Just an hour east of Toronto is a small pastoral hamlet that would make the perfect day trip. Nestled in Clarington, the tiny town of Orono on the southern stretch of Highway 35 is less about big-city sights and more about the charm of niche indie shops, heritage buildings and cute cafés.
Start your visit in the heart of town and stroll along Main Street, where you can buy everything from Kawartha Dairy ice cream to boutique jarred chutney and fresh apple blossom flowers. If you’re into history, the Orono Town Hall alone is worth the trip. It was built in 1898 in a Romanesque Revival style and today still hosts festivals, parades and community events.
Next up, visit the Orono Antique Market. It’s now housed in the community’s historic armoury building on Park Street and is filled with all sorts of antiques and vintage treasures, while the Main Thru Church Antique Mall hosts about 30 booths and showcases filled with collectibles, everything from glass and fine china to books, furniture and silver.
Courtesy Donna Banks/Facebook
After your mid-morning stroll, stop in for a filling lunch of haddock and French fries at the Orono Country Café (which also offers delicious pie, like coconut cream and lemon meringue). Just down the street, Enchanted Crystal Cafe serves lattes, teas and baked goods inside a crystal-filled shop (try playful faves like the Honey Bee Latte, Lavender London Fog and Pistachio Rose Matcha).
For a proper nature break, head to the Sidney B Rutherford Woods Walk Park. It’s nestled right behind the village and offers the most charming forested trail system, with multiple entrances from around downtown, including Main Street and Station Street. If you’re looking for a bigger nature moment, the Orono Crown Lands are only a couple of minutes west of downtown, with about 15 kilometres of marked trails, benches, a picnic area and no admission fee. Wilmot Creek also runs through the property, with a rainbow trout run in mid-April and salmon later in the year.
If you’re staying into the evening hours, grab some takeout or a casual dinner at Twisted Pizzeria for New York-style pies as well as pasta and wings combos, while Sunny’s Restaurant is the village’s go-to spot for Chinese food (it’s been serving Orono since 1999). Before you head home, pick up some snacks and baked goods from the Orono General Store.
Baseball season is officially back in Toronto, with the Blue Jays home opener happening this Friday, kicking off a three-game series against the Athletics. Ahead of the opening day celebration, Ernie Clement shared some words about baseball, last season’s heartbreak and the season ahead — and it’s enough to make any Blue Jays fan a bit emotional. In an open letter to Blue Jays fans published in The Players’ Tribune on Thursday, the 30-year-old infielder looked back on the setbacks that nearly derailed his career and how playing for the Jays helped him rediscover his love of the game.
Clement wrote about how his love for baseball began since he was a little kid growing up in Rochester, New York, and got candid about his frustrations at the beginning of his career.
His path to Toronto wasn’t smooth. He made it to the majors with Cleveland in 2021, but struggled with not playing regularly.
“It was a dream come true, for sure. But I was also out of the lineup a lot….. which meant that I was playing the least amount of baseball I ever had,” Clement wrote. “And looking back, I don’t think I handled it very maturely. ‘Guy who sometimes plays baseball’ just wasn’t a job I knew how to be good at.”
Clement got designated for assignment by the Guardians in September of 2022, then was claimed off waivers by Oakland, but he struggled there, too, and was released six months later.
And that’s how he ended up in Toronto. In March 2023, Clement signed a contract with the Jays.
“Of the minor league deals I got offered as a free agent, a few were for more money. But Toronto was the only team that offered me regular at-bats. They promised I’d be in the lineup ‘four or five times a week.’ That was all I needed to hear,” he noted.
Still, even after signing with the Jays, he recalls still feeling like he was in a “funk” and letting people down. It was his mom’s advice to him after a particularly bad game against the Red Wings in his hometown of Rochester that was a turning point.
“She was like, “Ernie…. let’s be honest. You could be done playing baseball tomorrow. I mean, I hope not. It could happen, though, right?? So why not enjoy it??? Like, why spend this time being stressed? Spend it having fun.”
Clement shared that it was just what he needed to get him to relax and have fun again, and make it full-time with the big league club in 2024. And — get ready for the tears, Jays fans — he said it was playing with the Jays that gave him the same energy he felt when he first fell in love with the game.
“Because we had this group of guys that played like kids who couldn’t wait to get to the ballpark,” he wrote.
Clement also said it was the energy of living in Toronto, chatting with Jays fans on his way to and from the stadium (he became roommates with teammate Davis Schneider) that made him feel “like something special might be happening.” How sweet!
