The Mount Pleasant Guide: our 26 favourite spots along the charming strip
The Mount Pleasant Guide: our 26 favourite spots along the charming strip
The Mount Pleasant strip isn’t exactly the next hot ’hood or the new Queen West or the developer district du jour. No, the Mount Pleasant strip is as it always has been: a charming stretch between Eglinton and Davisville that is lined with European bakeries, amazing Gallic restaurants (where the servers still speak French), whimsical shops and one-screen movie houses that take us back to the Toronto of yore. Unlike other shopping and dining districts, customers aren’t paying for the view, the rent or the trend—they’re paying for a slice of authenticity in an ever-gentrifying city. Here, we visit our 26 favourite spots along Mount Pleasant, finding quirky antiques, fanciful items for kids, refined meals and stunning baguettes.
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- 195039
- <strong>Regent Theatre</strong><br /> Called the Belsize Theatre when it opened in 1927, this art deco movie house featured an orchestra for silent films before staging live performances in the 1950s and ’60s (with such stars as Donald Sutherland and Robert Goulet). It is now a second-run film theatre, showing documentaries and features that rarely make it into mainstream megaplexes. In 2002, a post-production company called Theatre D moved in, allowing aspiring filmmakers to see their work in the main theatre, which seats 600 and has a 45-foot screen. In the evenings, select features are shown for $10. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Regent Theatre, </em></strong>555 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-480-9884.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Regent Theatre
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Regent Theatre
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- 195038
- <strong>Debu’s</strong><br /> Chef Debu Saha is one of a handful of chefs in the city seeking to elevate Indian food to fine-dining heights. Brazen experimentation with east-west fusion (an Indian-spiced duck confit omelette, $14) and five-star presentation set his food apart. Vegetarians can enjoy more than half the menu, including a triptych of cauliflower with citrus-almond sauce ($16), potato stuffed with paneer and herbs under a tomato–curry leaf velouté ($16), and surprisingly firm eggplant filled with Hyderabadi sauce ($16). <br /><br /> <p><strong><em>Debu’s, </em></strong>552 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-927-9340, <a href=http://www.debusaha.com>debusaha.com</a>. Lunch and brunch, Tu–Su 11:30–2:30 p.m.; dinner, Tu–Su 5:30–10. </p>
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Debus
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Debus
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- 195032
- <strong>Lollicakes</strong><br /> Barbara Rotberg opened her technicolour bakery three years ago after being overwhelmed by demand for her homemade cupcakes ($2–$3). All items are made in-house, including the chocolate icons that top each dessert (variations range from Chinese characters to ribbons in support of breast cancer research to the Star of David). All cupcakes are nut-free, certified kosher and can be made without lactose, dairy, gluten, wheat, egg, soya or sesame. Despite her “if you can dream it, we can make it” approach, Rotberg makes only two flavours: “Not everyone will eat a strawberry or coconut cupcake, but everyone will eat chocolate and vanilla.” <br /><br /> <em><strong>Lollicakes,</strong> 559 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-482-2253, <a href=http://www.lollicakes.ca>lollicakes.ca</a>. M–Th 9–5, F 9–3, Su 9–2. Closed Saturday. </em>
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Lollicakes
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Lollicakes
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- 195020
- <strong>Bean Sprout</strong><strong><br /> Trish Haddad started selling second-hand baby clothes here in the mid-’90s but now offers full collections of her favourite lines. The boutique sells high-quality threads in bold palettes for kids up to age 16, including such top-notch Canadian brands as Yogini and Blu. Standouts include a slate-and-brown polka-dot dress by Jolene ($70) and Deux par Deux snowsuits ($135–$259). <br /><br /> </strong><strong><em>Bean Sprout,</em></strong> 565 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-932-3727, <a href="http://www.beansprout.ca">beansprout.ca</a>. M–Sa 10:30–5:30, Su 1–5.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Bean Sprout
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Bean Sprout
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- 195028
- <strong>Jacaranda Tree and Co. </strong><strong><br /> The narrow storefront belies what’s inside: two floors packed with English- and French-country goodies, everything from vintage plates to jewellery to furniture. “We’re like the new generation of department store,” says Dianne Monkman, owner of the 25-year-old shop. “We have a community spirit. When you come here, we remember your name and what you bought last time.” The main floor has an overwhelming array of dinnerware and such inexpensive knick-knacks as miniature alarm clocks ($10) and monogrammed handkerchiefs ($8); upstairs, headboards, chests and chairs are strewn about, like in Grandma’s attic. <br /><br /> </strong><strong><em>Jacaranda Tree and Co.,</em></strong> 569 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-482-6599. M–Sa 10–5, Su noon–5.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Jacaranda Tree and Co.
