The Ossington Guide
Image credit: Jessica Darmanin
Over the past few years, we’ve watched the Ossington strip evolve from a no-go set of dodgy storefronts to an edgy Queen West offshoot to the city’s hippest drag—a gentrification so rapid that city council recently imposed a year-long moratorium on licensing new bars and restaurants. While residents and entrepreneurs face off over growing pains, we traipsed the avenue, day and night, to compile a user’s guide to Toronto’s latest eating and drinking destination.
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I'm surprised you left off my favourite place on the street: LE BAR A SOUPE. Strange that you've reviewed every other restaurant on the strip but the ONE where all the people who WORK in all these bars and restaurants actually eat themselves.
June 13, 2009 | by JMJolicoeurMy poor little Ossington is growing up to be a monster. She now attracts the worst kind of unappreciative patrons on Friday and Saturday night; it's heartbreaking really. She's like a child stuck in the ugly phase, trying to find her identity. She's being ruined. Please for the love of god stop talking about how great Ossington is, you've already taken all the greatness out of her.
June 16, 2009 | by kenttUgh. On the subject of Sweaty Betty's: Get over yourselves. They need to learn how to identify the real a-holes from the people who've patronized their joint since its first days, by people who lived in the neighbourhood a good decade before it became deluged with 'hipsters'. Either inform your newbie staff with an obnoxious sense of self-importance about who to 'ban', or stop complaining, rake in the coin, and accept that Ossington is as over as Queen West east of Spadina.
June 18, 2009 | by nikidanThe painted lady has the most gorgeous wooden bar.... Probably one of the best wooden/ old school bars i have seen in the city.... it really does make the space. Not sure about the rest of the place though, as it seems like a mish mash of design.... I am also not very fond of the atmosphere.
July 14, 2009 | by Shlee