What PWHL star Renata Fast loves about Liberty Village
The Olympic gold medallist and Sceptres defender shares her go-to spots
Renata Fast, a defensive hockey player for the Toronto Sceptres and Team Canada, never thought she’d leave her hometown of Burlington—until she moved into a two-bedroom condo near King and Shaw with her husband, Paul Geiger, in 2021. “I fell in love with the friendliness of the neighbourhood,” she says. “You don’t feel overwhelmed by the city here.” With the PWHL season in full swing and the Winter Olympics imminent, Fast has a breakneck schedule, training in Etobicoke, playing home games at the Coca-Cola Coliseum and travelling for away games. But, when she’s not on the ice, she often hangs out in Liberty Village. Here, she takes us on a tour of her favourite haunts.
Related: Inside Renata Fast’s backyard wedding
Brodflour
“I didn’t really know about Brodflour for the first six months I was living in the city because it’s kind of tucked away. My husband found it one day, and it became our go-to spot. Now I always go there for a turkey sandwich after practice. They also have great chocolate chip cookies.” 8 Pardee Ave., brodflour.com
West Elm
“Sometimes, Paul and I will grab a latte from Brodflour or Arvo, and then we’ll be like, ‘Let’s stop at West Elm.’ Even if I’m not looking to buy anything, I enjoy going in because it’s so warm and cozy in there. It’s also fun to check out the new trends in furniture and how they put together pieces in their displays.” 109 Atlantic Ave., westelm.com
Left Field Brewery
“I always used to buy their sour beers at the LCBO. Then I saw that they were moving into Liberty Village, and I thought, That’s going to be amazing. It’s a huge open-concept space, so it’s great for large groups. My teammates and I sometimes go after games. I like getting a cold sour and nachos.” 40 Hanna Ave., unit G1, leftfieldbrewery.ca
School Restaurant
“School is such an upbeat spot: it’s funky inside, and they have fun cocktails. The energy is pretty high in there, so it’s a great place to stop in for brunch after a night out. They also make this amazing sugar-cured Ontario bacon.” 70 Fraser Ave., schooltoronto.com
Local Public Eatery
“This place is so conveniently located. I’ll head over there after games to hang out with family members who came downtown to watch me play. It’s got such a great social atmosphere. Good food, good company and good drinks.” 171 E. Liberty St., unit 100, localpubliceatery.com
Pennies
“I love the vibe of Pennies. In the off-season, it’s my happy-hour spot. I go for the Korean fried chicken or Nashville hot chicken sliders. And the tater tots. There’s nothing better than going in the springtime on that first day when the sun is out and patio weather has finally arrived.” 127 Strachan Ave., pennies.bar
Teagan Sliz covers Ontario real estate for Toronto Life and Storeys. She also writes for Cottage Life and has reported on everything from hidden-gem restaurants to Canadian wildlife and forest fires. She graduated from Queen’s University with a bachelor’s in history and art history and from Centennial College, where she studied Canadian publishing.
