Toronto/Downtown East

Subway line 1 along Yonge St provides access to the western side of the district; stations of note are:

• Wellesley - One block east is the Church-Wellesley Village.
• King - One block east is the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood.
• Union - Two and half blocks east along Front St will bring you to the St Lawrence Market.

Streetcar 504 King has two branches which overlap along King Street. Branch 504A runs from downtown to the Distillery District while branch 504B continues to Broadview Station on subway line 2 (Bloor-Danforth). Both branches connect with the U-shaped subway line 1 at St. Andrew and King stations.

Streetcar 506 Carlton runs through Cabbagetown from College Station on subway line 1 at Yonge St.

Bus 65 Parliament serves Parliament Street through Cabbagetown to Castle Frank Station on subway line 2 (Bloor-Danforth).

Bus 121 Fort York-Esplanade runs from Exhibition Place via Front Street and Union Station on subway line 1 (King St at Yonge St) and continues past St Lawrence Market to the east entrance of the Distillery District on Cherry Street at Mill Street.

Both streetcar 504B and bus 65 come within 2 blocks of the Distillery District, but streetcar 504A and bus 121 will deliver you right to its east entrance. There is more frequent service on route 504 than on routes 65 or 121.

The main streets are Carlton and Parliament.

• 🌍 Allan Gardens, 19 Horticultural Ave (South side of Carlton Street between Jarvis and Sherbourne Streets). Allan Gardens is a conservatory containing six greenhouses on large landscaped grounds. Admission is free and the greenhouses are open to the public year-round. The greenhouses contain plants native to many different countries and from different climactic regions of the world. Countries represented include Australia, Brazil, China, Mexico, and many others. On any given day one is likely to come across frolicking squirrels or birds that have found their way in through the doors. The ponds are home to turtles and fish and, if you look up, you just might see a snoozing raccoon. Allan Gardens is wheelchair accessible. (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 Cabbagetown residential area. The best area to see a concentration of Victorian residences is east of Parliament Street and 1 block north of Gerrard Street. The Cabbagetown Preservation Association describes the area as "one of the largest areas of continuous, preserved Victorian housing in North America." Many of the residences have a heritage building plaque by the front door. (updated Jan 2016)
  • 🌍 Winchester Street (One block north of Carlton St). Winchester Street is the main route from Parliament Street to Riverdale Farm, and is lined with Victorian houses with attractive front gardens. The street's landmark is the former St Enoch's Presbyterian Church built 1891 in Romanesque Revival style. Since 1979, the former church has housed the School of Toronto Dance Theatre. (updated Jan 2016)
  • 🌍 Millington Street/Sackville Place (1 block south of Winchester St between Metcalfe St and Rawlings Ave`). Millington Street and Sackville Place are two names for the same street which is a laneway lined with an eclectic mix of old and new small houses. (updated Jan 2016)
  • 🌍 Salisbury Ave (1 block north of Winchester St between Metcalfe St and Rawlings Ave). This narrow street (virtually a lane at its western end) is lined with Victorian residences circa 1887. (updated Jan 2016)
  • 🌍 Laurier Ave (off Wellesley St 1 block east of Parliament St). A short, narrow street lined with 3-storey Victorian townhouses (circa 1888) each having a second-floor balcony over each entrance. (updated Jan 2016)
  • 🌍 Wellesley Cottages (off Sackville St 1 block north of Wellesley St). Wellesley Cottages is the name of a street and three cottage-style buildings built in 1886-1887 by William Hooker from the plans that won him an architectural award in 1851 at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in London. The cottages in the middle are row houses for labourers while the two cottages at each end were for supervisors. Wellesley Cottages is a private street not owned by the City of Toronto but by its residents who are responsible for its maintenance such as for sewers and snow removal. (updated Jan 2016)
  • 🌍 Alpha Avenue (off Sackville St 2 blocks north of Wellesley St). A short, narrow street lined on each side with a row of two-storey Victorian townhouses circa 1887. (updated Jan 2016)
  • 🌍 Wellesley Avenue (off Wellesley St 3 blocks east of Parliament St). Wellesley Avenue (not to be confused with Wellesley Street) is a short, narrow street lined on both sides with semi-detached Victorian houses (circa 1888). There is a quaint decoration at the end of the street. (updated Jan 2016)
  • 🌍 Dermott Place (2 lanes east of Parliament St, south of Carlton St). This narrow street, only one lane wide, has a variety of small residences in different styles on both sides of the street, some with narrow front gardens. (updated Jan 2016)
• 🌍 Canadian Sculpture Centre (Sculptors Society of Canada), 18 Grisrmill Lane (2 blocks south of Front St), ☏ +1 647-435-5858. Tu-Sa 11AM-6PM, Sa noon-5PM (except holiday weekends). A small collection of sculptures to promote local artists. The collection changes every several weeks which might result in additional closed days. (Two founders of the Sculptors Society of Canada were Frances Loring and Florence Wyle who have a small park, Loring-Wyle Parkette, named in their honour.). Admission free. (updated Oct 2023)
• 🌍 Chapel of St. James-the-Less (St. James Cemetery), 635 Parliament St (about 100 m north of Wellesley St near the cemetery entrance). Chapel of St. James-the-Less, erected in 1860 and opened in 1861, sits atop a knoll at the highest point in the St. James Cemetery. This small funeral chapel is an example of Victorian Gothic design with stone walls, enveloping roofs, and a soaring spire. It is a designated National Historic Site of Canada. (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 Equilibrium Mural (Parkside Student Residences), 111 Carlton St (at Jarvis St). In summer 2018, artist Okuda San Miguel erected a very colourful, 23-storey mural on the east side of the Parkside Student Residences building. The mural has an LGBT theme. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Gallery Arcturus, 80 Gerrard St E (just east of Church St), ☏ +1 416-977-1077. Tu-Sa noon-5:30PM. This small contemporary art gallery has changing displays in five rooms. The gallery is located in a heritage building built in 1858 for a local barrister. Free admission. (updated Apr 2019)
• 🌍 Riverdale Farm, 201 Winchester St (In Old Cabbagetown east of Parliament St north of Carlton St). Riverdale Farm is a turn-of-the-20th-century Ontario farm and the site of Toronto's first zoo. Attractions include demonstrations of milking, cream separating, butter-making, egg collecting, sheep shearing, wool spinning and dying, amongst others. There is no parking on the grounds, but street parking is available near by. Free. (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 Toronto Necropolis, 200 Winchester St (next to the Riverdale Farm). This cemetery is the resting place of many prominent Torontonians, and has a chapel at its entrance built in 1872 in Gothic Revival style. (updated Aug 2016)