Losing hurt, yes, but Clement said he feels more gratitude than regret.
“In the end, though, and hopefully this doesn’t sound too corny, I think the stuff we have to be proud of from last season just completely dwarfs the stuff to feel hurt about. And the more time that passes, the more I understand that we still got to do something special: We got to take the game of baseball pretty much as far as you can take it. We got to go for as long as possible, until as late as possible, at the highest level possible. We got to play until there was no more baseball out there to be played.”
Last season, Clement hit .277 with 151 hits, nine home runs, and 50 RBI over 157 games, helping the Jays to a 94-68 season that ended with an American League pennant and a seven-game World Series run. October was probably Clement’s best month — he racked up 30 hits in 18 games — and according to Jays broadcaster Dan Shulman, there’s more to come.
“He’s still learning about himself as a player. He played banged up last year — hit by pitches, foul balls off his shins — but he just kept going,” Shulman recently said.
More than anything, Clement is excited for this new season to begin; he just hopes that the joy the game brings him every day will shine through.
“Baseball is my favorite thing in the world, man. And I’m so honored I get to play it with the Jays and in Toronto,” he ended the letter. We’ll forgive the American spelling of “favourite” — Clement has definitely earned his place as an honourary Canadian!
Check out the Blue Jays’ home opener this Friday, March 27, at 7:07 p.m. against the Athletics at Rogers Centre.
Baseball season is back — and so is Toronto’s great hot dog debate. Ahead of the Jays home opener on March 27, chef Anthony Rose joined competitive eater Darrien Thomas — a seasoned player on the pro-eating circuit — to taste their way through the city’s best franks. If you can’t make it to the game, these are the ones worth ordering in.
Tino’s: Anthony’s first place
This beef dog complete with secret Asian sauce was a hit. “All of that is quite delicious,” said Anthony, while Darrien liked “the slight sweetness but a little bit of spiciness at the end.” 2984 Dundas St. W., Umami, $13
Burger’s Priest: Darrien’s First Place
This dog brought onions, cheese and a secret sauce and it impressed. “Bun’s great, it makes a big difference,” said Anthony. Darien liked that the roll gave it a soft, slightly sweet base. 1120 Queen St. W., Stern Dog, $8.39
Grandma Loves You
Anthony liked the blueberry and brie combo and Darrien agreed, but both found the bun a bit stale. While the savoury and sweet combo was inventive, both felt it didn’t work on a hot dog. 40 St. Clair Ave. W., French Dog, $9.49
Fancy Franks
Bacon, cheese and jalapeño crisps made this a messy, indulgent bite. “It tastes kind of like garbage and I like that,” said Anthony. Darrien loved the crunchy spice and smokiness of the bacon. 1507 Avenue Rd., North York, Fancy Lala, $11.99
Completo
Completo went all in with salsa, guacamole and mayo. Anthony found the toppings a bit overwhelming: Darrien agreed: “It’s actually not bad… just not really a hot dog.” 5 Coady Ave., Completo Hot Dog, $12.50
Wrvst
Piled high with jalapeños, sweet peppers, onions and bacon, this dog delivered a fiery punch. “Bun’s got a nice chew,” Anthony noted. Darrien appreciated the combination of toppings. 609 King St. W., Danger Dog, $9.50
Who says you have to head downtown for a perfect night out? The GTA’s newest nightlife spot is big on food and theatrical energy. Number One is an immersive dining-and-entertainment experience that’s taken over the former Hutaoli Music Restaurant & Bar space near Highway 7 East and Warden Avenue, bringing together Chinese fusion plates, cocktails and live performances under one roof (so you won’t have to go to two separate places for a dinner and a show). The Markham venue is currently in reservation-only soft-opening mode, but its grand opening is set for Sunday, March 29, with regular hours beginning March 30.
If nothing else, head over for the entertainment. Main shows run daily from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., with music and dance performances and a more relaxed vibe Monday through Thursday. Expect wilder weekend lineups that could include animal performances, fire dancing, LED shows, magic tricks and aerial acrobatics! After 10 p.m., the room transforms again with DJ sets and an even higher-energy party atmosphere.
