Best of the City 2014: The ultimate insider’s guide to food, drink, fashion and fun

By Caroline Aksich, Chantal Braganza, Matthew Hague, Bronwen Jervis, Gabrielle Johnson, Emily Landau, Frances McInnis, Simone Olivero, Rebecca Philps, Amy Rosen, Peter Saltsman, Courtney Shea and Caroline Youdan | Photography by Dave Gillespie | Illustrations by Lauren Tamaki

Torontonians are spoiled by luxury—an inevitable side effect of living in a city where you can book a private chopper to Georgian Bay, nibble on sustainable sturgeon caviar and moisturize with 24 karat gold–flecked lotions. In the past year, however, the city has truly outdone itself, supplying the kinds of outlandish foods, amenities and products that would astonish even the most pampered urbanite. Our team of seen-it-all critics gorged on ornately plated desserts, scoured fashion trucks and baby boutiques, and subjected their bodies to aggressive Russian bamboo massages, all in the quest to bring you this, our annual roundup of Toronto’s best of absolutely everything.