• 🌍 Berczy Park, 35 Wellington St E (1 block east of Yonge St). This small park contains a large fountain with a humorous theme; there are statues of dogs perched on 2 levels of the fountain all staring upwards towards a large bone perched at the fountain's peak. A few interesting buildings are easily viewed from the park: A large trompe l'oeil mural on the rear of the Flat-Iron Building, and three beautifully preserved Victorian-era buildings built in 1872 across the street on the south side of the park. (updated Dec 2016)

• 🌍 Cathedral Church of St. James, 65 Church Street (504 streetcar to Church Street), ☏ +1 416-364-7865. Su-F 7:30AM-5:30PM, Sa 9AM-5PM. This impressive, gothic revival cathedral was built in 1844. It has an extremely pleasant garden that allows for relaxing people watching on King St. Free. 
• 🌍 Corktown Common, 155 Bayview Ave (504B or 501 streetcar to Lower River St; walk south). Situated on former industrial lands, the park features a lush landscape with a marsh, sprawling lawns, urban prairies, playground areas, a splash pad and other features like a fireplace, permanent barbeque, large communal picnic tables and washrooms. The park has a hill giving views of the surrounding area. Railfans can get a view of the GO Transit Don Yard for storing commuter trains between the AM and PM rush hours. (updated Dec 2015)

