

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By Dovercourt, Mini Pong set up a cluster of ping pong tables for anyone interested in an evening session to work off the street eats. 

It's highly recommended to ditch the car for this event and head over via streetcar or bike in this traffic-heavy area; the party tonight goes until midnight. 

One of Toronto's favourite Halal supermarkets is opening a big second location this summer.

This soon-to-open Iqbal Halal Foods Superstore will debut in July at 4099 Erin Mills Parkway in Mississauga and will reportedly be much bigger than the original Iqbal Halal Foods in Thorncliffe Park .

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The grocer is known for its selection of tropical fruits and vegetables, Halal certified meat, imported dry goods and many kinds of bulk spices, nuts and snacks.

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The new store will replace what used to be a Four Seasons Marketplace.