Come hungry (and thirsty). And perhaps head over with a large group of friends, as there’s plenty of room for sharing. Sip on pink fruit-forward and minty green cocktails made with different Asian spirits while indulging in charcoal BBQ, including beef and lamb skewers; chicken wings; smoked meats; sprawling trays of whole fish buried under dried chiles; seafood-and-veggie platters; bubbling pots of soup; cold appetizer plates; crispy fried dishes and more!
If you desire a night out but want something more intimate than a dinner-and-show setup, the venue also offers private VIP rooms.
Number One is located at 3760 Hwy 7, Unit 1, in Markham. Grand Opening takes place Sunday, March 29. Regular hours start Monday, March 30, 5 p.m.–2 a.m. The venue is only about a 30-minute drive from Toronto (so perhaps just catch an Uber and call it a night).
In Toronto, the first signs of spring can be marked by one important event: the Blue Jays home opener. It’s happening this weekend, but there’s plenty of fun to be had in Toronto if sports aren’t your thing, from a massive Canadian film festival to a vintage show and more!
For more things to do in Toronto, check out our Instagram page, @streetsoftorontodo.
Celebrate the 20th anniversary edition of Canadian Film Fest running until Sunday! Showcasing established and emerging filmmakers from Canada, there will also be industry series panels for artists looking to hone their craft. Highlights include Ballistic, starring Lena Headey and Best Boy starring Aaron Abrams.
Canada’s largest vintage clothing sale is coming to Toronto this weekend! Bringing together over 100 vendors, explore a full 60,000 square feet of antique finds and treasures that have been sourced specifically for the show by the top second-hand vendors in the country.
American comedian, actor and podcaster Akaash Singh is known for hosting the Flagrant podcast alongside fellow comedian Andrew Schulz. Now, he’s bringing the Generational Triumph stand-up tour to Toronto for three nights and five shows at Queen Elizabeth Theatre!
After the Toronto Blue Jays just narrowly missed taking home the championship last year, this year, everyone is a Jays fan — and we’re all in it for the win! And finally, baseball season is back; the Jays home opener is happening this Friday and you can cheer them on from the stands!
Toronto R&B duo dvsn is the celebrating the release of their debut album, Sept. 5th, with an exclusive North American tour — and they of course didn’t leave out their hometown. Frontman Daniel Daley and producer Nineteen85 are honouring the 10-year anniversary of the release with a show at Massey Hall on Friday.
Do you enjoy antiques of the literary kind? On Sunday, the annual Old Book and Paper Show is back, taking over the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. Expect to find plenty of rare and antiquarian books, as well as comics, postcards, magazines, hockey cards, vintage photography and more.
This is the last weekend to take a stroll through the public exhibition that takes over Toronto’s beaches every year! The Winter Stations are wrapping up on Sunday, making it the last week for you to take in the new optical illusions sprinkled along Woodbine Beach.
L–R: Cold Pod co-host Josh McIntyre and Expo Vintage founder Nick Marian. Photo courtesy Alexa Margorian
Up until last year, there was a red brick warehouse on Dundas West called Expo Vintage that wore many hats: by-the-pound vintage outlet, concert venue, karaoke spot, house party. But, like all good things in Toronto, it had to come to an end: in 2025, the vintage warehouse was forced to close due to what owner Nick Marian has referred to as an “outdated Toronto bylaw.” The space, bizarrely, was not zoned for retail, and despite Marian’s attempts to apply for a secondhand shop licence (required for stores selling used items), the city turned it down. Rezoning in the city can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and so Marian had to shut the warehouse down. But, also like all good things in Toronto, Expo Vintage has managed to live on, just down the street in its other, much smaller storefront. And Marian is hoping to play a role in fixing what he considers to be a very Toronto problem.
“There’s no unified voice,” Marian laments. The fractured nature of the city and the way people live here occupies most of our discussion, more than the intricacies of running a small business in 2026 or the reinvention of Expo Outlet. The 1948 Dundas St. W. location is in the process of being transformed into a pizzeria, complete with wood-fired ovens and a large outdoor patio.
The Expo Vintage Fashion Bar. Photo courtesy Alexa Margorian
Marian, 39, came up during what he calls the Vice era, where hyperlocal reporting yielded great visibility into what was happening in the city and thus provided clear opportunities for like-minded individuals to meet. Publications like Vice were responsible for throwing parties themselves.
“You would get a lot of that put back into the community,” Marian says. “You’re not seeing it as much right now, but I do think it’ll come back.”