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Jacaranda Tree and Co.
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- 195035
- <strong>Mogette Bistro</strong><br /> Named after a French legume and reminiscent of a dollhouse, this romantic little bistro would make a good first date for locavores. Chefs Daniel Muia and Alsace native Philippe Coeurdassier turn out such tasty European dishes as schnitzel ($18) and duck confit ($25) using many locally sourced ingredients. Sublime vanilla-poached prunes complement a warm tart of delicate pastry, pears and frangipane. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Mogette Bistro, </em></strong>581 Mount Pleasant Rd., 647-350-5772, <a HREF=HTTP://WWW.MOGETTEBISTRO.COM>mogettebistro.com</a>. Tu–Sa 5:30–9:30.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Mogette Bistro
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Mogette Bistro
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- 195024
- <strong>Eric and Susan</strong><br /> Lamps in every conceivable shape, size and colour make this store look like a scene from Alice in Wonderland. The shop’s retired 85-year-old owner, Eric Ward, made lights here for two decades before passing the torch on to his partner, Susan Lloyd, an innovative designer in her own right. She has a knack for turning everyday objects (fire extinguishers, giant wine bottles, an antique seltzer bottle) into quirky light fixtures. She’s still waiting for someone to bring in a prosthetic leg clad in fishnets. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Eric and Susan, </em></strong>590 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-482-0282, <a href="http://www.eric-susan.com">eric-susan.com</a>. Tu–Th 10–6, F–Sa 10–5.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Eric and Susan
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Eric and Susan
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- 195019
- <strong>Alexandre Antique Prints, Maps and Books</strong><br /> A cartographer’s heaven and a high school geography student’s nightmare, this antique map shop is covered from floor to ceiling in prints that date back hundreds of years. Overwhelmed shoppers should opt for turn-of-the-century maps of their neighbourhoods (there’s a wide selection of Ontario designs, such as an 1878 colour map of Toronto, $600) or timeless flora prints. In the back is a library of books dating back to the 16th century. Highlights include an 1898 book on the occult with a reaper on the cover ($250) and an 1896 children’s book titled <em>Nonsense for Somebody, Anybody, or Everybody, Particularly the Baby Body</em>. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Alexandre Antique Prints, Maps and Books, </em></strong>593 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-364-2376, <a href=" http://www.alexandremaps.com">alexandremaps.com</a>. M–Sa 10–6.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Alexandre Antique Prints, Maps and Books
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Alexandre Antique Prints, Maps and Books
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- 195026
- <strong>Hillside Café</strong><br /> The husband and wife team of Raivo and Viia Mannama get up at 4 a.m. to bake such Finnish and Estonian treats as danishes ($1.50), pierogies ($1 each) and kringels ($25 for three pounds), though Raivo says his not-so-European banana bread ($2) sells out quickly, as well. The couple opened the Hillside Café seven years ago and have since been satisfying the taste buds and curiosity of locals whose knowledge of northern Europe largely comes from IKEA catalogues. A selection of herring and imported cookies and crackers line the shelves. “There isn’t much of a difference between Scandinavian and Canadian tastes,” says Raivo. “If it’s tasty, it doesn’t matter what country it comes from. My rule is to bake it for yourself and if someone else likes it, then that’s great.” <br /><br /> <strong><em>Hillside Café,</em></strong> 594 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-544-1222. Tu–F 8–5, Sa 9–4.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Hillside Café
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Hillside Café
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- 195018
- <strong>Act Two</strong><br /> Though small in size, the selection in this consignment store has been carefully picked by owner Inga Welsman. Her upmarket tastes translate into racks of fine furs (from $400), leather coats (from $100) and men’s suits from such labels as Canali and Armani (from $200). Buyers—typically an older crowd, as second-hand-loving hipsters tend to stay downtown—will be happy to note that haggling is a regular occurrence. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Act Two, </em></strong>596 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-487-2486. M–Sa 11–6.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Act Two
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Act Two
