Your Super Friendly Design District Guide – King West
Discover King West’s gourmet burger at Aloette and explore The Bentway.
Visit King West to taste Aloette’s upscale burger and take the Bentway for a spin.
Word of Mouth
1 “Gusto 101 (101 Portland St) never disappoints. We’ve had many industry visitors from Italy who love it, too. Buca (604 King St W) is perfect for something a little more upmarket. Order the Nodini and pizza with scissors!” – Daniel Fisker, Fisker International
2 “Aloette (163 Spadina Ave) is my go-to for best food because the menu is full of familiar items that Chef Kriss somehow elevates to gourmet status. My favourite menu item is the burger – a diner classic elevated to a gourmet pleasure without the greasy hangover. Beautiful space, casual atmosphere, attentive service.” – Richard Assaly, LightForm
3 “Joe Bird (207 Queens Quay) for Caesars and amazingly delicious wings! Our top choice is the sweet and sticky hoisin tamarind.” – Warren Moore, Harbourfront Shop
Must-Stop Shopping Spots
4 “King West Village Cleaners (986 King St W) does an incredible job mending denim, on-par with if not better than some of the boutique denim brands in the neighbourhood.”– Daniel Okorn, Hiku and Tokyo Smoke
5 “Lee Valley Tools (590 King St W), which has been in that location before everything else. Always a great place for those hard-to-find detail items that can make or break the finish of a project. Most everything we order is from Italy, so having this as a tool kit nearby is a great resource.” – Daniel Fisker, Fisker International
6 “Clearly one of the best stocked and styled stores in the area is West Elm (109 Atlantic Ave). Knowing what to mix and how, it’s just perfect.” – Warren Moore, Harbourfront Shop
Sights Worth Seeing
7 “I’m a little biased but… Whether it’s walking through the craft corridor or checking out the latest gallery installation, Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay W) is a constantly changing and evolving campus.” – Warren Moore, Harbourfront Shop
The Bentway Skate Trail with Dana Claxton’s installation A Forest of Canoes, co-curated by the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival. Sean Galbraith.
8 “Douglas Coupland’s Float Forms (95 Fort York Blvd) and The Bentway Park under the Gardiner Expressway. Great use of unused space.” – Daniel Okorn, Hiku and Tokyo Smoke
Explore the rest of Toronto with our other Super Friendly Guides to Queen West, Midtown, West End, Uptown, King East, and Queen East.