Christina Cheung
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Past articles by Christina:
Boxcar Social (Harbourfront)
Boxcar Social's third location can be found inside the Harbourfront Centre building, replacing what was previously the lacklustre Lakeside Local Bar & Grill. Like The Slip, it's a partnership between the Boxcar owners and Harbourfront: its CEO, Marah Braye, is a regular at Boxcar's Summerhill location and she asked the... → Read More
The Edmund Burke
The Edmund Burke at Broadview and Danforth was formerly the German gastropub Das Gasthaus - yes, the one that was supposed to be raffled off. No, husband-and-wife owners Russell Piffer and Ginger Robertson were not the winners of that questionable contest; instead, they approached the building's landlord to take over... → Read More
Chocolates X Brandon Olsen
Chocolates X Brandon Olsen has taken over a small storefront on College St. by Dufferin that was previously Brockton Flower Shop, and I'm sure glad it has. The much-hyped shop turns out unique and gorgeous chocolate creations hard to find in Toronto. Olsen, the former chef de cuisine at Bar Isabel... → Read More
JJ Bean Coffee Roasters
JJ Bean Coffee Roasters, a popular chain of cafes in Vancouver, has opened its first Toronto location in an industrial part of East York. Occupying a large building that's a little over 12,000 square feet in size, this space serves as the company's Ontario head office, housing its roastery, cupping... → Read More
Where to eat Hakka cuisine by the lake in Toronto
This fascinating Indian-Chinese fusion food that we call Hakka cuisine here in Toronto is predominantly found in Scarborough, but you can also get it at this family-run restaurant by the lake. With staple faves like chilli chicken, pakoras and Chinese biryani, its strong flavours are sure to hit the spot.... → Read More
The Slip
The Slip, a partnership between the Harbourfront Centre and Boxcar Social, is an open-air, seasonal bar by the water that's open for five months of the year, from May to September. Boxcar will also have its own location inside the Harbourfront building. Located in a big space next to the World... → Read More
The Best Cafes in Toronto (West Side)
The best cafes in Toronto on the west side are stalwarts on the caffeine scene. There's some stiff competition out there these days, what with the abundance of indie coffee shops opening up over the past few years. Yet many of these spots have managed to expand and improve their offerings over the last few years, and java-happy patrons are duly rewarded with some excellent joe. → Read More
Henderson Brewing
Henderson Brewing is keeping things industrial in the Junction Triangle. This craft brewery, located just up the street from the Nestle chocolate factory on Sterling Road, was named as a nod to Robert Henderson, the owner of Toronto's first-ever brewery back in the early 1800s. There isn't anybody named Henderson... → Read More
I'll Be Seeing You
I'll Be Seeing You is what's in the former home of 747 and prior to that, PicNic, both former wine bars in Riverside. Co-owned and run by two sisters, Natasha and Vanessa Smardenka, this spot focuses on craft beers and cocktails more than vino. They named this place after this song,... → Read More
Greta Solomon's
Greta Solomon's is an intimate spot in Leslieville that was previously Glas Wine Bar. First-time restaurateur Darlene Mitchell named this place after her grandparents (Greta was her grandmother and Solomon her grandfather), and they must've been a classy couple because this space, which Mitchell completely renovated and decorated, is lovely.... → Read More
Clocktower Bar
Clocktower Bar is the companion spot to the original Boxcar Social location in Summerhill - in fact, it can be found right next door to it. Both places were named to pay homage to the former North Toronto Railway Station that's been transformed into an LCBO just south of here,... → Read More
Sam James (Trinity Bellwoods)
Sam James Coffee Bar can now be found directly across from Trinity Bellwoods Park on West Queen West in a small but impressively designed space typical of this local indie coffee brand's other spots around the city. However, this is the first outpost of Sam James' mini empire that doesn't... → Read More
Wrestlers
Wrestlers, surprisingly enough, does not have a lucha libre theme. Toronto-based Mexican eatery and retailer La Tortilleria is behind this coffee/paleta/churro shop found below its Kensington Market location on Augusta Ave., so when I arrive there I expect to see luchador art and paraphernalia galore. Not so. Instead, the subterranean space... → Read More
The Wicket
The Wicket can be found amongst a small strip of bars on Bloor between Dundas West and Keele just east of High Park. Previously a Latin American tapas restaurant called Latinada, it describes itself as "your neighbourhood watering hole," and indeed, it is an unpretentious, low-key spot. Each of the pub's... → Read More
iQ Food Co. (First Canadian Place)
iQ Food Co. + Greenhouse Juice Co. have teamed up to offer the Financial District healthy options for eats at the Food Terrace on the mezzanine level of First Canadian Place. Found beside Maman, the two stalls are together, but separate; each has its own payment area: iQ's is cashless, while... → Read More
Junction Local
Junction Local is exactly what it sounds like: a local spot in the Junction for reliable food and drinks. It replaces the very short-lived John Conrad, and the 100-person-capacity space now looks a lot less sparse and more welcoming - like it's actually going to stay awhile. Owner Gino Benevenga is... → Read More
Behind the scenes of You Gotta Eat Here! in Toronto
If there weren't a piece of paper posted on the door outside of Mimico's modern Indian restaurant Tich informing you otherwise, you'd never guess that comedian/host and Toronto-native John Catucci and a television crew were filming the popular Food Network Canada show You Gotta Eat Here! inside.... → Read More
Uncle Tetsu's Japanese Angel Cafe
Uncle Tetsu's Angel Cafe may just be Toronto's - and possibly Canada's - only Japanese maid-style cafe. It might not have been the first, as another existed at one point, (there's also a pop-up charity version), but this appears to be the only permanent one located downtown in a burgeoning... → Read More
Charmaine Sweets
Charmaine Sweets Studio immediately catches my eye from the outside, a standalone rectangular box with its name written in huge letters across the building. Found at the corner of an intersection in Leaside, what was previously a children's music school has now been transformed into a family-run neighbourhood bakery. Inside, it's... → Read More
You can now get Starbucks at a drive-thru in Toronto
Starbucks has been busy trying to stay competitive in Toronto lately, what with the brand's first express store in the city (and in Canada) at Union Station and its plans to serve wine and beer in the evenings at select locations. Now it's also possible to get a Grande Caramel... → Read More