Mike Yardley: Delicious bites and gorgeous sights in Toronto

It’s the city that produced Joni Mitchell, The Weeknd, and… Justin Bieber. And it was home to Meghan Markle, prior to her royal life, while filming Suits – but don’t hold that against them. Nestled along the shores of Lake Ontario —or should that be Lake America?— the beautiful, shimmering metropolis of Toronto is Canada’s answer to New York City. Undeniably cosmopolitan, it’s the vast forest of gleaming, glassy skyscrapers that constantly impel you to look up, when you’re strolling the streets. I’d heard mixed reviews about Toronto, or Toronno as the locals insist on calling it, but despite its big-city stripes, there’s a friendliness and charm more accustomed to a small town.  

For the view of views across Toronto’s glittering skyline, you cannot beat the sky-high perspective from the CN Tower. One of the tallest free-standing structures in the world, this 50 year old tower soars to a height of 553 metres. It wasn’t until 2009 that the Burj Khalifa knocked it off its perch as the planet’s tallest structure. An incredible 114 stories above the ground, the observation deck is an essential experience, best enjoyed at twilight. It was the first experience I enjoyed with my Toronto CityPASS, the original bundled ticket, packaging up the banner attractions into one pass, allowing you to save big.  

Highrise views from CN Tower. Photo / PickPik

Another sure-fire hit is to head down to the harbourfront and jump on board Oriole, a two-level Great Lakes replica steam ship, for a 60 minute tour with City Cruises Toronto. The harbour cruise serves up the best vantage point to survey the glassy skyline, the planes taking off from Billy Bishop Airport, along with a dash around the Toronto Islands. Lake Ontario is endowed 15 little islets, a weekend go-to for locals for some R&R, whether it’s for lazing on a beach, a spot of kayaking or to enjoy some thrills at Centreville Amusement Park. 

The United Nations classifies Toronto as the world’s most multicultural city, with over half its population born outside of Canada. That diversity is manifest in many of the neighbourhoods like Koreatown, Little Portugal, and Chinatown. One of the trending hoods is Kensington Market, which is also steeped in immigrant culture, owing its existence to the arrival of Irish and Scottish immigrants in the 1880s. The inner-city neighbourhood is very distinctive with Victorian-style terraced housing, fully restored and bathed in pastel hues, superb street art and some of the city’s best vintage stores, art galleries, bars and cafés. Great cheese shops, too. If you like you like your fusion cuisine, check out Jerk & Pasta, a blend of Jamaican and Italian food. Order up a plate of rasta pasta – fluffy gnocchi with saltfish and ackee. It’s the creative heart of the city, with a distinctly bohemian vibe.  

Toronto’s cuisine spans the globe, but a quintessential city eat would have to be the Peameal bacon sandwich, best enjoyed from St. Lawrence Market – and approved by Anthony Bourdain. He was a huge fan. This enormous sandwich is centred around Peameal bacon, a wet-cured, unsmoked bacon made from trimmed lean boneless pork loin rolled in cornmeal. It’s been a Toronto staple since the 1850s and you can expect it to be touched up with a dash of maple syrup. I’m also rather partial to Beaver Tails, a signature sweet treat across Ontario, beginning in Ottawa nearly 50 years ago. These fried whole-wheat dough pastries are hand-stretched into the shape of a beaver's tail and topped with sweet spreads like cinnamon sugar or chocolate. These over 100 BeaverTails outlets across Canada, a Canadian classic like Tim Hortons. In Toronto, I went to BeaverTails store down by the harbour. In addition to the signature treat, I also sampled one of their other products, a Rizzy Glizzy, which tops the pastry with bacon, maple Dijon and fried onions.    

