Where to eat, drink and shop in Roncesvalles

Written By

Christine Peddie

over 2 years ago

When it comes to beloved Toronto neighbourhoods, Roncesvalles is tough to top. If you’re a person who likes eating and drinking, strolling, cycling, shopping, or a delightful combination of these diversions, you’re bound to fall under its charms. Blessed with proximity to High Park and other green spaces, it’s also ideal for anyone craving some distance from Toronto’s grittier urban areas.

Bordered by Roncesvalles Avenue, the neighbourhood stretches east to the West Toronto Railpath, and extends from Queen Street West up to Bloor. Part of a swath of land (known as West Lodge) purchased by Colonel Walter O’Hara in the 19th century, the avenue was named for Spain’s Pass of Roncesvalles, the site of a battle during the Peninsular War.

With the construction of streetcar tracks in the early 1900s, the area underwent a time of massive growth. An influx of immigrants, particularly from England, then Poland, settled in, establishing Roncy’s rep as a family-friendly area with distinct European flair.

A place where chic Gen Xers direct their snack-toting tots toward the library as furrowed seniors make their way to coffee mornings, Roncesvalles has the feel of a quaint hamlet. Thanks to its multitude of first-rate restaurants and shops, its abundance of grocers, places of worship, community centres — even the city’s longest-running independent cinema — you could never leave the area and still want for nothing. Built on honest work and community, Roncesvalles may be less flashy than other parts of Toronto but has heart in spades. It’s a place people flock to for comfort, for community and for the calibre of eateries, shops and coffee spots only passion and pride can build.

Where to eat

Cafe Polonez

195 Roncesvalles Ave

When Café Polonez first opened its doors, Charles was a mere prince poised to marry Lady Di, Raiders of the Lost Ark reigned at the box office, and Roncesvalles was a quiet avenue sitting near the far edge of the city’s hustle and bustle. What hasn’t changed since 1981, is the café’s rep as the city’s go-to spot for top-notch, home-style Polish fare.

Located in the heart of Little Poland, Café Polonez trades in hearty, soulful plates brimming with pierogi, schnitzel, cabbage rolls, and other central-European mainstays. Any night of the week, you’ll find families digging into combination plates alongside octogenarians contemplating the scenery as they wait for their paprikash to cool. Family-run since day one, Café Polonez is a casual, dependable spot that has never wavered in its commitment to serve well-priced, home-cooked dishes to everyone who steps through its doors. A neighbourhood spot where you feel coddled by babcia herself, Café Polonez continues to rank among the city’s most reliable spots for classic comfort fare.

Dil Se Indian Restaurant & Bar

335 Roncesvalles Ave

Hindi for “from the heart,” Dil Se offers guests a rapturous tour of northern Indian cuisine. A relative newcomer to the area, Dil Se’s honest, homestyle approach pairs perfectly with the sort of eatery Roncy is best known for. Welcoming and bright, offering plates that sing with vivid flavours, these spots offer substance, where others trade solely in style.

Pairing recipes learned from relatives with lessons learned in the culinary field, chef and owner Mani Panwar’s extensive menu offers city diners a tempting array of dishes. From vegetarian curries and tender tandoori to biryani, pulao and chicken Kamasutra — enrobed in cashew gravy and spicy in name only — there’s joy and richness in every abundantly seasoned bite. Eat in, take out, order for delivery, or rent out the private room and revel in chef Panwar’s exceptional cooking with 30 of your closest friends.

Gold Standard

385 Roncesvalles Ave

Declare to the world that you’re the best at something, and you’re bound to be met with a dose of skepticism and an eyebrow raised to the sky. Happily, when it comes to Gold Standard, the name isn’t just baseless braggadocio. With sandwiches that continually lead to lengthy lines, have earned Instagram fame, repeat customers and top billing on best-of-lists, Gold Standard serves up hand-held delights that are a true mark of excellence.

Served from a takeout window, these sandwiches and burgers more than make up for the lack of frills. Each is a carefully calibrated stack of ingredients chosen for maximum pleasure. From the all-beef Telway Burger (a nod to a Detroit icon) to the Gold Standard Sandwich (which has captured the city’s attention since day one) each item on the team’s compact menu delivers ultimate satisfaction. The next time it’s after 10 a.m. and you find yourself sauntering up Roncy, treat yourself to a grilled English muffin topped with bacon or sautéed kale, cheesy eggs, aioli, pickles, and dashes of Marie Sharps hot sauce. Open the brown paper baggie, unwrap the familiar gold foil and join the cult of people who already know that Gold Standard sandwiches are Roncesvalles Avenue’s top claim to sandwich fame.

