Parkdale

Once an elite residential area of the city, Parkdale is suddenly emerging from a long period of decline. Bordered by Dufferin to the East and Roncesvalles to the West, the neighbourhood is experiencing rapid gentrification along parts of Queen but is still marked by troubled spots that warrant a consistent police presence.

South of Queen to Lakeshore Boulevard is mostly residential with a mix of large homes that date back to the 1800s, poorly planned public housing complexes and boarding houses. The stretch along King is functional at best with many convenience stores, a No Frills and - probably the best pick of the lot - Asia 21, a popular pho joint that caters to the Liberty Village crowd.

At Queen and Lansdowne sits RK's Bollywood Entertainment, probably the best place outside of Little India to discover the latest Bollywood films. They also have a selection of pirated DVDs. Across the street, Mother India serves tasty east-indian roti and mango lassis in confines perhaps best described as the antithesis of ambience. Best to get them to go.

Closer to Roncesvalles, Parkdale's personality begins to change. Numerous antique and vintage clothing stores line both sides of the street west of Sorauren. The Queen West Antique Centre has a huge selection of sofas, chairs, tables and other sought-after vintage furniture. Stella Luna, Frou Frou Vintage and Take Me Back Vintage Clothing are good bets to score designer and retro finds from decades past.

For more contemporary styles, it's worth taking a look at El Toro at the corner of Queen and Triller. The relatively new store stocks a stylish selection of handcrafted women's clothing and accessories, all made by local designers.

The eastern edge near the Parkdale Public Library is where the neighbourhood's gentrification can more clearly be seen. There must be something in the water between Gwynne and Cowan along Queen as this strip keeps sprouting new cafes. Two of the gems include the decidedly eclectic Salvador Darling and the cozy Rustic Cosmo Cafe.

Designer Fabrics, also along this stretch, has long been a destination for interior designers and closet crafters for the city's best selection of upholstery and fabrics. If you spot Audis and BMWs parked nearby, it's a good bet their occupants will be there and not down the street at M&B Yummy, a bare-bones vegetarian-friendly Ethiopian restaurant that has won over locals as well as some of the city's restaurant critics.

Further south, closer to the lake, it's easy to forget about the Sunnyside Pavilion and recently restored Palais Royale. Prior to the 1950s when the city began construction of the Gardiner Expressway, Parkdale extended unobstructed down to Lake Ontario. It was there the Palais played host to the likes of Duke Ellington, Count Bassie and Eddie Duchin's Park Central Orchestra.

More of our favourite Parkdale spots that shouldn't be missed include:

Bacchus Roti
This cheerful long standing Trinidadian-style roti joint recently gave itself a face lift with a new sign. But the excellent roti hasn't changed. Outside of Ghandi admirers, many feel this place makes the best roti in the city. Veggie-friendly options include tofu, channa (curried chickpeas), spinach and squash. Goat and jerk chicken are also on the menu.

Easy Breakfast
One of the best brunch places in the city. Famous for their Huevos Divorciados, Easy Breakfast tries its best to accommodate the throngs who line up on weekends for a table. If the wait is too long, there's always the Easy Express Coffee Shop accessible through the back door. And if the stars aren't aligning for whatever reason, a good alternative is Poor John's Cafe a couple of blocks down the street

Common Cloth
The most fashionable store west of Trinity Bellwoods Park, Common Cloth at the corner of Gwynne and Queen sells two local sisters' eponymous line of women's clothing. Pants, skirts, dresses, tops. It's all pretty and stylish. For accessories, walk down the street to Make You Look, a jewellery studio and shop featuring unique, hand-crafted items from more than 15 Canadian designers.

KOMA Designs
This award-winning furniture and design store has an amazing collection of vintage, retro, modern, functional and imported furniture. Don't forget to have a look at the furniture gallery downstairs. For a selection that features more eco-friendly options, head west to Simone Interiors.

Mitzi's Sister
Long before some of the newer bars like Not My Dog, Dragonfly and Chino opened their doors there was Mitzi's Sister. A local institution, Mitzi's Sister has live music every night of the week. While they have a small patio in the back, for some more serious lounging the Cadillac Lounge or even Rhino further east are better options.

Conspiracy Culture
This store has the city's best collection of non-fiction books, DVDs and magazines for conspiracy theorists. A fun spot to talk JFK or 9/11 with like-minded individuals, the store also hosts occasional live lectures and other events that usually draw a packed house.