• 🌍 Distillery District, 55 Mill St (121 bus from Union Station or 504A Cherry to Distillery Loop or 504B streetcar to Trinity St & walk south), ☏ +1 416-364-1177. The Distillery District is a historic and entertainment precinct. It contains numerous cafés, restaurants and shops, as well as art galleries and a theatre, all housed within heritage buildings of the former Gooderham and Worts Distillery. The 13 acres (5.3 ha) district comprises more than forty heritage buildings and ten streets, and is the largest collection of Victorian-era industrial architecture in North America. The district was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1988. Walking tours are available from the Distillery Visitor Centre. Generally free admission except for some special events. (updated Jun 2016)
• 🌍 First Toronto Post Office (Town of York Historical Society), 260 Adelaide St E (504 streetcar to Jarvis St, walk 1 block north to Adelaide St then 1½ blocks east), ☏ +1 416-865-1833. M-F 9AM-5:30PM, Sa 10AM-4PM, Su noon-4PM. Toronto's First Post Office (or Fourth York Post Office) is an 1834 post office that is today a historical museum with a few postal and local history exhibits. It is the oldest purpose-built and the only surviving example of a post office that functioned as a department of the British Royal Mail. The style of the building is late Georgian architecture. Visitors can prepare an old-fashioned folded-sheet letter using a quill pen and sealing wax for a small additional fee. The museum also contains a modern post office outlet. Admission with a suggested $2 donation. (updated Apr 2019)
  • 🌍 Bank of Upper Canada Building, 252 Adelaide St E (2 addresses west of the First Toronto Post Office building). This building was built in 1827 for the Bank of Upper Canada, a bank that failed in 1866. It is a National Historic Site and one of the few buildings in Toronto that predates the city itself, known as the Town of York until 1834. The building is used today for commercial office space. (updated Feb 2016)
  • De La Salle Institute, 258 Adelaide St E (1 address west of the First Toronto Post Office building). De La Salle Institute built a Catholic school here in 1871. The institute took over the First Toronto Post Office building in 1874 and the Bank of Upper Canada Building about 20 years later. The institute left all three buildings in 1916. (updated Feb 2016)
• 🌍 Gooderham Building, 49 Wellington St E (Yonge subway to Union Station, then three blocks east on Front or 504 streetcar to Church Street, then one block south on Church St.). M-F 9AM-5PM. The Gooderham Building, generally known as the Flatiron Building, is a five-storey, wedge-shaped building at the intersection of Front, Church and Wellington Streets. It was built in 1892 and was the first flatiron building in a major city. Until 1952 the building housed the offices of Gooderham & Worts Distillers, whose distilling buildings now make up the Distillery District several blocks to the east. Also, take a look at the trompe-l'œil mural on the rear of the building from the adjacent Berczy Park. 
• 🌍 Kim's Convenience (Mimi Variety Store), 252 Queen St E (1 block east of Sherbourne St at Seaton St). For fans of the CBC TV comedy Kim's Convenience. With a switch of name on the exterior signs, Mimi Variety Store became Kim's Convenience to appear in the like-named sitcom. Mimi's/Kim's is still a functioning variety/convenience store. (updated Dec 2016)
• 🌍 Old Toronto Street Post Office (later Old Bank of Canada), 10 Toronto Street (2 blocks east on King St from Yonge St, 1 block north of Toronto St). Interior not open to public. This Greek Revival building was the Toronto Street Post Office (1851–1872) and a Bank of Canada branch (1872-1959). It was later owned by Argus Corporation which came under the control of Conrad Black. It was here that Conrad Black got in trouble with the U.S. justice system by removing boxes of documents from this office. The building is a designated National Historic Site of Canada. (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 St. Lawrence Hall, 157 King St E (504 streetcar to Jarvis Street), ☏ +1 416-392-7809. This ornate, Renaissance Revival building was built in 1850 to be Toronto's main meeting space and was a major centre for political speeches and concerts. It is now used for a diverse range of uses, from weddings to art shows. 