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- 195031
- <strong>The Little Dollhouse Company</strong><br /> There are teeny-tiny versions of fortune cookies, Louis Vuitton luggage and Swarovski jewellery here at Canada’s oldest dollhouse hobby shop (it’s been around since 1975). Maria and John Fowler, who took over the business in 2001, are obsessed with fulfilling customers’ wishes. Case in point: Maria spent six months looking for miniature coconuts. She eventually found them in Holland. Houses range from $30 to $1,500 for DIY kits, but the real money is poured into custom-builds; at the back of the store, there’s a gorgeous $30,000 brown brick mansion sitting in what looks like Santa’s workshop. “We make a lot of reproductions of people’s homes,” she says. “But a lot of people don’t just want to build a house—they want to build their dream house.” Still, miniatures are far from boring; customers have made some interesting requests, like wee jockstraps (Maria scored them in the U.S.) and mini-condoms (she found a maker in Mexico). <br /><br /> <strong><em>The Little Dollhouse Company,</em></strong> 612 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-489-7180, <a href="http://www.thelittledollhousecompany.com">thelittledollhousecompany.com</a>. M–Sa 10–6, Su noon–5.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: The Little Dollhouse Company
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: The Little Dollhouse Company
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- 195029
- <strong>Jules Pâtisserie</strong><strong><br /> This narrow, lime-walled bakery matches Thobors in quality but provides a more laid-back atmosphere. The chocolate croissant ($1.80) is exactly what the breakfast snack should be: rich, gooey and addictive. In savouries, the divine croque monsieur ($7) makes for a simple lunch at one of the café tables. <br /><br /> </strong><strong><em>Jules Pâtisserie, </em></strong>617 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-481-1666. Tu–Sa 8–6, Su 8–5.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Jules Pâtisserie
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Jules Pâtisserie
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- 195021
- <strong>Célestin</strong><br /> This elegant and intimate spot may not have quite the buzz of other top-tier restaurants in the city, but it should. A spot for special occasions, Célestin is meticulously watched over by newly minted owner and chef Ivan Tarazona. His traditional French menu focuses on such elegant Gallic classics as rich croque monsieur ($13) for brunch and braised pork shoulder ($26) for dinner. Servers find the perfect balance of warmth, whimsy and professionalism. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Célestin, </em></strong>623 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-544-9035. Lunch, W–F 11–2:30 p.m.; dinner, Tu-Sa 6–10; brunch, Sa-Su 8:30–2:30 p.m.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Célestin
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Célestin
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- 195041
- <strong>Thobors Boulangerie Patisserie Café</strong><br /> In the old Comptoir de Célestin space, Thobors exudes Seine-side charm. Imported French beverages, jams and jellies line the shelves opposite the quiche and sandwich counter. Parisian-trained baker Marc Thobor makes an unbelievable baguette ($1.95), rivalled in the city only by his Alsatian competitor, Marc Thuet. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Thobors Boulangerie Patisserie Café, </em></strong>627 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-544-1733, <a HREF=HTTP://WWW.THOBORS.CA>thobors.ca</a>. W–Su 7:30–6:30.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Thobors Boulangerie Patisserie Café
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Thobors Boulangerie Patisserie Café
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- 195042
- <strong>Zee Grill </strong><br /> Chef-owner Jac Eckhardt runs one of the oldest seafood restaurants in the city. The secret to his longevity is fresh fish and a balance between the familiar (greaseless fish and chips, $21) and the unique (Hawaiian seafood poke salad with lime, pine nuts and arugula, $15). The wine list is loaded with crisp, aromatic whites, and the service is affable. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Zee Grill, </em></strong>641 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-484-6428, <a href=http://www.zeegrill.com>zeegrill.com</a>. M-Th 5–10:00, F– Sa 5–11. Closed Sundays. Closed Mondays in winter.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Zee Grill
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Zee Grill
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- 195027
