Meaford is a small, picturesque town nestled on the Georgian Bay coast, in the heart of Ontario’s apple country. While it’s mainly known for its apple orchards and pick-your-own farms, each fall, the town hosts a family-friendly Scarecrow Invasion.
Until Oct 26, 2025, the streets and storefronts will be filled with hundreds of handmade straw characters that reflect the town’s agricultural heritage. Scarecrows will be hanging from lamp posts, in windows, and around Market Square and Meaford Hall. There’s no formal theme, just scarecrows front and center, giving decorators free rein to get creative!
Celebrations peak this Friday, Oct 3, with a Scarecrow Parade in downtown Meaford and a free Scarecrow Family Festival at the harbourfront. The parade starts at 6:00 pm on Sykes St, so expect hundreds of attendees cheering on parade entries and bands as they make their way toward the waterfront.
Afterward, the party moves to the Rotary Harbour Pavilion for the Scarecrow Family Festival, beginning at around 6:30 pm. It’s perfect for the entire family, with free children’s activities, live entertainment, food, vendors, and, of course, tons of scarecrows overlooking Georgian Bay (perfect for selfies!).
And the fun doesn’t end with the scarecrow invasion. A fall weekend in Meaford wouldn’t be complete without apples! The annual Apple Pie Contest returns this Friday, Oct 3, and entries are open to all Grey County residents. Look out for categories like Traditional Apple Pie and Young Baker divisions (ages 8-12, including a novelty best-decorated pie). Winning pies are auctioned at the Family Festival, with all entries and donated pies sold on site, so you can bring home a tasty souvenir!
Before you leave, check out other Meaford highlights. This weekend (Oct 4-5), get a head start on Christmas shopping for unique and special gifts at the Apple Harvest Craft Show. It’s one of the largest in southern Ontario, with close to 200 artisans and crafters! There’s also still time to visit the Farmers’ Market (runs Fridays, 3-7 pm, through Thanksgiving). For a bit of town history, visit the Meaford Museum. The building is more than 130 years old and once housed the town’s pumping station.
If you’re into nature, walk or bike the 34-km Georgian Trail that connects Meaford to Thornbury and Collingwood, and then check out the Beaver Valley & Sydenham sections of the Bruce Trail. Explore Beautiful Joe Park for its history and nature, and Memorial Park for its beaches, mini-golf, walking paths and rustic campground! Enjoy a show at Meaford Hall, or head over on a Sunday and take in a service at the 160-year-old historic Leith Church.
Meaford is just under a 2.5-hour drive from Toronto.
Punch is the city’s latest restaurant opening, bringing glossy London vibes and Indian flavours to Le Germain Hôtel Toronto Mercer.
The name nods to the Hindi word pañch (meaning five, pronounced “punch”) and to punch, the world’s first cocktail – a mix of spirit, sugar, lemon, water and spiced tea that traveled from India to England. It’s fitting, because this place is all about the collision of cultures — modern London energy with Indian roots and a whole lot of pizzazz.
Photo: Paula Wilson
Executive chef Mandar Kulkarni, veteran of Le Select Bistro, Don Alfonso 1890, Buca and Bisha, is running the kitchen, so yes, he knows his way around fine dining. Kulkarni’s menu is all about family recipes reimagined with a London twist. Standout dishes include Mumbai chat-slaw dressed with tamarind yogurt, a butter chicken pot pie wrapped in golden pastry and a beef Wellington drizzled with Rogan Josh jus.
“I feel privileged to share a menu that reflects my own story and cultural roots,” says Kulkarni. “At Punch, my goal is to immerse guests in the flavours and spices that echo Indian tradition, while encompassing my training in global dining flavour.”
Photo: Britney Townsend
The cocktails are equally as impressive. The Pimm’s Remix spikes the British classic with vodka, jasmine tea, coconut and passionfruit, then throws in a fiery piri-piri finish. The Crown Jewel mixes gin with Darjeeling tea and pineapple-anise bitters. It’s Indo-British mashup energy at the bar too, set to a soundtrack of Indo-house beats.
Design-wise, the 91-seat space is dripping in detail: verde marble floors, wood paneling, chandeliers that look part-Baccarat, part-Regency estate and a private dining room that will make you think you’re in a secret garden thanks to its walls with hand-painted foliage and birdsong motifs. There’s even a martini-focused Library Lounge off the lobby if you’re just popping in for a drink.
Punch opens for dinner on October 2 with brunch coming later this year.
Indie Alehouse says its iconic brewpub in the Junction will pour its last pint this month. In an Instagram post on Wednesday, the team said the decision to close follows an inability to reach a new lease term.