• 🌍 St. Lawrence Market, 92 - 95 Front St E (504 streetcar to Jarvis Street), ☏ +1 416-392-7120. Tu-Sa. A city market has been on the southwest corner of Front St East and Jarvis St for over 200 years. The current incarnation of the Market Building contains over 200 permanent food-related vendors on two floors, including butchers, fishmongers and numerous specialty and takeout businesses. The Market Building is open daily Tuesday to Saturday. Another market, in a temporary location south of the Market Building, opens only on Saturdays for a farmers' market, when farmers from surrounding townships sell their wares, and on Sundays for an antique market. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Toronto Sculpture Garden, 115 King St E (Just east of Church St, 3 blocks east of Yonge St), ☏ +1 416-515-9658. Toronto Sculpture Garden has a changing exhibit of sculptures. The small park is nestled between two buildings and has a waterfall fountain along its east wall. Admission free. (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 Underpass Park, Lower River St at Trolley Cres (S of King St E). Underpass Park is located under bridges for an expressway ramp, a location one would normally associate with ugliness. However, artists have created a colourful mural gallery at the east end of the park (at Lower River St) painting bright murals on all the pillars and crossbeams supporting the bridges. There are also a few similar murals nearby where the same expressway ramps cross King St E at Virgin Pl. (updated Sep 2015)

• 🌍 "The 519", 519 Church Street, ☏ +1 416-392-6874, fax: +1 416-392-0519. City-funded LGBTQ community centre hosts various community, athletic and cultural groups. 
• 🌍 Elm Spa, 557 Church St, ☏ +1 416-964-4500, toll-free: +1-877-284-6348, fax: +1 416-977-8611. An urban boutique spa that is natural, modern, and environmentally responsible. Elm spa treatments are designed to de-stress, relax, and revitalize your soul. 
• 🌍 Spa Excess, 105 Carlton St, ☏ +1 416-260-2363, toll-free: +1-877-867-3301, fax: +1 416-260-2290. A men's bathhouse open 24/7/365. Clean, well kept w/ friendly staff. Wide demographic - probably the best of 6 or 7 baths in Toronto. Open daily 24 hours. A short distance outside of Church-Wellesley Village but still in the spirit of the village. 

• 🌍 Alumnae Theatre Company, 70 Berkeley Street (504 streetcar to Ontario St then 1 block east to Berkeley St then 1 blocks north of King St.). Variety of dramatic productions staged by a long-running women-led company in a converted firehall (Berkeley Fire Hall Number 4, built in 1905). (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 Berkeley Street Theatre (Canadian Stage Company), 26 Berkeley Street (504 streetcar to Ontario St then 1 block east to Berkeley St then 1½ blocks south of King St). Performing arts theater: stage plays. (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander St (1 block east of Yonge St). Venue for bold gay & lesbian theatrical expression. $30 tickets. (updated Jan 2020)
• 🌍 The School of Toronto Dance Theatre, 80 Winchester St (1 block east of Parliament St), ☏ +1 416-967-6887. Venue at a contemporary dance school offering classic & new choreographed dance shows. Since 1979, the theatre has been housed in the former St Enoch's Presbyterian Church built 1891 in Romanesque Revival style. (updated Jan 2016)
• 🌍 St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St E (1 block east of Yonge St, 2 blocks east of Union Station). Performing arts venue with 2 small theatres for theatre, art & musical performances in many genres. (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 Meridian Hall (formerly Sony Centre for the Performing Arts), 1 Front St E (At Yonge St, 1 block east of Union Station). Large venue with elegant decor hosting concerts, theatre performances & cultural events. (updated Sep 2019)

