The shop lights on Gerrard Street East stay on till nine—a late-night tradition that started out with the old Bollywood movie house that originally brought Indian merchants to the strip. Now sari shops, glowing neon signs for Kashmiri tea and sidewalk stands selling spiced corn on the cob keep the area filled with Pakistani Canadians from nearby Victoria Park, South Asian families in from the burbs, and residents from the slowly-but-surely gentrifying side streets. The retail bustle is creeping west of Jones, where several new businesses are revitalizing a dreary stretch of empty storefronts, noodle houses, laundromats and hair salons.
#1, Most of the business you cire are not part of Little India. Gerrard East, yes, but not Little India. The Indian Bazaar has more than enough to fill an article without reaching beyond.
#2, How could you miss mentioning Moti Mahal? Not that I want it to be any more popular than it is, but it serves the best butter chicken in the city, hands down. Rang Home Store is also not to be missed.
Sadly, since 9/11 and SARS, this community is suffering a significant loss of tourism that is hurting all the local businesses.
January 13, 2011 at 8:11 am | by alectaAs one who spent 17 years in south Asia and as a lifetime aficionado of curry and vegetarian fare, I commend you for choosing Halal 786 and Udupi Palace, my two favourites in that neighbourhood. I wish them both every success and hope that their menus and recipes never change!
January 13, 2011 at 10:07 am | by ShionaI can’t believe you would promote this hole of a neighborhood. By far Toronto’s WORST area to live in. Gerrard East looks East Hamilton’s crack haven. Good luck to the businesses in this neighborhood – they will need it.
January 13, 2011 at 12:18 pm | by DisturbedMost of the places you mention are not even in the Bazaar, but rather are west of Greenwood or even west of Jones. These are not in “Little India” at all, but more like Chinatown East. There are some great places in Little India proper that should have been profiled for this article.
To Disturbed…you must be looking at this neighbourhood as an outsider bc you are not seeing it for what it really is, a neighbourhood with great restaurants, interesting culture, and some fabulous homes off Gerrard. And with such close proximity to Leslieville and the Beaches, it is a great place to hang out! The Little India Festival in the summer is one of my fave street festivals. Come out and try the ‘hood sometime, bet you’ll be surprised.
January 13, 2011 at 3:02 pm | by indin food loverI will always make the trip to Lahore Tika House.
January 13, 2011 at 3:23 pm | by ChristineMost of the places featured are not in Little India as other readers correctly stated.
Lahore Tikka House is awesome. I try to go there when I am in Toronto.
January 14, 2011 at 8:32 am | by ChaiThanks for this article about one of my favourite “Little” ‘hoods in Toronto! Can’t wait to try Udupi Palace…Lahore Tikka House is fantastic!
January 18, 2011 at 7:47 am | by CatherineDisturbed – clearly, you don’t frequent this part of town on a regular basis. Your comments seem very out of touch. Little India is fast becoming a wonderful destination for all things Indian AND great real estate (still affordable – but not for long!)
Udupi Palace is the best, the service and food reminds me of a restaurant in India. It’s definitely worth the trip to Gerrard East. Now I’m craving a dosa!
January 18, 2011 at 10:24 am | by Preena ChauhanThanks for the article! Makes me miss living a 10 min walk away from Little India – mmm, miss Lahore & Udupi (did they ever have their spicy dosa eating contest?)
January 18, 2011 at 3:30 pm | by SusanI love Pizza Pide. The food is always fresh, and the pizza never upsets my stomach, unlike certain “chain” pizza places (which I won’t name here). Flavourful, fresh food, and the staff are genuinely nice people. A+
January 18, 2011 at 3:44 pm | by RobertDear Disturbed,
I guess you are also wishing the new Starbucks good luck on the corner of Jones E/Gerrard E?
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January 18, 2011 at 9:07 pm | by @sircelebritaire“I can’t believe you would promote this hole of a neighborhood. By far Toronto’s WORST area to live in. Gerrard East looks East Hamilton’s crack haven. Good luck to the businesses in this neighborhood – they will need it.”
January 13, 2011 at 12:18 pm | by Disturbed
Hey Disturbed. Stay out of our neighborhood. The west end is calling.
January 19, 2011 at 6:39 pm | by SteveHow did you miss Famous Indian Cuisine? Hands down the BEST Indian food. My faves are the butter chicken, eggplant, shrimp, and goat. Those are just my faves, but I love everything!
January 19, 2011 at 7:18 pm | by tinaDear writer there are some restaurants not from Little India, unless its extended now, I like Udupi Palace been there since they opened lot of new items and service the best on the street also been to their new location Nitya, great selection of Vegetarian N Non veg…..the next place my fav would be the burger joint wish them all the best :)
January 20, 2011 at 9:54 am | by Rishi JI have to agree with Alecta… I think the author has never been to the area before and his boss must’ve made her run down there for the article… missing Motimahal is a *huge* mistake… most of the restaurants are not Little India.. Another catch as a non-regular… Bombay Chowpatty while innovative… def not worth a mention
January 20, 2011 at 10:57 pm | by Errrrr