The Ace

231A Roncesvalles Ave

Housed in a restored 1950s diner, The Ace is equal parts go-to family restaurant and retro gem. Put up for sale in 2020, it was rescued from extinction by new owners, and husband-and-wife team, Rafael Badell and Maggie Stackpole. Interested in preserving The Ace’s legacy, the couple left much unchanged — the name, the wallpaper, the Ace Burger and the easy, genial vibe all remain. With a focus on seasonal flavours, rare wines, and menus that cater to all diners, both old and young, The Ace continues to rank high with Roncesvalles locals.

Whether you pop in for dinner, offered five nights a week, or a weekend brunch, you’ll be met with a vibrant room, friendly servers and menus crowing with Ontario’s finest ingredients. In chef Badell’s hands, heirloom Georgia candy roaster squash might be blanketed with Parmesan hollandaise, then served alongside candied Concord grapes. Crisp Savoy cabbage, charred for smokiness and depth, may find its way to a plate with green goddess dressing, white anchovies and persillade. Whatever is on offer, trust the man at the stove and dig in. You’re guaranteed to enjoy every comforting, succulent, surprising bite.

Pizzeria Defina

321 Roncesvalles Ave

Getting people excited about pizza isn’t exactly an exacting task. Still, mention award-winning pies, available with four different types of crust and you just might spark a stampede. At Pizzería Defina — a Roncesvalles staple since 2011 — a story that began with authentic, wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas has expanded to now include Roman, kamut and gluten-free options. Also on offer? A tempting assortment of small plates, pastas, grilled mains, and sides infused with the aroma and essence of the restaurant’s blazing epicenter.

Whether you’re a traditionalist who accepts nothing but Margherita or prefer to live on the edge, Pizzería Defina has something to excite. Adventurous types will want to sample the Roncy. A pie clearly inspired by its environs, it’s topped with fior di latte, Yukon gold potatoes, double-smoked bacon, caramelized shallots and dill. Or, they might accept a pizza dubbed simply, “The Winner.” Made with tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella, nduja, hen of the woods mushrooms, tarragon and basil this pie brought home a top prize from the International Pizza Expo in 2013 and has been wowing palates in the west end ever since. A spot that works as well on soccer night as it does for date night, Pizzería Defina serves up a perfect blend of casual elegance and quality food.

Where to drink

Bandit Brewery

2125 Dundas Street West

Veer east off the north end of Roncesvalles Avenue, and you’ll come across one of the city’s most treasured breweries. Whether we love it for its striking menu of brews, its glowing patio or its whimsical branding is anyone’s guess (though we’d bet it has something to do with all three). Sipping on everything from pale ales with watermelon and hibiscus to wild sour ales aged in sauvignon blanc barrels, we’re content to simply feel like part of something great.

Owned by Shehad Hamza and Stephane Dubois, Bandit Brewery is a former auto body shop treated to a little love and the addition of several fermenting tanks. Opened in 2016, it’s since offered guests a cozy escape in winter and a fair-weather patio modelled after German beer gardens, where afternoons morph into evenings and nobody is ever in a rush to go home. A robust, eclectic food program is built on small and shareable plates that pair so well with beer, second and third rounds are never far behind. Feel like a snack? Order beer-battered cheese curds, Thai wings or fried oyster mushrooms served with ancho barbecue sauce. Need a full meal? Fried chicken plates and striploin steaks with marsala thyme butter and truffle aioli make it crystal clear that the team isn’t fooling around. A place that honours the city’s favourite critter as it slakes our thirst and sates our appetite, it’s a wonder Bandit Brewery still feels as intimate as it did when it first opened its doors.

Tommy's Wine Bar

1977 Dundas Street West

Despite its unfortunate opening date (February 2020), Tommy’s Wine Bar pulled through the miseries of the pandemic thanks to its collection of elevating essentials and its community spirit. A place that kept the neighbourhood well-stocked with rare wines, craft beer, canned cocktails, pantry staples, even snacks from Donna’s, it’s no wonder that Tommy’s picked up a dedicated following in its first couple of years.

A brother to Tammy’s Wine Queen, in Parkdale, Tommy’s is as solidly homey, inclusive and devoted to life’s simple pleasures as its sister. Open seven days a week; it’s the place to pop by whether your day has you anxious for coffee or aching for a bottle of wine that will (temporarily) melt away the madness.