• Cabbagetown Festival, Parliament Street, Cabbagetown. Held annually on a week-end in September. This is a local street festival with a number of activities. On the chosen festival week-end, Parliament Street is closed off to traffic between Gerrard Street and Wellesley Street. (updated Jan 2016)
• Pride Toronto. Held the last week of June. Pride Toronto is the annual LGBT festival which includes the very popular Pride Parade which draws crowds of straight people to discover how LGBT people have fun. During the last weekend, Church Street is closed off in Church-Wellesley Village for festivities. (updated Jan 2016)
• 🌍 Toronto Christmas Market, Distillery District. From late November to a few days before Christmas. Many vendor stands are set up in the Distillery district with a Christmas theme offering food and merchandise. Buy tickets online to avoid the line-up on Sa and Su. Free M-F; $6 fee Sa Su (to support charity). (updated Aug 2018)

• 🌍 Glad Day Bookshop, 499 Church St (south of Wellesley St), ☏ +1 416-961-4161. Lesbian, gay, bi and trans bookstore, cafe and wine bar. Glad Day is the world's oldest LGBT+ bookstore. (updated Feb 2017)

• 🌍 Ontario Spring Water Sake Company, 51 Gristmill Lane (in the Distillery District), ☏ +1 416-365-7253. Su-Th noon-6PM (7PM during warm months M-Th), F noon-7PM, Sa 11AM-7PM. An example of Toronto's multicultural nature, this is a craft sake brewery in the middle of the Distillery District. The on-site store sells many different varieties of sake, ceramic and glass serving ware, a few foods, and the usual assortment of promotional clothing. Tours of the brewery are available on the weekends - these are limited to people age 19 or older because of provincial liquor laws. 

On Church Street between Isabella to the north and Carlton to the south you will find more restaurants than just about anywhere in the city in a comparable distance (comparable to Greektown). The restaurants often suffer in Toronto's tourist districts, this is no exception. If you have to eat here, the take-out often beats sit-down, and you get to walk. There are several good "sub" joints north of Wellesley on Church. The key here is that you are eating as part of a larger plan to be out with friends for drinks, socializing, dancing and having a wild time. See also LGBT Toronto for more listings in this neighbourhood.

• 🌍 The Cherie Bistro, 538 Church St, ☏ +1 416-968-1010. Su-Th 9AM-10PM, F Sa 9AM-11PM. Modern bistro fare. Lunch entrees $14-20, Dinner mains $16-26. (updated May 2020)
• 🌍 Churchmouse & Firkin, 475 Church St. English pub grub. Small summer patio. (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 Ginger, 546 Church St, ☏ +1 416-413-1053. Asian fast food. Tasty but high calorie. (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 Hair of the Dog Neighbourhood Pub & Restaurant, 425 Church St. Overpriced pub grub, but they have very good nachos. (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 Bulldog Coffee, 89 Granby St (a block south of Carlton St off Church St). Home of Ontario’s first winning Champion Barista. Elaborate latte art, pastries, sandwiches. A favourite of the LGBT community. (updated Jan 2020)

