explOre
7
the land of oz—once a desolate strip of
hardware stores and aging apartments—is the
hipper little sister to Queen west
ossington
DunDAS St. W.
3
perK Up
Drinking a cup of joe at Jimmy’s
Coffee is like sitting in your cool
friend’s living room. Order an
Americano and pull up a chair at
the communal table. Laptop-tapping
locals are usually very happy
to share a few insider tips with
newbies. And with blends named
Hoffa and Hendrix, even the beans
ooze coolness. 15 Ossington Ave.,
1
jimmyscoffee.ca
2 loCal brews
Site of the best patio in the west,
Bellwoods Brewery set up shop in
Jimmy’s Coffee
The bar in full swing at
Bellwoods Brewery
2
2012 and is busier than ever. Innova-
tive craft beer is the focus here, with
rotating taps of hoppy IPAs, ales and
stouts brewed on the premises. For
a taste to go, pop into the adjoining
bottle shop. 124 Ossington Ave.,
5
6
4
1
Queen St. W.
bellwoodsbrewery.com
3 singaporean sips
Take a break after shopping the
strip at the effortlessly cool
Hawker Bar. Intriguing cocktails
like the Hawker Sling (gin,
benedictine, cherry liqueur) and
the Kaffir Coco (kaffir lime, lychee
liquor, coconut milk) complement
the small plates of street-style
Singaporean food. Fill your belly
with hand-pulled noodles, spicy
curry or grilled satay on a stick
before you venture out into
the night—or to the next bar.
GettinG there
The revitalized portion of Ossington Avenue is a north-south corridor that begins
at Queen Street West in the south and extends north toward Dundas Street.
505 Dundas and 504 Queen streetcars; 63 Ossington bus
designers. You’ll find Alexander
Wang shoes alongside accessories
from French Trotters and clothing
designed by Helmut Lang, Norse
Projects and Objects Without
Meaning, among many other
sought-after brands. 49 Ossington
164 Ossington Ave., hawkerbar.com Ave., jonathanandolivia.com
4 ChiC shop
Jonathan + Olivia’s minimalistic
gallery-esque space is the perfect
setting for the carefully curated
selection of classic looks from trendy 5 soUthern flavoUr
Omaw, a cosy-yet-elevated restau-
rant that serves up American-style
food, is the result of a collaboration
between popular catering company
the Food Dudes and chef Matt
Blondin. New takes on southern
favourites like hush puppies and
jambayala are served alongside
carefully considered small plates
like aged wagu with beef fat
vinaigrette and scallops served on
Carolina gold rice with chicken
cracklin’. Each item on the menu is
exceptional, so come with a group
or be prepared to make some tough
choices. 88 Ossington Ave., omaw.ca
6 street art
Last year, cultural hub/pop-up
space Rally sponsored a street-art
program along the Ossington strip
called Love Letter to the Great
Lakes. The nine murals painted by
artists from around the world,
including Birdo and Chris
Konecki, raise awareness about the
threats currently facing Lake
Ontario and the Toronto
waterfront. Various locations,
rallyossington.com
7 playfUl hairCUts
Who says you can’t have a little
fun at the salon? Hero Heroine
is a modern three-storey, unisex
hair palace, with a DJ booth on
the cutting room floor and a
PlayStation to keep you occupied
while you wait. 216 Ossington Ave.,
heroheroine.com
EssEntial toronto
where 51