He offers Vans as an example; they built the wooden halfpipe at the Expo Warehouse. This partnership made sense for both Expo and Vans, each party harnessing a scrappy, DIY authenticity that is hard to come by these days. At a time when it feels like branding and advertising often take precedence over the product itself, Marian recognizes that such a line is typically difficult to tow.
“When you intentionally try to create this environment it can come off insincere,” Marian says.
There’s a version of our conversation — maybe in a world where Marian is more cynical — where nostalgia overpowers, but Marian, firmly entrenched in his community and actively using his position as a small business owner to bring people together, has earned the right to be wistful about the past without sounding jaded.
Marian opened Expo at 1450 Dundas St. W. in 2019 after working for years as a buyer at vintage purveyors Black Market and Public Butter. The store is genderless. The clothes aren’t even sorted by size; much is left to the hands of the buyer, choosing to wear what works best for them. Over the years, Marian’s priority has been to maintain affordability, even at the expense of cutting his own pay.
“I know $100 seems like a lot now, but the goal’s always been you can come in here and get a full outfit for $100. We have more expensive things, but you can get baseline things — pants, shirt, jacket — for $100.” Having been in the vintage clothing industry for over a decade, Marian has seen a shift in shoppers’ awareness, driving significant demand to sustainable alternatives.
“Everyone’s selling vintage,” he says. “It’s a very saturated market now, which is good in some ways because more people are turned onto it, but my thing is, every resource now feels like you’ve depleted it to the point where [you’re] like, ‘Okay, well, now what? There’s no more Levi’s left.’”
Sometimes, Expo doubles as a watering hole on evenings Marian has dubbed “Fashion Bar.” There’s no consistency as to when Fashion Bar will happen — you have to keep track on Expo’s Instagram story — but a couple times a month, you can find Marian behind the bar slinging cheap drinks while music plays loud enough to set the tone but not have to scream. (Marian has a good relationship with the upstairs neighbours, who just welcomed a baby.) In the early days post-peak COVID, Expo was open every Friday and Saturday night until 11 p.m., but Dundas West was still dormant. Over time, Fashion Bar evolved into its current form, preserving the ethos foundational to Expo Outlet’s shows and karaoke nights.
The Expo Vintage Fashion Bar. Photo courtesy Alexa Margorian
“If people aren’t having fun, what’s important in doing it?” he says.
Hours after our interview, the sun long having set and the wind slapping me in the face as I stepped off the streetcar, I returned to Expo with a friend by my side to experience Fashion Bar for myself. It reminded me of a house party — not only because there was a fold out table set up at the back of the room for beer pong, or because of the moderately bright overhead lighting, or because I witnessed a grown man be iced upon entry, but because people were actually talking to one another; different people than the ones they came with, even! This is a sticking point for Marian, who consciously makes an effort to talk to someone new every day and considers himself the opposite of a homebody.
“I love my house, but I go out every day,” Marian says. “If I’m staying at home, I’m either hungover or I’m ill.”
Josh McIntyre, Marian’s good friend and Cold Pod co-host, confirms this. “This is absolutely true. He’s never home,” McIntyre says over DM, before adding the caveat that Marian will occasionally host dinner parties.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, conversation has become a lost art; the natural fallout is that there are thousands of young people in Toronto in desperate need for genuine connection. Marian notes that for a lot of people who don’t live downtown, the west end has become a destination spot for people on a mission: they arrive by Uber, they eat at a trendy restaurant, then Uber home. There’s little exploration.
“We need to go out and we need to leave the house and we need to talk to people,” Marian says. It’s a simple set of instructions, but Marian notes that we are being dissuaded from adhering to them. “It just all went away, like the peripherals. Growing up here, there were always characters. There were always people you’d see at parties or different bars, and you would say hi to them. It’s a weird formula that we can’t really seem to get back,” Marian says.
He leaves me with a prophecy for the future: “I’m very hopeful for this summer. I think we’re going to see the return of an old feeling here. I have a good feeling.”
The Toronto Blue Jays are back and ready to compete once again for a World Series title. The team was so close last year, coming inches away from a championship. The team has made some changes. Gone is fan favourite Bo Bichette, and a new crop of free agent signings and young prospects are looking to take the team to the promised land. Few know the team, and baseball, better than hometown Blue Jays broadcaster Dan Shulman. So we tracked him down to ask him about the coming season.
Who do you think will be the most impactful free agent signing?