“Sad news to share – the Indie Alehouse Brewpub at 2876 Dundas st West will be closing our doors on October 11th. It’s been 13 yrs, and w’ere sad to go, but have been unable to come to a new lease term with our LL and have decided its best we find another home,” the post states, adding that its Eataly location (Bay and Bloor) will continue operating, so patrons can visit there.
“We will have some better news to share soon, but for now we hope to see you one last time at the brewpub before Oct 11th. Thank you for all your support these 13 yrs.”
Indie Alehouse launched in October 2012 and helped kick-start the Junction’s modern craft-beer era with a 4,000-square-foot space that combined on-site brewing with a 140-seat pub (a little over a decade earlier, alcohol sales were prohibited in the Junction; no alcohol was allowed to be sold until 2000).
As one of the first complete brewing operations in the area, Indie Alehouse’s approval process was pretty drawn-out (and it didn’t help that the space was vacant for years). Since opening, the team has offered a heavily rotated selection of bold-flavoured, super-hoppy beers that are hard to find elsewhere in the province, including rare Belgian Lambics, Canadian/US craft beers and Indie’s own cellared bottles, everything from 11 per cent Cockpuncher Imperial IPA to seasonal releases like Pumpkin Abbey (featuring Belgian yeast), Zombie Apocalypse Imperial Stout and Belgian raspberry sours.
The company’s Eataly partnership (Birroteca by Indie Alehouse at the Manulife Centre, concourse level) remains open, so after the Junction closure, fans can head there for Eataly-exclusive beers, rotating flavours inspired by seasonal ingredients and collaborations with Ontario brewers.
A new Italian restaurant has given Toronto’s busy and busting downtown professionals a new go-to lunch spot. Opened in September in place of The Lost Land at 146 Yonge Street, Bar Filo is serving up a $35 prix fixe lunch menu.
“Yonge Street is a very busy street with a huge population, but people rush to work and I don’t think people spend a lot of time sitting down to eat unless it’s a quick meal,” says a member of Bar Filo’s team. “Everyone’s in a rush.”
@barfilo.toronto/Instagram
Though a “pasta-lover” himself, he explains that bringing Italian cuisine to the Financial District was something he wanted to do not only because it’s affordable, but it’s accessible to his customers.
“Italian food has been known by the public for a while, so people aren’t against trying,” he says. “Some people are afraid to try new food because they may not like it, but Italian food — pasta, pizza, seafood —doesn’t really go away.”
@barfilo.toronto/Inswtagram
At Bar Filo, think fine dining meets restaurant-bar, stylish lighting meets massive murals, and green foliage meets industrial ceilings. Seating 60, the ambient dining room is a timeless spot fit for an intimate date night or post-work cocktail.
The playful drink menu boasts spins on classic cocktails like the aptly-named “Good Vibes Only,” a tropical spicy mango margherita.
On the a la carte dinner menu, you’ll find classic Italian cuisine from burrata with pesto Genovese, crispy calamari and a beef tenderloin with mushroom gravy. A new menu will soon boast new homemade seafood pastas and rotating daily-fresh seafood platters.
@barfilo.toronto/Instagramn
Weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the $35 prix fixe lunch is shaking up the Financial District. Diners can choose from antipasti like lettuce salad, burrata or tuna crudo, followed by mains such as paccheri, cavatelli, beef tenderloin or pork chop. Portions match the dinner menu, but service is timed so you can still make it back to the office without rushing.
“We provide the lunch in 35 minutes so people actually have time to eat it for lunch,” says the team member. “They don’t have to rush.”
Mary Berg is coming back to the place that started it all. After winning MasterChef Canada in 2016 and kicking off a career that has led to her own talk show, The Good Stuff with Mary Berg, she’s returning to the reality cooking show — this time as a judge! Ahead of the premiere on Oct. 2, she gave us the scoop on how she stirred up romance with her husband, Aaron Mariash.
How they met
Courtesy @mary_berg3/Instagram
We met in 2009 when we were students at Wilfrid Laurier University. I was in a play for the student-run Fringe Festival, and Aaron was a theatre technician with the venue on campus. During the first day of tech rehearsals, I was sitting in the hallway eating Mike & Ikes, and Aaron walked in wearing a vintage shirt with extremely wide lapels. Now, I love a good vintage look, so I was quick to strike up a conversation and share my snack. Aaron didn’t have much to do during the rehearsals, so he took it upon himself to conveniently hang out on whatever side of the stage I was exiting from in each scene. There was a lot of downtime backstage, so we talked a lot, which, in a complete reversal of the current-day norm, led to us continuing our chats online after the festival wrapped.