A Beavertail pastry. Photo / Mike Yardley

For history-hounds, an enticing option with Toronto CityPASS is access to Casa Loma. Despite its 18th-century appearance, this Gothic Revival blockbuster was built at the beginning of the 20th century, heavily inspired by Scotland’s Balmoral Castle. Gracefully overlooking downtown Toronto, it was built by Sir Henry Pellatt, a billionaire who made his fortune pioneering a hydroelectric plant on the Niagara River. Boasting a stunning 98 rooms, 21 fireplaces, a great hall with a 60-foot ceiling, Pallatt certainly spared no expense on this splendid property. 

Casa Loma, Toronto. Photo / Wikimedia 

If you’re visiting in the cooler months, why not attend an ice hockey game at Scotiabank Arena? Whether you’re already a fan of the sport or not, experiencing the energy of the arena when the beloved Toronto Maple Leaves take to the ice is next level. In the warmer months, baseball is all the rage and the Rogers Arena, crowned with a retractable roof, is proudly home to the Blue Jays. They were back-to-back World Series winners in the nineties, but the cupboard has laid bare since. Right next to CN Tower, when the Blue Jays have a home game on a Tuesday, Rogers Arena plays host to Loonie Tuesdays, with numerous hot dog stands set up around the ballpark, selling $1 dogs – and they’re good! (Loonie is the nickname for Canada’s $1 coin, depicting the loon, Ontario’s provincial bird.) 

Where to stay? Smack bang in the heart of Toronto, the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel is not just a central landmark, but it boasts a whopping 1300 rooms. It even boasts its own burbling waterfall within a lush courtyard garden. Still looking fresh and inviting after undergoing a tip-to-toe renovation to celebrate its 50th anniversary, this property is my idea of a memorable destination hotel. The cherry on top is the 43rd-level Club Lounge, which is a colossal sanctuary of indulgence. Not only will you ogle some of the city’s best views from the floor-to-ceiling windows, but you’ll enjoy a complimentary breakfast and late afternoon/early evening canapés, as well as all sorts of drinks. The food is plentiful and delicious.  

Share plates at 43 Down. Photo / Mike Yardley 

At breakfast, choices included eggs, sausages, hash browns, croissants, bagels, danishes, juices, yogurt parfaits, fresh fruit, and cheese. The evening snacks were tapas-style treats such as herbed roasted mini potatoes, charcuterie, samosas and dessert squares. Long marble communal tables, plush couches and tub chairs, all under a coffered ceiling set with mirrors, heightens the supreme sense of comfort. My Club Level guest room was spaciously sized and loaded with creature comforts, with fabulous bedding complete with memory foam mattresses. If you’re a stickler for high-end amenities, the oak-scented Gilchrist & Soames toiletries will get the big tick.  

The year-round indoor-outdoor swimming pool, swathed in daybeds and loungers accentuates the sense of holiday bliss. There’s a variety of dining options in the hotel, but I highly recommend settling into a night at 43 Down. This convivial bar specialises in shareable small plates with a truly delectable menu of temptations. We plumped for the firecracker calamari; roasted miso eggplant; grilled tandoori prawns and halloumi cheese croquettes. 43 Down offers an enticing menu of crafted cocktails. It’s a delightful venue.  

Pool time at Sheraton Centre Toronto. Photo / Marriott 

If you’re tripping between Toronto, Montreal and Québec City, take the stress out of travel by riding the rails.  VIA Rail Canada trains are efficient, comfy and equipped with complimentary on-board Wi-Fi. Treat yourself to business class and you’ll enjoy a host of comforts from the business lounge at the main train stations and priority boarding to the supreme sense of space and comfort onboard. The seats have been refashioned with leather upholstery, along with an adjustable footrest, wide tray table and in-seat recline. Stretch out and relax. Best of all, whether you’re travelling during breakfast, lunch or dinnertime, you get to choose from a hand-picked selection of delicious meals. Plus, the bar service will keep you well lubricated, whether you’re after beer or wine, soft drinks, tea and coffee. For best fares and seats to suit, head to viarail.ca.

Mike Yardley is Newstalk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard each week on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.