- <strong>Il Gelatiere</strong><br /> Even in winter, crowds take over this two-year-old family-owned gelato emporium. Among the most decadent of the 32 rotating flavours is a rich chocolate-coffee. For fruit lovers, the pineapple sorbet tastes as though a whole pineapple (minus the spiky parts) has been crammed into the cup. Cones, syrups and even the spoons are shipped in from the motherland. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Il Gelatiere, </em></strong>647 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-488-2663. Tu–Th 10–6, F–Sa 10–11, Su 1–7.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Il Gelatiere
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Il Gelatiere
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- 195034
- <strong>Midge</strong><strong><br /> Pam Kosoy uses her graphic design background to compose flower arrangements (from $20) that are simple, sleek and elegant. Her cheery apple green shop is filled with orchids, hydrangeas and daisies and feels like the first days of spring even when there’s a blizzard raging outside. Named after Kosoy’s mother, Midge opened in 2001 and also stocks such hostess gifts as chocolate-covered sunflower seeds, Savon de Marseille soaps and G. Lalo note cards, though Kosoy says her fake moustache kits ($10) and head massagers ($5) are the most popular items, save for flowers. <br /><br /> </strong><strong><em>Midge,</em></strong> 651 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-488-0875, <a href="http://www.midge.ca">midge.ca</a>. M–Sa 10–6.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Midge
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Midge
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- 195033
- <strong>Mabel’s Fables</strong><br /> The vast selection at this cozy kid-lit sanctuary trumps that at most other kids’ bookstores in the city. Sisters Eleanor LeFave and Susan McCulloch, a retired teacher and librarian (respectively), categorize all their books according to age, making it easy for flustered adults wondering what five-year-olds like to read (that would be the self-esteem-boosting <em>Looking Like Me</em> by Walter Dean Myers, $24). There are also such interesting finds as an Andy Warhol sticker book ($12.50) and autographed copies of artist Charles Pachter’s Canadian-themed counting book ($20). The second floor is devoted to tweens and young teenagers, with an overstuffed couch for after-school reading. And yes, there actually is a Mabel: she’s the plump ginger cat often found resting by the cash register. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Mabel’s Fables,</em></strong> 662 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-322-0438, <a href="http://www.mabelsfables.com">mabelsfables.com</a>. M–W 10–6, Th–F 10–7, Sa 10–6, Su noon–5.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Mabel’s Fables
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Mabel’s Fables
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- 195036
- <strong>Mount Pleasant Cinema</strong><br /> The marquee almost acts as the neighbourhood’s welcome sign, announcing both the street name and the latest movies to grace the screen inside. Visitors accustomed to AMC and SilverCity may go into culture shock in the 380-seat theatre: the seats are not luxurious, the wallpaper is a deliciously tacky red, and there isn’t a stream of ads once the lights dim. It’s the perfect, quiet cinema in which to catch a screening with film lovers, not mall lovers. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Mount Pleasant Cinema, </em></strong>675 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-489-8484.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Mount Pleasant Cinema
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Mount Pleasant Cinema
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- <strong>Across the Road</strong><br /> This unpretentious bistro caters to its loyal clientele of mature locals with safe but tasty continental standards. Big proteins occupy the list of mains, including a generous rack of lamb ($39) cooked medium rare. The three-course prix fixe menu ($30), with similarly hearty offerings (steak frites, Provimi calf’s liver), is the best bet. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Across the Road, </em></strong>679 Mount Pleasant Rd. (at Eglinton Ave. E.), 416-486-1111, <a href=http://www.acrosstheroad.ca>acrosstheroad.ca</a>. M–Su 5:30–10.
- (Image: Jessica Darmanin)
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Across the Road
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Across the Road
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- <strong>Pimentón</strong><br /> Named after paprika, Lola Csullog-Fernández’s brightly coloured shop specializes in Spanish and other Mediterranean ingredients and prepared foods. Grab-and-go gourmets can box up prepared croquetas ($1.50) and pasta paella fideua ($10), and dinner is served. She also offers cooking classes, giving students one-on-one attention as they learn the secrets of paella perfection. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Pimentón, </em></strong>681 Mount Pleasant Rd., 647-343-4870, <a HREF=HTTP://WWW.PIMENTON.CA>pimenton.ca</a>. M–W 11–6:30, Th–F 11–7, Sa–Su 10–5.