After about a month of chatting online, I went to see Aaron’s band open for Sloan at the Mod Club [now Axis Club]. We hung out after the show (I’m just now realizing that the beginning of our relationship happened backstage at some show or another!). After that we started seeing each other regularly, taking long walks around Waterloo, talking and drinking Slurpees in weather that was probably too cold for drinking Slurpees.
The first date
After months of hanging out around campus, our first “real” date was the classic dinner and a show. Having only baked treats for Aaron up to that point, I had him over to my apartment for dinner before we headed to Humber College to see his childhood friend perform in a rather avant garde student-written play. Can I remember anything about the play? No. Do I remember in vivid detail the dinner I made? Of course. I’ve always loved cooking and my university roommates got used to coming home to pies cooling and sauces bubbling away on the stove but I was super nervous having Aaron over. I panicked and committed the cardinal entertaining sin of making a dish I’d never made before. It was a roasted vegetable bowtie pasta situation that was, to put it lightly, the worst thing I’ve ever made. I was secretly mortified but Aaron didn’t seem to mind. Needless to say, bowtie pasta remains my nemesis in the kitchen.
The proposal
Aaron planned the proposal while I was away competing on the third season of MasterChef Canada. After asking my mom, Myra, for the ring (my nana’s vintage setting that Aaron reset with new stones), Aaron enlisted Myra in the plan to surprise me. The weekend after I won MasterChef Canada, my mom and I went up north to Muskoka to celebrate. On our way home, we swung by the mainland dock that leads to our family cottage, and I saw a massive bouquet of balloons and Aaron standing there in the freezing rain. While he insists he had a whole speech prepared, he stumbled over the proposal and asked if “I want to keep doing this thing.” I think everyone on the lake heard my answer.
The wedding and honeymoon
Courtesy @mary_berg3/Instagram; photo by @lvimagery
We got married at Le Select Bistro on Oct. 1, 2016. My mom and dad had one of their first dates at the original Queen West location, so it’s always had a special place in my heart. We love the restaurant and knew the food, drinks and decor would be perfect for our low-key affair. Aaron’s sister Jenna provided the flowers and created food- and floral-themed centrepieces for tables in greens and golds. My bouquet was a combination of florals, cabbages, mushrooms and herbs, and Aaron’s boutonniere had acorns from my family cottage. A friend of Aaron’s DJed, and the night ended with our closest friends scream-singing “Read My Mind,” by the Killers.
The pets
We have a spoiled doofus of a cat named Egg. He loves to scream and his favourite food is the water from tuna cans.
The Halloween routine
Aaron and I were never the biggest Halloween fans, but, unbeknownst to us, we moved onto a “Halloween street.” We get about 250 kids every year, and sitting out on the front porch in our hastily thrown together costumes to hand out candy to the annual cute/spooky parade is one of our favourite nights of the year.
The secret to success
We just really like and respect each other. We try to be great listeners for each other and always deal with issues as a team. We’re both extremely supportive of each other in personal and work-related matters.
Balancing careers and a relationship
Courtesy @mary_berg3/Instagram
It can be really tricky for any couple to balance careers and their relationships. I’m lucky because, no matter how busy and hectic my work life gets, Aaron is a big part of so many aspects of it. Whether that’s showing up to taste food on camera; talking through writing, scripting and food ideas; or helping keep the dishes clean and the kitchen tidy during recipe development, Aaron is so integral to everything I do. We’re a team in every way!
The future together
I joke that my dream is to one day be able to just sit quietly and drink an entire pot of tea. If that teapot happens to be overlooking an Italian vineyard, I don’t think Aaron and I would complain.
The Kitchener-Waterloo region may host the largest Oktoberfest celebration outside of Germany, but there are many places across Toronto where you can indulge in delicious German fare and raise a stein in honour of this annual Bavarian fest! Here are 10 spots to check out in the city.
This is Toronto’s OG sausage-and-stein hall, so it’s a natural first stop on your Oktoberfest trek. Expect giant homemade Bavarian pretzels, currywurst, classic Bratwurst and seasonal Oktoberfest sausages alongside litre-steins from German breweries (try the Paulaner Oktoberfest Lager). 609 King St W.
This is the perfect spot if you want waterfront vibes with your German bites! The Goodman is running its Oktoberfest celebration until Oct 5, with a Bavarian-style menu featuring comfort foods like warm beer cheese pretzels with coarse salt, beer mustard and cheesy dips. Bring a group of friends and share a currywurst poutine with bratwurst sausage, cheese curds, gravy and curry ketchup. For something indulgent, dive into the Bratwurst double-smashed burger, stacked with bratwurst, cheddar, Swiss, sauerkraut, bacon and curry ketchup on a pretzel bun! Complement your meal with seasonal sips, like a cranberry orange whiskey sour. 207 Queens Quay W.
