From August 20th to 23rd, Estonians from all around the world will gather in Toronto to celebrate the upcoming opening of KESKUS / the International Estonian Centre.
Visitors coming to KESKfEST in Toronto should be sure to explore the city. Known for its multicultural neighbourhoods, Toronto offers a dynamic mix of restaurants, cafes, bars, parks, beaches, and live entertainment, with each part of the city offering something unique.
To welcome visitors to the city, Eesti Elu gathered recommendations from young people in the Toronto-Estonian community. Whether you’re looking for a great meal, a night of dancing, a sunset picnic, or an afternoon by the water, here are some local favourites:
Restaurants
For good Chinese food, Sylvi Oja, Tory Hutchings, and Elena Voorand all recommended exploring Kensington Market. Popular spots include Juicy Dumpling (280 Spadina Avenue) and Sunny’s Chinese (a speakeasy at 60 Kensington Avenue—reservations required!), and Bao House (multiple locations). Sylvi also suggested exploring Augusta Avenue in Kensington Market for an affordable bite.
If you’re in the mood for Mexican street food, Genevieve Perron suggested Wilbur Mexicana (552 King Street West). For Argentinian and Venezuelan cuisine, try Bar Bacan on 369 Roncesvalles Avenue.
For fresh salad bowls, sandwiches, or smoothies, Genevieve also recommended Mad Radish and Fresh, both of which have multiple locations. If you’re downtown and want plenty of options in one place, The Well has a large food hall worth exploring.
Elena recommended The Cottage Cheese for Indian food (64 Oxford Street) and PAI for Thai food (multiple locations).
If you feel like tucking into a fancy Italian meal, Genevieve suggested Terroni (multiple locations) and Defina Pizzeria (321 Roncesvalles Avenue).
Dancing and live music
Toronto has a lively nightlife scene, with venues ranging from clubs and dancefloors to smaller live music spaces. For the 19+ crowd, Sylvi suggested Dance Cave, Track & Field, Isabelle’s, Hyve, Apt200, and Nest. For live music, head to Drake Underground, the Horseshoe Tavern, and Supermarket.
Bars
Toronto also has no shortage of places to grab a drink. Sylvi recommended Cherry’s High Dive, Dina’s Tavern, Bar Poet, Pennies, and Petty Cash. If you’re already by the KESKfEST Tent, be sure to drop by the Madison Avenue Pub right across the street, a well-known haunt for Estonians over the years!
For groups, GRETA is a fun option thanks to its arcade games. Country music fans can also check out Badlands, which Sylvi described as having a more country-rock alternative vibe in a smaller, more intimate setting.
Elena recommended Rooms Coffee, which combines a cafe atmosphere with music and drinks later in the day.
“If you were to run into me on the weekend, it would probably be at Badlands, Sunrise Forgives or Apt200,” said Sylvi.
Parks and outdoor spaces
Despite being Canada’s largest city, Toronto has plenty of green space to explore. Tory’s favourites include High Park, Edwards Gardens, and Christie Pits. Sylvi recommended heading to Riverdale Park East for a sunset picnic and exploring the trails around the Don Valley. Elena suggested visiting the new parks in the Port Lands.
One of Toronto’s most distinctive features is its network of islands, just a short ferry ride from the waterfront. Tory recommended walking along the waterfront boardwalk and catching the ferry to the Toronto Islands.
Mini adventures
One of Toronto’s most distinctive features is its network of islands, just a short ferry ride from the waterfront. Tory recommended walking along the waterfront boardwalk and catching the ferry to the Toronto Islands.
Sylvi also enjoys visiting Stadium Road Park for waterfront views and stopping by Billy Bishop airport to watch planes take off.
And if you want to cover more ground, consider exploring Toronto by bike. The city has an expanding network of bike lanes and trails, and Bike Shares are available throughout the city for short-term rentals.
However you choose to explore, leave some room in your schedule to wander! The best adventures often come from picking a path and seeing where it takes you.
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This article was written by Natalie Jenkins as part of the Local Journalism Initiative.
