What Dora-winning actor Hailey Gillis loves about the Beaches

Hailey Gillis, who is starring in Tiger Bride at Soulpepper this month, is an east-end evangelist. In 2016, she drifted from Cabbagetown to the Beaches, eventually absorbing the prevailing mindset: “I didn’t feel like a true Beaches resident until I had a dog and a baby,” she says. In 2020, Gillis and her partner, fellow actor Mac Fyfe, moved from their shared apartment into his childhood home, a few blocks away. Now they share the house with their two young children and Fyfe’s parents—a multi-generational set-up worthy of its own sitcom. Here’s what Gillis loves about her neighbourhood.

Bagels on Fire

“Their bagels are the closest I’ve found to real Montreal-style bagels in Toronto: best taste, best texture. My order is pretty classic: sesame seed bagel, cream cheese and lox. There are a few locations now, but the Beaches outpost is the original. It’s on the eastern edge of the neighbourhood, and when I’d take my son for a walk in the stroller during the pandemic, it marked our turnaround point.” 2248 Queen St. E., bagelsonfire.com

The Fox Theatre

“When I first moved to Toronto in my early 20s, I’d trek out to the Fox from Dundas and Bathurst. It felt light years away, but it was always worth the journey. They curate such a great list of old and new films. My partner is a real film buff, and before we had kids, we’d alternate between seeing cheesy movies and ones by highbrow auteurs. I’d choose something like The Emperor’s New Groove, and then he’d pick Vertigo.” 2236 Queen St. E., foxtheatre.ca

Castro’s Lounge

“Castro’s is an institution. The coolest jazz musicians, touring and local, always play there. It’s my favourite place to get a cold beer in a buzzing room. It’s tiny, so it’s always pleasantly jammed. When I pass by and hear music spilling out into the street, I’ll stop and do a little dance in front of the doors with my kids. My friend and fellow actor Raha Javanfar is also a jazz musician and often drops her kids off with me before going to play a show there. I highly recommend catching one of her performances.” 2116 Queen St. E., castroslounge.com

Bud’s Coffee

“Coffee is a good drug. Bud’s is my local café, and frankly I’m in there too much. Their coffee is supremely good—my go-to order is a cappuccino and a morning glory muffin. It’s always bright and filled with sunlight, and they even have a kids’ zone at the back with toys and a play castle. The owners, Sarah and Ken, live next door to us, and when my kids were babies, I’d visit the café in the morning to apologize if they were up crying all night. Thankfully, they’ve never been upset.” 1966½ Queen St. E., budscoffee.ca

Hanji Gifts

“My mother always keeps extra greeting cards around, just in case—a habit she passed down to me. I buy a card any time I see one that’s beautiful and keep them all in a big box. I spend a lot of time at Hanji, feeding my addiction. Their style is totally tuned to my taste: filled to the brim with gorgeous wrapping papers, stationery, tchotchkes and other fun little objects.” 1952 Queen St. E., hanjigifts.com