Until Oct 3, try the Beer Bistro’s Oktoberfest Menu and drink a stein (or two) of Paulaner’s Oktoberfest lager paired with a juicy schnitzel and German potato salad. Finish with a scrumptious apple strudel, vanilla bourbon ice cream and a Mr. Oktober Festbier from Left Field! 18 King St E.
This rustic, two-floor pub in Liberty Village boasts a limited-time Oktoberfest menu and autumn cocktails until Oct 5. Expect big screens, bigger beers and Bavarian-style plates! Dig into a giant pretzel or try the chicken schnitzel & apple bowl with spinach, red cabbage, apples, goat cheese, sauerkraut, pretzel croutons and apple cider vinaigrette. They also have more than 20 beers on tap, so make it a night! 165 East Liberty St.
Visit this long-time draft destination if you’re looking for German plates and European beer (they have more than 50 on tap!) The Town Crier serves traditional Belgian and German dishes, like the Oktoberfest sausage served with stoemp or frites and sauerkraut, as well as currywurst sausage served with curry-based German sauce, and a variety of schnitzel options. 115 John St.
Get your dirndls and lederhosen ready: This Saturday, Oct 4, Golden Pigeon is hosting its Oktoberfest Pretzel & Stein Party! Expect fresh-baked Bavarian pretzels, oompah jams, and tons of goofy contests (think stein-holding, pretzel-eating, beer-puppeteering and “catch a brat”). The taps will feature special releases from Left Field Brewery, like the “All Tied Up” Pretzel Lager, as well as a chef-curated German menu filled with smoked beer sausage and bratwurst. 424 Parliament St.
The Distillery District’s cobblestone lanes and historic red-brick buildings have transformed into a Bavarian-style festival full of flavour, music and food! Until Oct 5, head to the Oktoberfest Toronto Courtyard (located on Pure Spirits Mews) and Mill Street Brewpub, and grab a spot at one of the long Bavarian-style picnic tables. Enjoy German-inspired eats like spätzle mac and cheese with bacon, pork schnitzel plates, currywurst bratwurst poutine and a full sausage spread! Wash it all down with seasonal brews, like the Mill Street Festbier and Old Flame’s Brunette Munich Dunkel. Afterward, head inside the pub for live music. 21 Tank House Lane.
This Sat, Oct 4, Northern Maverick is hosting a dedicated Oktoberfest party filled with traditional Bavarian culture, music (there’s live DJs!), German-style food and a wide selection of craft beer. Tickets: $9.52+. Only Eventbrite tickets will be accepted. 115 Bathurst St.
Head to The Pilot this Saturday for an Oktoberfest celebration filled with Bavarian-style brews and eats! It’s the perfect spot to celebrate the festival in a central location. The event kicks off at 8:00 p.m. sharp (don’t miss the first toast)! 22 Cumberland St.
Pizza and Oktoberfest don’t usually go together, but Pizzeria Defina found a way to make it work! Until Oct 5, the Bavarian-inspired menu mixes German comfort food with pizza specialties at both Defina locations. The lineup includes an array of small plates (including an Oktoberfest charcuterie board), as well as German-style pizza, like bratwurst pizza with sauerkraut, apple, mushrooms and Guinness-braised onions! To finish, there’s a seasonal dessert: Defina Apfel Strudel with caramelized Ontario apples and vanilla gelato. 321 Roncesvalles Ave. | 1485 Dupont St.
It’s that time of year again for Streets of Toronto’s Best of 2025 — our ultimate guide to all the city’s top places to eat, shop and play. Here, we’ve rounded up all the must-know spots for shopping, from bookstores and record shops to where to get your shoes and dresses repaired. Here are all of Toronto’s shopping spots that you need to check out.
BEST BEAUTY BAR
Brow lamination or lash lift, facials or manicures — the Ten Spot does it all. Repeat clients are the norm, not the exception here, and the upbeat energy from experienced staff is a huge plus. 1355 Yonge St.
BEST MAKEUP
Rosedale’s Gee Beauty has been beloved by style icons like Meghan Markle and more. Give your face (and brows, and skin) a little extra luxury with their collection of multi-purpose tools and treatments. 2 Roxborough St. W.
BEST HAIR COLOURING
A real family affair, Colour Lab‘s father-and-son owners Jean-Charles and Raphael Azran do the best, most sought-after hair colouring in town. 1013 Yonge St.
BEST SKINCARE
@wildcraftcare/Instagram
Sold in countless local shops across Toronto and Canada, Indigenous-owned skincare brand Wildcraft is producing small batch moisturisers, simple serums and cleansers your face will love. Bonus: they’ll look pretty great on your shelf too! wildcraftcare.ca
BEST SHOE REPAIR
Your most unfixable, unwearable footwear will get a new life at Kaner’s — around since 1992, Kaner’s treats both designer purchases and your trusty old $20 sneakers with the same care. 110 Bloor St. W.
