And I know Queen Street.
I joined a local couple on a brunch tour led by Francisco
Tejada of Culinary Adventures. Cisco said a foodie tour is the
best way to dive into a city’s soul, as the diversity of cuisines
indicates the multicultural makeup of a destination. And
Toronto is multiculturally amazing.
Our deconstructed brunch took us along the trendy streets
of Queen and King, and the menu included chocolate chip
cookies (our starter), Brooklynesque pizza, a Mexican main
course of eggs and chorizo, a bombolone (Italian filled dough-
nut), seaweed chips at a Japanese grocery and a fresh crois-
sant from a French bakery.
The city’s multiculturalism extends well past brunch.
“Our diversity is a real asset,” Somarriba said. “When you come
to Toronto you really see it, and you hear the different languages.”
More than 160 languages are spoken within the metro-
politan area, and Tourism Toronto provides materials in 100
Bring on the brunch
different languages. English is the most common mother
tongue, spoken by 55 percent of Torontonians, followed by
the Chinese languages, Italian, Punjabi, Tagalog (Filipino) and
Spanish. Canada’s other official language, French, ranks 14th.
Groups appreciate Toronto’s diversity of tour product, said
Maxine Morrell-West, North America leisure trade manager
for Tourism Toronto. “We truly have something every visitor
can enjoy: theater, museums, galleries, festivals, tours, shop-
ping and group dining.”
I did stop eating long enough to hop on a bus for a city tour,
and an attraction I really enjoyed was Casa Loma, a 98-room
castle built in 1911–14 by industrialist Sir Henry Mill Pellatt on
a hill overlooking Toronto.
Pellatt was innovative and extravagant in the design of his
lavish dwelling: It includes 30 bathrooms, a built-in vacuum
system, secret passageways, a steam-heated greenhouse and
several accessible towers. Toured with an audio guide, the
historical home and gardens offer a fascinating look into the
ostentatious world of the ultra-rich. Spoiler alert: Sir Henry
luxuriated in Casa Loma for less than 10 years before he lost
his fortune and his castle.
A short way from Casa Loma is Kensington Market, the
neighborhood that both Somarriba and Morrell-West tabbed
as their favorite.
Casa Loma
A diverse destination
Kensington Market
“I’ll go there on a Saturday afternoon by myself and just
walk around,” Somarriba said. “It’s sort of hippie and colorful,
with fusion food and vintage shopping. It’s just a very differ-
ent vibe from the downtown financial center.”
I hear “hippie” and expect a ’60s sit-in. But I came to
understand Kensington Market as Bohemian, on an interna-
tional tableau. Nearby is the Art Gallery of Toronto and a very
authentic Chinatown.
The Chelsea Hotel was my headquarters, close to shopping
neighborhoods as well as Eaton Centre, a 1,200-store mall that
attracts nearly 50 million visitors a year.
“Our location is a huge asset. All the shopping you’d want is
within walking distance,” said Tracy Ford, the hotel’s PR direc-
tor, who described the Chelsea as a middle-of-the-road hotel
with some nice offerings: free Wi-Fi and a family fun zone.
“The tour market is extremely important to this hotel. As
large as we are, groups can stay under one roof.”
I also toured The Distillery Historic District, a collection
of restaurants, shops and galleries housed in 47 restored
Victorian-era industrial buildings that once composed the
Gooderham & Worts Distillery. On my guided tour I sampled
cheese, chocolate and beer—yummy.
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