Finally operating at full tilt, Tommy’s has all the perks of the corner variety store upgraded for mature tastes. Prefer craft IPA to a day-glo tinted Slurpee? Rather tuck into a chorizo and cheese empanada than a limp taquito with questionable Tex-Mex seasoning? Then, Tommy’s is for you. Take a seat and enjoy a drink before you stock up on treats to take home. Then, count yourself lucky that you have a place like Tommy’s just up the street.

Round the Horn

331 Roncesvalles Avenue

If pints and sports rank high on your list of must-haves, Round the Horn just might be your happy place. When you discover that they also serve posh pub fare — from pork belly sandwiches to tube steaks piled high with a surfeit of toppings — you’ll have no doubt that you’ve found your nirvana.

A neighbourhood bar with an easygoing attitude, Round the Horn is as honest as they come. Since celebrating its grand opening on Boxing Day, 2015 (with the World Junior Championships), it has remained steadfast in its commitment to craft brews, great food, team sports and community. Beer lovers will swoon at the vast number of offerings from local favourites, including Great Lakes Brewery, Oast, Cowbell Brewing Co., and more, while anyone with an appetite will be tempted by the menu of well-made crowd-pleasers.

Bringing people together to carve pumpkins, play bingo, test their knowledge at trivia, or to simply catch the game while they catch up, there’s good reason why Round the Horn is Roncy’s unofficial nerve centre. When you celebrate your team’s wins (or bemoan its numerous losses) with like-minded people, it’s hard not to feel like you’ve finally made it home.

Where to grab a coffee

Cherry Bomb Coffee

79 Roncesvalles Avenue

Cherry Bomb Coffee isn’t the type of spot you haphazardly stumble upon. Rather, the aroma of fresh-baked goods and super-premium coffee, the lineups clogging the southern end of Roncesvalles Avenue and the cartoonish explosive cherry sign direct you toward the front door as if that was always the plan. A place that started out in 2005 as “a tiny hole-in-the-wall,” according to the website, the company quickly grew thanks to the quality of its products and the dedication of its team.

At Cherry Bomb Coffee, a passion for the coffee industry is matched by an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to offer nothing but the best. Every Americano, espresso, and latte begins with ethically-sourced beans that have been roasted by co-founder and co-owner John Ruttan in Prince Edward County. Paired with house-baked delights, ranging from buttery, ethereal scones and speciality croissants to tender muffins and crisp cookies, it’s easy to see why the café’s star has risen so swiftly.

With a variety of fresh-roasted beans available to-go or for online order, you can also cradle your preferred cup — be it honey-flavoured, medium roast Cherry Blossom or the full-bodied Cherry Bomb — at home. The type of coffee shop you find on holiday and wish you could smuggle home, a visit to Cherry Bomb Coffee always guarantees a happy outcome.

Extra Butter Coffee

283 Roncesvalles Avenue

Opened in 2014 by Cherry Bomb alums, it’s no wonder that Extra Butter Coffee subscribes to a similar cozy-meets-cool, independent-coffee-house vibe. It’s a place where coffee is king, baked goods are always fresh from the oven, and the mood is unpretentious, inclusive and relaxed.

Exclusively serving Dark City Coffee, the shop takes its name from a particularly bold, rich, chocolatey blend. Still, thanks to Art Deco-inspired touches, the look throughout is decidedly more sunny than sombre. A menu of fresh roasted beans are available in all manner of hot and cold caffeinated bevvies, as is tea, juice, and other popular hydrators. Spy the maple mustard bacon bun? On the menu since day one, it’s a curious concept turned bestseller. Glazed doughnuts, sweet and savoury croissants, and cookies also beckon from behind the glass.

Beyond the must-haves for your coffee run, Extra Butter Coffee also stocks seasonal flowers, products from nearby businesses, and a wealth of tools and trinkets to boost your at-home coffee-making.

AM Coffee Studio

2233 Dundas Street West

A one-stop shop for wellness, AM Coffee Studio is a space where empowerment is served in the form of coffee, community, calm and care. Inspired to find a sense of togetherness, Aleksandra Myszk opened AM Coffee Studio in 2019. The combo café and studio draws people in, whether they yearn to swig cappuccinos or yen to practice yoga among like-minded individuals. A series of workshops and ceremonies — each designed to strengthen students’ focus and awareness, or guide them through healing and self-empowerment — take the health mantra to a new level.