BEST BARBER
When barber Farid Alavi launched his own shop, Bench Barbershop, his clients followed. Come for the cut, stay for the complimentary espresso, amazing chats and great vibes. 1300 Bay St.
BEST RECORD SHOPS
Courtesy Sonic Boom
Winner
Sonic Boom spans two floors as Canada’s largest independent record shop. Vinyl forever! 215 Spadina Ave.
Runner up
Rotate This is where the vinyl collectors know to go. Prepare to dig through the stacks. 186 Ossington Ave.
BEST LIGHTING STORE
The all-knowing staff at Royal Lighting can find any fixture, missing part and lighting solution you didn’t know you needed. Exceptional customer service and price matching go a long way. 1549 Avenue Rd.
BEST BOOKSTORE
It was pretty incredible to see a new bookshop open in this decade, and Flying Books has since been thriving, bringing local authors, book launches and its own imprint to the ’hood. 784 College St.
BEST BIKE SHOP
Courtesy pedaal.com
Led by two bike industry vets, Pedaal, specializing in cargo and folding bikes, has only been around for a year, and it’s already a T.O. fave. The coffee shop on site definitely helps! 168 Brunswick Ave.
BEST DOG GROOMER
Trust our office dog, Trapper — Wooftown’s gentle touch and calming environment will relax even the most skittish of pups. Choose from a bath and blow-dry, a full groom or a walk-in nail trim. 10 Birch Ave.
BEST FLOWER SHOP
Apricot Flowers
Trust Apricot Flowers owner Cathy Kim to steer any floral novice right, whether it’s for a last-minute Valentine’s Day bouquet or a show-stopping wedding arch. 621A Mt. Pleasant Rd.
BEST COMIC BOOK STORE
Silver Snail made the move from Yonge and Dundas to Queen West last year, so now you get the fun of snagging your favourite comic book (trust us, they have them all) without trekking up all those stairs. 809 Queen St. W.
BEST DENIM
Celebrating 50 years, family-owned fashion boutique Over the Rainbow has seen four generations of shoppers stay loyal for a reason. The wall of denim, 150+ deep, is pretty spectacular. 55 Bloor St. W.
BEST VINTAGE SHOPS
@cececourage/Instagram
Winner
Courage My Love just celebrated 50 years of making T.O.’s coolest look even cooler. 14 Kensington Ave.
Runner up
Mama Loves You’s pink interior is full of gems from the 1910s all the way to Y2K. 541 Queen St. W.
BEST VINTAGE WATCHES
With staggering inventory of every style and brand of watch you can imagine (and some show-stopping ones you can’t), vintage watch enthusiasts know Van Rijk is the place for unique finds. 90 Eglinton Ave. E.
The newest general store on the block, Bananas, is, well, bananas. An explosion of flamingo print walls, fart buttons, retro board games and a claw machine, there’s nothing quite like it in T.O. 2582 Yonge St.
BEST KIDS’ BOOKS
The colourful corner of T.O. occupied by Mabel’s Fables is no longer, thanks to ill-placed condo plans. But Mable’s new location opens this month, filled with all the same incredible books. 540 Mt. Pleasant Rd.
BEST PIERCING PLACE
Climb the staircase off of Queen Street up to clean, no-nonsense tattoo and piercing spot New Tribe. Fair prices and extremely experienced piercers is the name of the game here. 232a Queen St. W.
BEST MEN’S FASHION
Courtesy muddygeorge.com
As stylish as its oh-so-cool olive green interior suggests, Muddy George (and its fearless leader, Altaf Baksh) has been credited with giving new shoppers a whole new fashion sense. 973 Bloor St. W.
BEST KIDS’ BOUTIQUE
Prepare for cuteness: the walls and racks of children’s boutique Zero20Kids are filled with tiny tweed sets, miniature shoes, darling little event dresses and all things adorable. 7700 Pine Valley Dr., Woodbridge
BEST WOMEN’S DEPARTMENT STORE
Andrews in Yorkville
Andrews offers the best in luxury fashion for women. Here, you’ll find the most coveted brands, everyday essentials and a knowledgeable team that comes with a long-standing family business. 2901 Bayview Ave.
BEST CONSIGNMENT FURNITURE
The longer you wait to buy that one-of-a-kind armoire or antique coffee table at luxury consignment furniture shop Of Things Past, the cheaper it gets — if someone doesn’t snag it first! 185 Bridgeland Ave.
BEST NAIL SALON
Newcomer Anna’s Heavenly Nails has absolutely nailed it — a spotless salon and professional, careful team led by Anna herself make every visit here a true experience. 1278 Yonge St.
