ABA Guide 2025

Unique Neighbourhoods

Every Toronto neighbourhood has a distinctive vibe and culture. Leave the downtown core and venture into our neighbourhoods to get a feel for how locals live.

Trinity Bellwoods At the heart of Trinity

The Annex As one of Toronto’s oldest neighborhoods and a university neighbourhood, the Annex offers an interesting mix of attractions. Explore University of Toronto’s St George campus and enjoy casual eateries, bookstores, bars, cafes, Korean restaurants, art galleries and independent boutiques. Stroll the back streets, and you will find impressive heritage homes dating back to the 1880s. Where: Bordered by Bathurst Street to the west, Dupont Street to the north, Avenue Road to the east and Bloor Street to the south.

Yorkville Upscale Yorkville combines Victorian charm with modern luxury. Its midtown streets are lined with gourmet restaurants, designer boutiques and captivating independent art galleries. This neighbourhood is best known for its high-end shopping and flagship stores along Bloor Street. Where: Bordered by Davenport Road to the north, Bloor Street to the south, Yonge Street to the east and Avenue Road to the west.

Distillery District A pedestrian-only area, the Distillery District features cobblestone streets, outdoor sculptures and restored 19th- century buildings. Once home to a whiskey distillery, it now offers a mix of trendy restaurants and breweries, boutiques with a design focus, and artisanal food and drink vendors. Where: Bordered by Parliament Street to the west, Cherry Street to the east, Mill Street to the north and Distillery Lane to the south.

Kensington Market Kensington Market is a walkable neighborhood with bohemian vibes, known for its vintage shops, live music scene, experimental arts spaces and cafés. Here you will find specialty grocers, bakeries and international restaurants, with Latin America and the Caribbean particularly well represented. The area is filled with colourful Victorian houses, many with bold murals, and is a lively place to soak in the atmosphere. Where: Between Dundas Street West and College Street, west of Spadina Avenue.

Entertainment District In the Entertainment District, you can visit some of Toronto’s top attractions, including the CN Tower, Ripleys Aquarium and the Rogers Centre, home to our baseball team, the Toronto Blue Jays. Ballet and opera lovers can see world-class performances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, and cinephiles will love TIFF Bell Lightbox. Upscale restaurants, bars and nightclubs make for a lively nightlife in this downtown neighbourhood. Where: Bordered by Queen Street West to the north, the Gardiner Expressway to the south, Spadina Avenue to the west, and University Avenue to the east.

Bellwoods neighbourhood is Trinity-Bellwoods Park – a place to walk, picnic and gather for the weekly farmer’s market, cultural events and outdoor activities. In the surrounding streets you can enjoy café culture and independent boutique shopping. The Ossington Strip (between Queen and Dundas streets) is a beloved neighbourhood destination with an eclectic mix of upscale and casual restaurants and bars. Where: Bordered by Bathhurst on the east, Dovercourt Road on the west, College Street to the north and Queen Street to the south.