- (Image: Jessica Darmanin)
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Pimentón
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Pimentón
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- <strong>Lai Toh Heen</strong><br /> The more casual version of this Chinese restaurant (the other is at the Metropolitan Hotel) serves modern interpretations of dim sum, such as king crab–shrimp dumplings ($4) and fried lobster-lychee rolls ($4). For traditionalists, there are such standbys as siu mai ($6), barbecue pork buns ($4) and har gow ($6). The location may seem like an odd choice for posh hotelier Henry Wu to set up shop, but it’s a perfect place for diners seeking dumplings on a street of boulangeries. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Lai Toh Heen,</em></strong> 692 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-489-8922, <a href=http://www.laitohheen.com>laitohheen.com</a>. Lunch Tu–F noon–3, Sa–Su 11–4; dinner Tu–Su 5–10.
- (Image: Jessica Darmanin)
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Lai Toh Heen
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Lai Toh Heen
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- <strong>Sweet Gallery</strong><br /> When it comes to old-school Viennese bakeries, this is as authentic as Toronto gets. Owner Radi Jelenic still vividly remembers coming to Canada from his native Yugoslavia (via Germany) more than 40 years ago to start a new life in “a nice, quiet country with lots of opportunities.” The 70-year-old baker still gets up before sunrise to make his popular Bishop tortes, apple tarts and cheesecakes. “Everything is made from scratch, just like what we made at home,” says Jelenic, who at one time had five bakeries in the city. “It’s all done by hand rather than a machine, and you can taste the difference.”<br /><br /> <strong><em>Sweet Gallery,</em></strong> 694 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-484-9622, <a href=http://www.thesweetgallery.com>thesweetgallery.com</a>. M–Th 9:30–9:30, F–Sa 9:30–11 p.m., Su 11–5.
- (Image: Jessica Darmanin)
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Sweet Gallery
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Sweet Gallery
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- <strong>Culinarium</strong><strong><br /> Making the lives of 100-mile dieters a lot easier, this popular one-stop food shop stocks milk from Hagersville, vinegars from Niagara, and seasonal produce from Prince Edward, Simcoe and Durham counties. Staffers are friendly and informed, rather than righteous. <br /><br /> </strong><strong><em>Culinarium, </em></strong> 705 Mount Pleasant Rd., 647-430-7004, <a href=http://www.culinarium.ca>culinarium.ca<a />. Tu–F 10–7, Sa 10–6. </a>
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Culinarium
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Culinarium
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- <strong>Granite Brewery </strong><br /> The menu covers all the pub essentials, including 10 beers brewed on-site (serious beer drinkers should opt for the flavourful stout). Tipplers who don’t have time to enjoy a pint in the cozy library can buy a jug at the adjacent store, but we recommend sticking around for the pub grub. The plump, greaseless wings ($11 per pound) and the stout-spiked burger ($14) are irresistible. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Granite Brewery, </em></strong> 245 Eglinton Ave. E., 416-322-0723, <a HREF=HTTP://WWW.GRANITEBREWERY.CA>granitebrewery.ca</a>. M–Th 11:30–11, F–Sa 11:30–1 a.m., Su 11–10:30.
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- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Granite Brewery
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Granite Brewery
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- <strong>Cheese Emporium</strong><br /> Dinner party hosts rejoice in the sprawling selection of bries, gruyères and emmentals, an olive bar, shelves of pâtés and rows of exotic jams and jellies. If you sign up for the Fresh Program, the store will notify you when the French goat cheeses and Italian buffalo mozzarella and taleggio arrive. <br /><br /> <strong><em>Cheese Emporium,</em></strong> 245 Eglinton Ave. E., 416-440-1462, <a href=http://www.cheeseemporium.ca>cheeseemporium.ca</a>. M–F 10–8, Sa 10–6, Su 11–5.
- (Image: Jessica Darmanin)
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Cheese Emporium
- The Mount Pleasant Guide: Cheese Emporium
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, whimsical shops and one-screen movie houses that take us back to the Toronto of yore. Unlike other shopping and dining districts, customers aren’t paying for the view, the rent or the trend—they’re paying for a slice of authenticity in an ever-gentrifying city. Here, we visit our 26 favourite spots along Mount Pleasant, finding quirky antiques, fanciful items for kids, refined meals and stunning baguettes.
View the Mount Pleasant Guide »
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