I think Okamoto is going to be very important, and I think he’s going to hit. But if I had to pick one guy, I’d pick Dylan Cease. He got the biggest contract of the group, and he’s an incredibly durable guy. He takes the ball and makes his starts every year. They’re looking for 32 (game) starts and a lot of innings from him. As important as I think Okamoto will be, having another guy alongside Kevin Gausman who you can count on pitching every fifth day is huge.
What stands out most about the 2026 Blue Jays heading into opening day?
I think there’s a real determination to take it one step further than they did last year. They all realize how good of a season they had, but they also know they came up just short. I think they’re really determined to get back to that point and take one more step.
How significant is that pitching depth over the course of a long season?
Oh, it’s enormous. I believe they used 37 pitchers last year, which sounds insane, but all teams do that. You need so many arms. Their pitching depth, in my mind, is much better than it was at the beginning of last season.
Do you see a young player who could impact the team, similar to what Addison Barger did last season?
That’s a good question. They have a fairly set roster at this point. I don’t think he’s going to be on the team at the beginning of the year, but I think Josh Kasevich has been very, very impressive this spring. It might take an injury for him to get a spot, but stuff happens. He can play second, short and third. He’s hitting the ball harder, showing more power, and he carries himself like a guy with several years of Major League experience. He has definitely opened some eyes.
What will be the biggest challenge for the Jays in repeating in the AL East?
The division — just the competition.
Is the team really as tight-knit as it appeared during last year’s playoff run?
I know people wonder about that, but I’ve never seen a group like last year’s. From George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. down to Miles Straw and Tyler Heineman, they all got along. They valued each other, respected each other and enjoyed being around each other. I get to see them on the road, on the plane, on the bus — when there are no cameras around — and it’s all real.
Ernie Clement really broke out during the playoff run. Was that his peak or is there more there?
October was probably his best — 30 hits in 18 games is kind of crazy. But I do think there’s a little more there. He’s still learning about himself as a player. He played banged up last year — hit by pitches, foul balls off his shins — but he just kept going.
Is there a moment from last year’s playoff run that stands out to you as a broadcaster?
George Springer’s home run in Game 7 of the ALCS [American League Championship Series] was enormous. Without that, there’s no World Series.
And Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s grand slam in Game 2 of the Division Series against the Yankees really signified that the team belonged — that the stage wasn’t too big, even against a team with that much playoff experience. Nothing gets the crowd going like Vladdy in a big moment.
The joy of Toronto is found in its abundance of lively city streets. From Queen West to the depths of Riverdale, everyone knows that every corner of the city has something to offer. And according to a recent list published in The Telegraph, Yonge Street isn’t just one of the best streets in Toronto, but in the world.
The list, published on Wednesday, ranked the 20 top streets in the world that you “must walk in your lifetime,” and gave Toronto’s longest street spot number 11. Lest readers are misled by the ranking, Yonge Street — unlike some of the other streets on the list — isn’t exactly built for a simple walk. Stretching 86 kilometres (or 65 kilometres, if you don’t count the Bradford-to-Barrie extension), it may be one of the most essential streets to walk in your lifetime, but expect to set aside a full day to do so — the full walk would take the average person well over 10 hours to accomplish.
The Telegraph gave Toronto’s Yonge Street the honour due to an array of exciting endeavours along the strip, noting: “It’s quite a whopper and has plenty of shops, entertainment and cultural sites, and passes landmarks like Sankofa (formerly Yonge-Dundas) Square, the Hockey Hall of Fame and plenty of civic buildings.”
If you’re looking at the downtown segment of Yonge Street, it’s certainly decked out with destinations and places to visit no matter what you’re looking to do.
Starting with the obvious landmark, Sankofa Square has been a part of Toronto since the early 2000s. Since its opening, it turned the area of Yonge and Dundas to an always-buzzing place for tourists or Torontonians and is just steps from multiple theatres, restaurants and entertainment for visitors.
Mainly, though, the square is so dazzling to so many because of its Times Square-esque vibe: bright billboards are plastered all over the intersection and the square itself is often host to concerts, festivals and other interactive events. It’s also home to the Eaton Centre, which draws tourists and locals alike thanks to its four floors of great shopping and a sprawling food court.
Other landmarks along Yonge Street include places like the Toronto Reference Library, known for its modern winding architecture and cozy spots to read and study. Art lovers also enjoy Yonge Street, as it’s known for places such as the Ed Mirvish Theatre and Massey Hall — both offering renowned shows all year long.