BEST TAILOR
Owner Mike Mouradian at Last Minute Alterations has been helping Yorkville residents look their best since 2018 — and now, he’s bringing his tailoring magic to the 905. 441 Clark Ave. W., Thornhill
BEST DRY CLEANER
Courtesy Ashford Cleaners
Take your well-loved, sentimental pieces and delicate fashion finds that you’re too scared you’ll ruin in the washing machine to Ashford Cleaners. From couture to those dreaded dry clean-only wardrobe items, they do it better than anyone in the city. 535 Eglinton Ave. W.
BEST VACUUM AND SMALL APPLIANCE REPAIR
At York Appliance, they can fix anything — this family-run business has been at it since 1969, and Raffi Asalian and the team’s customer service are hard to beat. 2029 Avenue Rd.
BEST FOR APPLIANCES
For over 75 years, Caplan’s Appliances have been selling Torontonians premium appliance brands. There popularity and quality make them special. 1111 Weston Rd.
BEST EYEWEAR
Courtesy Squint Eyewear
Customer service (and pretty snazzy glasses) is Squint Eyewear’s strong suit. Patient and knowledgeable, the staff here are just the best — and we love the eye-catching window displays. 1152 Yonge St.
BEST T.O. SWEATSHIRT
Courtesy provinceofcanada.com
Truly, honestly made in Canada, the super soft fleece sweatshirts at Province of Canada look and feel good. Choose from a classic Toronto style or get neighbourhood specific. 104 Ossington Ave.
BEST TATTOO SHOP
Whether it’s your first-ever tattoo or getting inked is a seasonal thing for you, trust Tattoo People to get it right. Clean, professional and true artists, you can choose from a variety of styles that include more unique offerings, such as watercolour and handpoking. 1071 Bathurst St.
BEST FOR DRESSES
At the top of a hidden staircase off of Queen Street is Space Vintage, a colour-co-ordinated haven of ’90s/Y2K event dresses. Everyone will ask you, “Where did you get that?” 319 Queen St. W.
Family-owned shop Ed’s Mercantile is a curiosity shop filled with countless local small businesses — ranging from vintage clothes and handmade pottery to old postcards, funky jewelry and wacky collectibles, all in one trip. 605 Bloor St. W.
BEST CONSIGNMENT
Dundas West’s VSP Consignment is where stylists go for designer finds for way less. Wait around for their pretty regular sales (often 50 per cent off or more) for an even better deal — it helps that their online catalogue is pristinely organised if you can’t make the trek to their beautiful, curated downtown shop! 1410 Dundas St. W.
BEST HOMEWARES
Courtesy Mjolk
A shop for cool people, by cool people, Mjölk is filled with Scandinavian and Japanese pieces ranging from artisanal brass bottle openers to a 1959-designed butterfly coffee table. 2959 Dundas St. W.
BEST PET RESCUE
Set on 50 acres of greenery just outside Toronto, Dog Tales has been finding a home for rescued pups, cats and bunnies (and horses too) since 2014. Prepare to fall in love! 1405 19th Sideroad, King City
The Toronto Blue Jays will enter the MLB playoffs as American League East champs for the first time since 2015 after a 13-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. Toronto closed the regular season on a four-game win streak and clinched the division on a tiebreaker over the Yankees, an amazing turnaround after a rough stretch where the team had lost six of seven games.
Some fans are attributing the late surge to a ‘lucky’ white-panel Jays cap!
Jays pitcher Jeff Hoffman reportedly asked if the MLB would approve the white-panel style cap with the current logo in their game against the Red Sox on Thursday. Permission was granted, and the Jays easily won the game 6-1. The Jays skipped the ‘lucky’ caps on Friday for their scheduled City Connect night, but brought them back on Saturday against the Rays (a 5-1 win) and again for Sunday’s 13-4 clincher.
Sports commentator Hazel Mae gave a shout-out on X for the cap idea (and for getting MLB’s OK on the modern logo version!)
“If you love the white panel caps, you can thank Jeff Hoffman. The Jays wore them during Hall of Fame weekend (but w/the old logo). He asked if MLB would OK wearing the caps with the new logo on them. He was told the caps already existed but haven’t been worn in a few years,” Mae said in a recent X post.
If you love the white panel caps, you can thank Jeff Hoffman.
The Jays wore them during Hall of Fame weekend (but w/the old logo).
He asked if MLB would OK wearing the caps with the new logo on them.
He was told the caps already existed but haven’t been worn in a few years
Fans immediately started hunting for the white panel cap as they aren’t readily available in some stores. Reddit sleuths pointed to the MLB shop and Pro League Sports for similar styles.