To support the path to enlightenment, the café serves a vibrant, nutrient-dense assortment of dishes. Lighter eats include rainbow-hued salads overflowing with fresh add-ins, and hearty bowls boasting bracing layers of ingredients. Then again, if you prefer to fuel your personal journey to wellness with tender chocolate almond cookies and breakfast sandwiches piled high with bacon, egg, and Cheddar, you’ll find zero judgment here. Beyond rich coffee, drinks range from smoothies and turmeric lattes to spiced hot apple ciders and Mayana Cacao drinking elixirs, purported to improve everything from energy and mood, to creativity, and (ahem) pleasure.

Open seven days a week, AM Coffee Studio is a spot that radiates lightness and cheer, and promises to boost your mood, even before the caffeine hits the bloodstream.

Where to shop

Russell's Butcher & Deli

401 Roncesvalles Avenue

It doesn’t take long for the folks at Russell’s Butcher & Deli to feel like family. A team well-versed in the intricate ins and outs of butchery and meat cookery, they readily offer up advice, menu ideas and the type of hand-holding you might more readily expect from a sage grandparent. A second spot for husband-and-wife team Sarah and Christopher Terpstra, Russell’s Butcher & Deli joins Roncesvalles Avenue’s Alimentari as another must-stop shop for high-end groceries, prepared foods, and, in this case, top cuts of quality meat.

A hybrid butcher, grocer and deli, Russell’s offers customers unique items ranging from upmarket chips and chocolate sauce to pickles and ball-park style mustard. Sourced from local farms, heritage pork chops, lamb shanks and stone-age-sized steaks gussy up the meat counter, with assorted sausages, burger patties, and kebabs available for anyone eager to take the guesswork out of the equation. From prepared salads and sandwiches layered with sliced-to-order meat, the options are (close to) endless, whether you need to eat ASAP, or simply have a divine dinner in mind for the weekend. Plus, with fresh-made pasta, sauces, and more just down the street at sister spot, Alimentari, you needn’t go far, no matter what type of culinary adventure you have planned.

De La Mer

291 Roncesvalles Avenue

Billed as "your neighbourhood fish market," De La Mer makes shopping for seafood as easy as buying sliced bread. Step inside and you'll meet a chummy crew, happy to enlighten customers about the virtues of mollusks, crustaceans and other aquatic delights. Whether you're Toronto's Eric Ripert or have never braved battle with an oyster, you'll find what you need among De La Mer's impressive options.

A second location for the company (which has now grown to four stores), De Le Mer first opened its doors on Roncesvalles in 2012. Ever since, owner David Owen and his team have been thrilling locals with the shop's vast selection of über-fresh, high-quality seafood, including organic, naturally raised and sustainably caught options along with farmed fresh seafood and fish. Even when cooking isn't an option, it's easy to plan a meal around the team's famed cold smoked salmon, house-smoked fish, chowders, lobster mac and cheese, seafood quiches, and more. With an online shop offering next-day delivery (and options ranging from Louisiana catfish to live Atlantic lobsters), you no longer have an excuse for turning to insipid fish sticks when you're short on time.

Sunnyside Provisions

287 Roncesvalles Avenue

The people at Sunnyside Provisions take the term “fully stocked” to a whole new level. Devoted to making food prep “convenient, easy, and enjoyable,” they’re also in the business of sourcing quality goods that will set your heart (and stomach) aflutter. Roam around this grocer/bottle shop/takeaway hot spot and you’ll find oodles of goodies, both local and imported. From chocolates, charcuterie, and cheeses to award-winning hot sauces, canned essentials, dips, juices, snack foods, candies, and booze, Sunnyside Provisions is likely to carry the items you crave. Throw in a healthy number of sophisticated prepared foods, ranging from Irish Stew to Sesame Soy Haddock, plus soft serve ice cream crowned with Flake bars, and you can see why Sunnyside brings all the neighbours to its yard.

Opened in May, 2021, by a trio of hospitality professionals, Sunnyside Provisions is a spot where the hashtag #eatfirsteverythingelselater, is gospel. A relative Roncy newcomer, it wowed locals during its first year with its thoughtful takeaway menus and snacks. It’s also a place that’s family-friendly, and casual, seamlessly melding with the area’s overarching theme of admirable proficiency presented in a humble way. Pop in for a sandwich, and you’re guaranteed to leave with the week’s meals sorted, a bag of glorious new bottles to sample, welcome advice, and some treats for the kids. And that, friends, is the definition of a shopping trip slam dunk.

Illustration by Sophie Berg

Russell's Butcher Photos by Kristen Wells

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