Queen West

Queen Street still has the reputation of being the epicenter of Toronto cool. And while that may still be true, the coordinates along Queen have changed over the years. In the past Queen West used to mean the edgy, colourful stretch between University and Spadina. But in the last five years, soaring rents have forced out many of the more interesting local retailers and in their place multi-national chain stores like Zara, H&M and French Connection have set up shop.

What's trendy and current along Queen has now migrated east (Leslieville) or west (West Queen West) but not to be overlooked is a rapidly gentrifying area between Spadina and Palmerston. Here there's a wonderful mix of longtime residents like the Cameron House, MOKUBA Ribbon Shop and Albert's Real Jamaican along with more recent destinations like Fressen, Opal Jazz Lounge and Shanghai Cowgirl.

When night falls there's plenty of options to drink and dance, although bars and clubs here tend to cater toward a younger, alternative crowd. Case in point is Savage Garden, a central location for alternative, industrial and goth music, culture and fashion. There's also the Bovine Sex Club, The Reverb, Kathedral, Holy Joe's and Rok Boutique. Architects, designers and media types are more likely to be found at the cozy Paddock, on Bathurst just south of Queen.

To cure the hangover, Sadie's Diner on Richmond Street is a good spot for weekend brunch. There are plenty of vegan options and a juice bar to fill you up with all the requisite anti-oxidants. West of Bathurst, the Prague mixes up Eastern European breakfasts with favourites like perogies and chicken schnitzel. For lunch, a quick dinner or late night eats it's tough to beat Ghandi's Roti or The Ackee Tree.

For some serious sneaker shopping, Queen West is also the place to be. East of Spadina, Get Outside and Groovy still have among the best selection around. A little further west, Da Zone wins points for presentation with brands including Adidas, Nike and Puma all having their own sections scattered throughout the store. Goodfoot on Richmond stocks Toronto's best selection of vintage Nikes. While there, it's also worth venturing into neighbouring Ransom and Nomad.

For more shopping options, Preloved, Lilith and House of Vintage have a well-curated selection of men's and women's clothing. Odyssey is a better bet for guys casual wear with brands like Obey, FreshJive and LRG. Peach Beserk is home to lots of colourful, custom-made, original clothing for women created by owner Kingi Carpenter. They also offer silkscreening workshops twice a month.

A little off the beaten path, the overlooked corner of Richmond and Bathurst presents a cluster of contemporary art galleries including Gallery Moos, XEXE Gallery and Lehmann Leskiw Fine Art. Even a quick visit should give you lots to discuss over coffee and some baked treats at popular Queen West cafes Tequila Bookworm, Java House, Niche or Just Us Cafe.

Some more of our favourite spots include:

The Rosebud

What's not to like about the food here? With the feel of a cozy Parisian Bistro, The Rosebud oozes character which is infused by the delightful quips by proprietor Rodney Bowers. Prices are reasonable and there's a decent selection of wines by the glass. Go for the grilled calamari, risotto or whatever fresh fish happens to be on the grill that night.

Come As You Are

Now going tens years strong, Come As You Are isn't your typical sex shop. While you can certainly find all manners of sex videos (instructional), books, vibrators and butt plugs, the focus is on discreet and helpful, not in your face. They also offer a monthly series of educational workshops with names like Anatomy of Her Pleasure, Vaginal Fisting and Make Your Own Clay Dildo.

W Lifestyle

The serene white interior here is a perfect place to get those highlights done or acquire that new look. Ask for Walter (the owner), or Trancis for something a little more avant garde. Prices aren't too steep, the service is friendly and the background music just right. For a no-frills guys cut a good alternative is Aristotelis (438 Richmond Street West) at Spadina.

Swipe

Even though we hear that Swipe will be moving out of the neighbourhood at some point in 2008, we still had to give it a shout out here. Long serving members of the local advertising and design community in King West, Swipe has Toronto's best selection of graphic design and advertising books. They also stock some great stationery and other miscellaneous items that make fun gifts.

Rotate This

Queen West is known for its great independent music stores and Rotate This is one of Toronto's most loved. In additional to Soundscapes in Little Italy, it's the destination to pick up concert tickets for many of the best indie shows in the city. You can also spend hours here sorting through CDs and new and used vinyl. Also worth a look on Queen are Criminal Records, Cosmos and Cosmos West Records, and Moog Audio.

Photos by Tanja and Tim