• 🌍 Buster's Sea Cove, St. Lawrence Market (upper level at rear), ☏ +1 416-369-9048. Th-Sa day time. Good selection of seafood dishes (updated Jul 2023)
• 🌍 Chew Chew's Diner, 186 Carlton St, Cabbagetown (506 streetcar to Sherbourne St), ☏ +1 416-924-7583. 8AM-8PM. Typical diner fare including breakfast meals. There is a breakfast special for those dining before 11AM. The restaurant has a railfan atmosphere including a large, colourful train mural on the exterior wall. (updated Apr 2016)
• 🌍 Cranberries Restaurant, 601 Parliament St (North of Wellesley). Serves good, reasonably priced meals, heavy on the comfort food. They also have great nightly specials. (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 George's Deli & BBQ, 254 Dundas Street E (east of Sherbourne St), ☏ +1 416-964-6393. Open to 2AM. Whole barbecued chicken and fries with gravy. No seating. No whacking people ahead in line. (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 Khao Hakka Refresh, 37 Sherbourne St, ☏ +1 416-504-5426. Hakka cuisine is Chinese food with Indian spices. (updated Sep 2019)
• 🌍 Nami Japanese Restaurant, 55 Adelaide St E (1 block north of King St, 2½ blocks east of Yonge St), ☏ +1 416-362-7373. Sushi bar, robata grill & tabletop hot pots. (Robata is a method of cooking, similar to barbecue, in which items of food on skewers are slow-grilled over hot charcoal.) Kimono-clad servers add to the traditional atmosphere of the restaurant. (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 Red Rocket Coffee, 154 Wellesley St E at Homewood Ave. Finding a branch of this eclectic space-themed cafe is not hard; look for the red circle with the white rocket inside. Serving wines from Niagara Region, beer from the Mill Street Brewery, and Waupoos cider from Prince Edward County. 
• 🌍 Rooster Coffee House, 568 Jarvis St (just south of Charles St/Ted Rogers Way/Mt Pleasant Rd intersection), ☏ +1 416-995-1530. M-F 7AM-8PM, Sa Su 7AM-7PM. Three-location chain serving espresso-based coffee. NOW Magazine Readers' Choice 2016. (updated Dec 2016)
• 🌍 Rooster Coffee House, 343 King St E (east of Berkeley St), ☏ +1 416-995-1530. M-F 7AM-8PM, Sa Su 7AM-7PM. Three-location chain serving espresso-based coffee. NOW Magazine Readers' Choice 2016. (updated Dec 2016)
• 🌍 SOMA Chocolatemaker, 32 Tank House Lane (within the Distillery District), ☏ +1 416-815-7662. Artisan chocolate factory with viewing area crafting treats from bars to spicy cocoa. Try the spicy Maya hot chocolate. (updated Feb 2022)

• 🌍 Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander St (1 block east of Yonge St). A theatre by day, club by night. (updated Dec 2015)
• 🌍 Crews & Tango, 508 Church Street. The quintessential gay bar/club in the gay village. 2 floors, 3 rooms, and weekly drag shows makes for a great night to town. 
• 🌍 Woody's, 467 Church Street. The biggest bar in the city. Very friendly. Hosting nightly DJs & men's competitions on weekends, this lively, cavernous gay club boasts 5 bars. (updated Dec 2015)

• 🌍 C'est What?, 67 Front St East (At Church St). A homey subterranean bar that has been open for over 25 years offering Toronto's largest selection of exclusively Canadian microbrews, a varied menu, and a live music stage that has showcased many of Canada's independent musicians before they became famous. 
• 🌍 Mill St. Brew Pub, 21 Tank House Lane (within the Distillery District), ☏ +1 416-681-0338. Spacious brewpub with several beers that are only available on-site plus bar food. (updated Jan 2016)
• 🌍 Old Flame Brewing Co., 43 Tank House Lane, Distillery District (near Cherry St). Located within the Distillery District, this microbrewery has a pub offering its German inspired Lagers. The pub area is decorated with a number of antiques and knickknacks. (updated Feb 2023)
• 🌍 IZUMI Brewery (Ontario Spring Water Sake Company), 51 Gristmill Lane (in the Distillery District), ☏ +1 416-365-7253. W Th 3-8PM, F 1-8PM, Sa noon-8PM, Su noon-5PM. Sake brewery following a traditional recipe, Shop, tasting bar and patio. Tour with tasting $9-20. (updated Feb 2022)

• 🌍 Shoppers Drug Mart, 467 Parliament St (506 streetcar to Parliament St), ☏ +1 416-925-4121. Open daily. Post office outlet within the store. (updated Feb 2016)
• 🌍 Parliament Street Library, 269 Gerrard St E (506 streetcar to Gerrard St), ☏ +1 416-393-7663. Closed Sundays in summer. Wi-fi, computers with internet access. (updated Feb 2016)

• 🌍 Shoppers Drug Mart, 18 Lower Jarvis St (506 streetcar to Parliament St), ☏ +1 416-203-3700. Open daily. Post office outlet within the store. (updated Feb 2016)
• 🌍 St. Lawrence Library, 171 Front St E (504 streetcar to Jarvis St then 1 block south and 2 blocks east), ☏ +1 416-393-7655. M-Sa. Wi-fi, computers with internet access. (updated Feb 2016)