It’s not hard to see why Yonge Street would make the cut, as it rivals some of the world’s most historic and iconic streets.
The Telegraph list includes 20 streets, and Yonge Street is certainly in good company: others that are listed include The Strand in London, Champs-Élysées in Paris Avenida Atlântica in Rio de Janeiro and even Broadway in New York City.
Baseball season is back, and with the Toronto Blue Jays opening their 2026 home season against the Athletics this Friday at Rogers Centre, Rogers is celebrating the team’s 50th anniversary by giving customers a shot at free seats for opening night! The company says it’s handing out 500 tickets for Friday’s home opener through its “Beyond the Seat” program, with the giveaway split between an in-person GTA drop and an Instagram contest.
And Friday’s tickets are just part of the larger giveaway: Rogers says 5,000 tickets will be handed out over the course of the season!
Most of the non-transferable opening-night tickets are set aside for an in-person giveaway, with 450 tickets (225 pairs) being handed out on a first-come, first-served basis at a surprise location in the GTA (to be revealed at 7 a.m. this Friday, March 27, on Rogers’ Instagram account). Customers can qualify by showing a wireless device connected to the Rogers network, a Rogers Mastercard, the MyRogers app logged into an active account or a hard copy of a Rogers bill with photo ID.
Another 50 tickets (25 pairs) are being distributed through a social media contest aimed at Rogers customers celebrating a “50th” milestone (think birthday, anniversary, career landmarks, you get the picture!). Entrants need to post a photo or video to their Insta feed showing the “50th” they’re celebrating, tag @rogers, use the hashtag #RogersBlueJays50, and then comment “done” on the contest post. The rules are simple: Entrants must be legal residents of Canada, 18 or older, and existing Rogers customers, with a limit of one entry per person and Instagram account.
The deadline for this contest is 8 a.m. ET on March 27, with winners selected by random draw at about 9 a.m. ET on March 27. Each prize includes one pair of tickets, although transportation to the game isn’t included.
Angine de Poitrine (photo: Constantin Monfilliette)
Quebec band Angine de Poitrine has been playing their own very unique brand of math rock for more than 20 years, but after a video of the duo playing live on KEXP hit the inter webs, the world shook. Now, the band is coming to Toronto as part of a very sold out tour and it is the hottest ticket in town.
What started as a single show at the Mod Club in July has turned into three sold-out dates on July 14, 15, and 18 with tickets already selling from $350-$550 on resale sites.
The band is akin to what would happen if David Bowie and Banksy had twins. There is a growing mythology about the duo who describe themselves as “space-time voyagers Klek and Khn de Poitrine gaze in wonder at hot dogs, pyramids, and rock music in all its glorious excess.”
It’s a playful origin story, but one that mirrors the band’s sound: strange, excessive, and deeply immersive, characteristic by wildly creative music and unique papier mâché masks and costumes.
Musically, Angine de Poitrine trades in controlled chaos. Their compositions are asymmetrical and dissonant, driven by tightly coiled percussion and the warped textures of microtonal, double-neck guitar. The result is hypnotic and deeply groovy.
The band has quickly built momentum through festival appearances, including the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, and a run of sold-out shows that have only deepened their mystique.
With a new album (Vol. II) generating buzz, a widely viewed KEXP session, and international touring on the horizon, the band’s trajectory suggests something rare—if these odd musical space creatures want it—an experimental act breaking into the musical mainstream not by sacrificing its edge, but by leaning into it.
For all the interstellar lore, the core of the band is refreshingly grounded. Strip away the mythology, and Angine de Poitrine is, at heart, a rock band—albeit one refracted through a distinctly otherworldly lens.
Toronto’s steak scene just picked up some new bragging rights. World’s Best Steak Restaurants has unveiled its 2026 ranking of the101 best steakhouses in the world, and Canada landed four spots overall. with Toronto is the only Canadian city with two restaurants on the list: Jacobs & Co. (81 Bay St.) at No. 51 and Linny’s (176 Ossington Ave.) at No. 63.
One notable local steakhouse, though, didn’t make the global list. Just a few months ago, both Jacobs & Co. and Linny’s also landed on the outlet’s 50 Best Steak Restaurants in North America ranking — Jacobs & Co. at No. 13 and Linny’s at No. 16. Bisteccheria Sammarco (4 Front St. E) claimed the No. 38 spot on that list, but the classic Italian steakhouse from Michelin-starred chef Rob Rossi didn’t make the cut this time around.
