Fran Miller’s Toronto Guide
Founder of the eponymous, pared-back line of natural skincare staples F. Miller, Fran Miller is a person we trust. We trust her to make our hair soft and our skin strong. We also trust her taste in Toronto, the city she’s based, where F. Miller’s products are designed, formulated and bottled by hand. An all-inclusive list of her local haunts, from fresh flowers to designer vintage to advice on accessing the Cheese Boutique’s cheese vault, below.
Sam James Coffee Bar / Robinson Bread
6 Brock Ave.
A one-stop-shop for some of the city’s best coffee, sourdough and pastries. Visit early to get a spot on the SJCB stoop and stock up on baked goods before they sell out. Favorites are the buttery cinnamon spelt roll and, come summer, the cherry hand pies.
128 Avenue Road
Fresh flowers are one of my weekly essentials. Jong Young has been open for 65-plus years and is my personal favorite on Toronto’s flower shop row at Avenue & Davenport. They have a huge rotating selection of classics, larger plants and harder-to-find seasonal stems.
45 Ripley Ave.
An iconic gourmet grocer for specialty products, fresh produce, cured meats and, obviously, the best cheese selection in the city. The knowledgeable staff will let you sample any cheese you want and take you inside the cheese vault if you ask nicely.
326 1/2 Bloor St. W. Unit #3
Distinctively curated designer vintage and consignment in an intimate by-appointment-only showroom space. One of my favorites for rare finds and their thoughtful ability to bring new life to unique pieces.
190 St. Helens Ave.
Clint’s impeccable taste and care comes through in the consistently beautiful exhibitions at his West End gallery. One of the best spaces to discover historical and contemporary artists.
1588 Dupont St.
Elevated, unfussy diner classics in a cozy, welcoming space — it’s hard not to eat at Dotty’s weekly. Every dish is perfectly executed (don’t miss the cheeseburger, though), the cocktails are excellent and the rotating soft serve makes for the ideal ending to an ideal meal.
Toronto Reference Library
789 Yonge St.
Canada’s largest public reference library, the TRL is a city landmark both for its beautiful ’70s architecture and its extensive collection of resources. An amazing place to work from, deep dive for inspiration or just wander around.
1319 Dundas St. W.
Soop Soop brings a tight edit of cool brands together in one place, perfectly curating a mix of fashion, accessories and the best selection of premium and obscure fashion publications in the city.
180 Ossington Ave.
Our local not-so-secret-anymore back alley basement bar for classic cocktails, small plates and cute vibes.
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