Views from the 6ix: Food Edition

It's no secret that I'm a huge foodie, my friends always come to me for a list of restaurants to try so now I'm sharing it with all of you. After living in downtown Toronto aka #the6ix this summer, I have grown to appreciate the diverse selection of food the city has to offer. Although this post is delayed, it's never too late to eat! 

If you know me, you would know that I am always down to splurge a little on a good meal. However having worked in the financial district, I can say that most of the upscale restaurants in the area strive off a fancy exterior, a prestigious crowd and mediocre food. I do have several favourites that are definitely worth a pretty penny. The top one on my list was undeniably Bymark which I vowed to go back for their regular dinner menu once I start my first full time job.

Upscale Dining

• Jump - $$$ - American
• Kinka Izakaya - $$$ - Japanese
• Cluny - $$$ - French
• Luckee - $$$$ - Chinese
• Bymark - $$$$ -  Continental

Cluny, Summerlicious 2016 Dessert

One thing we can all agree on about the Toronto food scene is the vast variety of casual dine in spots scattered in all the different districts.  It was extremely hard to choose my top 5 so I decided to pick one from each category, a few popular ones and some of which I believe are considered to be underdogs.

Casual Dining

• Sansotei Ramen - Yorkville - Japanese  
• Fat Pasha - The Annex - Middle Eastern 
• Electric Mud - Little Portugal - BBQ 
• School - Liberty Village - Brunch
• Pai - Entertainment District - Thai

Side note...I'm looking for recommendations for Mexican restaurants, which is my all time favourite cuisine. I guess because of my high expectations for Mexican food, I have yet to be impressed...

Fat Pasha, Salatim Platter

I know for a fact I'm not the only one who has a separate stomach for dessert. If you're also one of those people who need to end of the day with some sweets or just grab a little treat to help you get through the day, here are some of my personal recommendations.

Dessert/Cafe's

• CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice
• Bang Bang Ice Cream & Bakery 
• Light Cafe (Slow Drip & Cotton Candy Coffee)
• Butter Avenue (Macarons)
• Arctic Bites (Thai Rolled Ice Cream)

Roselle, Feature Soft Serve

In terms of fast dining, the options are endless. With that being said, it's hard for me to want to go back a place more than once given the fact that the list of places to try is only growing. But below are some of my ride or die spots for after going out munchies or for a quick bite.

Fast Food/Takeout

• Burger Priest - American
• Fresh - Vegan
• Banh Mi Boys - Asian Fusion
• Poke Guys - Japanese
• Hoga - Korean

I know most people go to Burger Priest for their mouthwatering burgers, but I recently discovered that they have $4 ice cream sandwiches!! (And you don't even have to wait in line for 2 hours). Also, Hoga is one of the best hidden gems in the PATH, you're welcome.

I hope you guys enjoyed my food recommendations for my city. Or as our boy Drake once said "scallops and glasses of Dolce, that shit's right up your alley".