ALDS Game 1 at Rogers Centre is set for this Sat, Oct. 4, with the Jays taking on the winner of the Yankees-Red Sox Wild Card showdown (we’ll find out the winner Tuesday night). And judging by the Jays’ weekend streak, it’s not hard to guess which caps they’ll be donning!
A pumpkin experience like no other is back in Ontario this Halloween season, featuring a walk-through a scenic 1 km trail in Milton, Ont. decorated by more than 10,000 hand carved jack-o-lanterns, pumpkin sculptures and live carving demonstrations (did we mention it all takes place after dark?). And this month, you can start the Halloween fun early!
This is the seventh year in a row that Canada’s award-winning outdoor Halloween event is taking place in Country Heritage Park in Milton (about a one hour drive from downtown Toronto). This spectacular display takes a creative team of local Canadian artists 11 months to create.
@pumpkinsafterdark/Instagram
Although the event takes place in the evening hours, it’s fun for the whole family (kids under three are free). And on Wednesday Oct. 8, 15, 22 and 29, you can even bring your pets for dedicated pet nights — costumes encouraged!
If you’ve gone before, don’t worry – the team creates a brand new show every year. This year’s new displays include a massive Dracula’s Castle maze, complete with costumed actors and eerie special effects. There are also a couple of themed nights planned for this year, including Villains After Dark, A Night of Superheroes, Wicked After Dark and even a 19+, adults only night that we can only imagine will be filled with all things creepy and terrifying.
Sculptures from past years include a carnival of horrors, dragons and other scary animals, and plenty of fun themed scenes for kids and adults alike. Back again this year will be live pumpkin carving demonstrations, a Trick or Treat area and plenty of thrilling photo ops.
@pumpkinsafterdark/Instagram
Multiple full-time carvers worked for months thousands of pumpkins to life. For larger sculptures, it can take up to 200 hours to carve. The carvers use a combination of craft (foam) pumpkins and real fresh pumpkins sourced from local Ontario farms to produce the show.
Pumpkins After Dark will take place at Country Heritage Park, 8560 Tremaine Rd. Milton, Ontario. The event runs until Nov. 1, and all tickets must be pre-purchased — though, new this year, you can also purchase VIP flex passes so that you can visit anytime instead of pre-booking a time slot.
The Wellis getting a new after-dark destination this fall. Noyaa, a 7,000-square-foot Mediter-Asian restaurant from Dubai’s Tribes Hospitality Investment Group, opens on the terrace level just off King Street West. It’s the group’s first Canadian spot.
The 160-seat venue combines dining, a bar, a lounge and an outdoor terrace with a party vibe. International DJs, live performances and pyrotechnics will run alongside multi-course meals and crafted cocktails.
Chef Ciprian Gabriel Porumbacean, with a background spanning Romanian heritage, UAE fine dining and Japanese culinary training, leads the kitchen.
Menu highlights include A5 wagyu pillow with truffle béchamel, squid-ink gnocchi with king crab and shiso sauce, bluefin nori tacos and truffle lobster with Kaluga caviar. There’s also a sushi and sashimi tower, Ishiyaki AA5 Japanese striploin cooked tableside, dim sum, tartars, ceviche and robata-grilled dishes. Cocktails mix seasonal ingredients, global spirits and zero-proof options.
The space is layered and textured, with ribbed wood paneling, timber beams, carved stone details and accents in terracotta, maroon, emerald and brass. Seating spreads across a 40-seat bar and lounge, 90-seat main dining room, 10-seat omakase bar and a 20-seat outdoor terrace that opens fully in summer.
Weekly programming includes Sunday Amazonico Jungle Brunch and themed nights like Night in Mykonos, Mediterranean Nights and Tokyo Nights.
Noyaa opens late fall at 437 Wellington St. W. Reservations are available via the online waitlist.
Ontario is in peak foliage season! While there are tons of places across the province to enjoy the rustic reds and vibrant golds of our parks and forests (including a provincial park that’s frequently named among the best places in all of North America for fall foliage), Toronto has its own share of amazing skyline views framed by amber canopies.
Check Ontario Parks’ live Fall Colour Report for frequent updates on the best tree-viewing days, then head to these beautiful spots across Toronto to take in gorgeous shades of red, gold and orange in local parks and along city streets.
High Park
This 400-acre park is one of Toronto’s largest and most picturesque spots to experience the changing shades of autumn. Redditors suggest strolling through the hillside gardens along the paths toward Grenadier Pond. You’ll spot a mix of mature oaks, birch trees, and willows with sweeping shades of golden bronze, orange, and rustic red, as well as tallgrass prairie plants and wildflowers you won’t see in many other places in Ontario.