Jacobs & Co. made the biggest leap among the Toronto names. After landing at No. 76 on the 2025 world ranking, the Financial District steakhouse climbed to No. 51 this year. In its 2026 profile, World’s Best Steak Restaurants points to Danny McCallum’s leadership, a high-temperature broiler and sourcing that spans Canada, Japan, Australia, Spain and Argentina.
Last spring, the restaurant moved from its longtime Brant St location to the fourth floor of CIBC Square in the heart of Toronto’s financial hub. The new space has huge floor-to-ceiling windows and a menu designed around Jacobs extensive collection of dry-aged meats, with beef aged anywhere from 30 to 150 days and a steak list that includes everything from Ontario rib-eyes, porterhouse and tenderloin to high-end Wagyu.
At No. 63, Linny’s is a new arrival on the global list! This deli-inspired steakhouse comes from chef David Schwartz (of Sunny’s Chinese and Mimi Chinese fame) and the Big Hug Hospitality team.
World’s Best Steak Restaurants says David Schwartz’s Ossington restaurant builds its identity around Canadian beef, wet and dry ageing, and cooking over an over-fired grill. Its current menu includes a mix of classic steakhouse cuts and deli-inspired signatures, like challah service, the 40-oz dry-aged Angus porterhousefrom Penokean Hills and shake-and-bake chicken served with hot honey.
When you head over, try the ribeye: it’s slow-roasted, with subtle smoky notes, and served alongside crispy potato rösti and a cool spoonful of sour cream.
Still, Canada’s top placement didn’t belong to Toronto. That honour went to Vancouver’s Elisa, which ranked No. 32 worldwide, although it slipped from No. 26 last year. Even with that drop, Elisa was an impressive No. 11 in the 2025 North America ranking. Executive Chef Andrew Richardson runs a steak program that spans Canadian and US Prime beef, with standout dishes like the 30-ounce bone-in ribeye, the 32-ounce porterhouse, Japanese A5 wagyu striploin and roesti-style hashbrowns all on offer.
The final Canadian restaurant to make the global cut was Fat Rabbit in St. Catharines (34 Geneva St). After ranking No. 19 in North America, it debuted at No. 91 on the world list! The restaurant is just over an hour’s drive from Toronto, with a menu that includes in-house charcuterie, cheeseburgers, a mixed grill and steak cuts.
World’s Best Steak Restaurants says restaurants are evaluated on factors like meat quality, cut selection and service expertise, and that every listed restaurant is visited at least once incognito before the final ranking is set.
If you’re up for a foodie trip, this year’s number one spot went to La Cúpula de El Capricho in Jiménez de Jamuz, Spain. Visit @worldbeststeakrestaurants for the full list.
Just in time for the return of the Blue Jays and the 2026 MLB season, the Toronto Marriott City Centre is debuting the Rawlings Room, an immersive, split-level suite overlooking the field at Rogers Centre. Already known for its field view rooms, the hotel is taking it up a notching and bringing fans closer to the action than anywhere else in North America.
Created in partnership with Rawlings, the iconic baseball manufacturer and the prestigious Rawlings Gold Glove Award, the new suite is less a place to sleep and more a love letter to baseball.
Guests enter through a bat-lined hallway into a clubhouse-inspired bedroom, where lockers replace closets complete with dugout-style design details. Upstairs, the experience opens into a gorgeous living and viewing space, complete with floor-to-ceiling windows that can be opened to let in the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd. A feature wall made of baseballs spelling out “1977”—a nod to the Toronto Blue Jays inaugural season—anchors the room that is adorned with leather seating including an oversized glove chair.
Rawlings Room has a bedroom that oozes baseball
What makes the Rawlings Room especially cool is how it blurs that line between accommodation and experience. Think about the scoreboard-style screens and baseball-card-inspired mirrors but there is also a washroom design that references Rawlings’ original glove patent. So many amazing details that highlight the mythology of baseball. Even without a ticket, guests can watch live baseball from their room, order in from Sportsnet Grill, and enjoy the atmosphere.
To celebrate the launch, the hotel is offering a limited-time “draft” upgrade: book a field view room during the opening weeks of the season, and you could be randomly selected to stay in The Rawlings Room. After that, the suite will be available for direct booking.
Bacon, cheese and jalapeño crisps made this a messy,
Piled high with jalapeños, sweet peppers, onions and bacon, 