Rouge National Urban Park (Vista Trail)
The Vista Trail boasts a two-level viewing platform that provides spectacular views of the Little Rouge Creek and Rouge River valleys, making it one of the best places to view Toronto’s changing autumn colours! From the viewing platform, you can see Beare Hill to the north, which is one of the highest points of land in the city. Or walk along the trail’s forest ridge, just past the deck and hydro corridor, and you’ll be surrounded by vibrant maples, oaks and shady hemlock groves.
Rouge Park (photo: Ed Riley)
Scarborough Bluffs
This is the perfect area to admire the dramatic autumn vistas! There are 11 lakeside trail parks along a 15 km stretch, offering sweeping lookout points. Highlights include Rosetta McClain Gardens, Cudia Park and Bluffer’s Park and Beach.
Crothers Woods
This mature, maple-beech-oak woodland boasts interlacing trails and classic ravine colours that are just perfect for exploring throughout the fall! Expect 10 km of nature paths, where you’ll stroll past a diverse bird population and spots offering a spectacular view of the Toronto skyline, framed by gorgeous foliage.
Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Okay, so, a cemetery isn’t an obvious pick when it comes to admiring fall foliage, but Mount Pleasant’s historic towering canopy and landscaped grounds make it the perfect place to enjoy the changing colours. The foliage is complemented with large flower gardens, unique works of art, sculptures and artist-made memorials. It takes about two hours to loop around the cemetery, starting at the West Gates off Mount Pleasant Rd. Bonus. There are even public and private guided history walks led by experts.
Evergreen Brick Works
Head over on a weekend afternoon and experience the fall season while wandering the interconnected pathways sprawled alongside industrial buildings and Toronto’s nature ravine system! The ravines transform into vivid tapestries of reds, fiery oranges and golden yellows. Boardwalks weave past wetlands and meadows, with the Don Valley hillsides giving easy access to trails filled with forested gorges and wildflowers, making it one of the most perfect areas to capture fall colours.
Evergreen Brick Works
Chester Hill Lookout
At dusk, head to the end of Chester Hill Rd, just north of Danforth and west of Broadview, for a stunning skyline sunset framed by a canopy of copper and gold!
Toronto Islands
Jump on a ferry ride from downtown and you’ll experience golden willows and maples set against the city skyline. Ferries run year-round from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, but from mid-October to mid-April, service is to Ward’s Island only, creating a quieter, more contemplative fall experience. On Ward’s, you’ll find peaceful piers, docks and a scenic boardwalk perfect for foliage viewing.
Étienne Brûlé Park
The Park is nestled in the Humber River valley, just north of Bloor St W, about a five-minute walk from Old Mill subway station. Admire the changing reds and yellows along the river corridor. If you’re lucky, you’ll also spot the salmon run, as Chinook and Coho salmon fight the currents and leap upstream to reach their spawning grounds!
David A. Balfour Park
The park is a short walk from St. Clair Station (just walk a few minutes east toward Avoca Ave; the park entrance drops into a ravine that forms part of the Don River system). Stroll along winding boardwalks and past forested slopes surrounded by stunning autumn colours along Yellow Creek. Trails connect to the Kay Gardner Beltline Trail, so you can continue your foliage-viewing!
The Imperial Pub, a beloved downtown watering hole at 54 Dundas Street East, will pour its last pint on November 15. Open since 1944, the family-run spot has outlasted trends and developments, surviving nearly everything except Toronto’s obsession with condos.
The pub was born when Jack Newman took over Glover’s Cafeteria and rebranded it as the Imperial Hotel. At the time, only hotels could serve alcohol, so the building came with a handful of rooms upstairs and a drinking room on the ground floor. The upstairs was later converted into the Library Room, lined with books, couches and games, quickly becoming a go-to hangout for Ryerson (now Toronto Metropolitan University) students.
The ground floor earned its nickname as the Aquarium Bar, because of its circular bar with a massive fish tank at the centre. Over the years, the Imperial’s formula has stayed simple: local draft beer, pub food, jukeboxes spinning jazz and a rooftop patio with views of Dundas Square, soon to be renamed Sankofa Square.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing. In the late ’90s, the city tried to take over the property to make way for Dundas Square, but protests luckily saved the pub. The Newmans, who have run it since 1944, have kept the pub vintage, with tin ceilings, the iconic aquarium bar, retro carpets and wooden chairs which make it look and feel more like a time capsule than the sleek gastropubs that now dominate the city.
The Imperial’s run ends not because of fading crowds but because of redevelopment. The property has been sold, and plans are in motion for a 30-storey mixed-use tower with nearly 300 residential units, ground-floor retail and rooftop amenity spaces. A heritage assessment acknowledges the building’s historic value, but whether the Imperial itself survives in any form is not known.
