64 h. ago I took a trip back in time to ride vintage TTC streetcars and here's how it went

The Halton County Radial Railway (HCRR) allows the public to get up close and personal with the rich history of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and its generations of streetcars.Located near Guelph, Ont. HCRR is Ontario's first and largest museum, highlighting electric railways. Among the museum's main draws, visitors can board vintage transit vehicles and ride around a scenic, two-kilometre-long loop, or explore the barns full of classic streetcars and subway trains.Even if transit history is not your hyperfixation, the museum's rail circuit offers perhaps one of the best fall colour experiences in the province when the grounds transform into a wonderland of fall colours every autumn.Explore the Halton County Radial Railway in this photo gallery.

Transport

4 d. ago What to eat at first Toronto outpost of restaurant chain made famous by Guy Fieri

Vancouver's Peaceful Restaurant has finally opened its first location in Toronto, bringing Northern Chinese cuisine to the Annex.Peaceful Restaurant had already been a local favourite across Metro Vancouver for 15 years by the time Guy Fieri rolled into town in 2013, to feature the restaurant on an episode of his show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.The episode further catapulted the restaurant into local legend status, beloved city (dare we even say, province?) over for its droolworthy Mandarin-style cuisine.It was only a matter of time before we got the chance to dust off our chopsticks and try the restaurant for ourselves, and now, nearly 30 years after Peaceful Restaurant's first location opened, we've finally scored our own location in Toronto.At the helm of the whole operation is Executive Chef and founder Charlie Huang.Huang opened the first location of Peaceful Restaurant in Vancouver back in 1998, and tells us visitors from Toronto have been begg...

Other

4 d. ago Breakfast restaurant with many Vancouver locations arrives in Toronto this month

A breakfast restaurant that has locations across Vancouver is finally about to make its Toronto debut this fall.We're big fans of inheriting chains from elsewhere in the country over here in Toronto.Whether they're celebrated hits like The Lunch Lady or crowd-pleaser chains like Central, we're always happy to see some hometown heroes touch down in the 'Six. We also, as most people do, love breakfast and brunch.A combination of the two? That's a sure recipe for glory. Just look at our enthusiasm when Calgary's OEB finally opened a location in the city.Now, there's a new Western Canada breakfast staple that's about to be added to the metaphorical Toronto pancake stack: Vancouver favourite, Yolks.Founded as a charming, blue cart churning out creative takes on breakfast classics in 2012, Yolks has since blossomed into a must-try chain, boasting three locations in Metro Vancouver and one in Ottawa.According to the chain's website, l...

Other

6 d. ago Huge crowds line up for opening of Toronto's first Panda Mart

Crowds of shoppers descended on Toronto's first Panda Mart location on its opening weekend, queueing up to get their hands on the newest discount lifestyle and home goods items.Footage captured over the weekend shows long lines snaking from the entrance, extending well into the parking lot, and store aisles completely packed with shoppers for the store's debut.So, what's all the hype about? For the unversed, Panda Mart opened its first Canadian and North American location in Toronto on Sept. 26, to much fanfare.The mammoth South Africa-based discount retailer offers a wide range of goods, including furniture, household items, food, beauty products, and more.@mopemope10 not really temu or SHEIN on crack but still a very interesting store #pandamart #toronto #fyp #foryoupage ♬ WE CANNOT ESCAPE WE CANNOT COME OUT - Emile MorganOpening-day traffic and the long lines suggest strong demand for the first Canadian Panda Mart. Some shoppers were seen with thei...

Culture

9 d. ago Popeyes location in Toronto under fire for allegedly not paying employees and more

A Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurant in Toronto is under scrutiny, with employees of the franchise protesting outside the Scarborough location this week, alleging unpaid wages, unsanitary conditions, and other concerns.Employees of the Popeyes at 2633 Lawrence Ave E, in Scarborough, are protesting against their employer, Irfan Memon, and demanding action from the corporate higher-ups at Popeyes.A representative of the protesting employees reached out to blogTO with allegations of bounced cheques, using unsanctioned meat supplies, mislabeling chicken as Halal-certified, and a general sense of disorder at the Midland and Lawrence location.A concerned employee told blogTO in an email statement that Memom has not paid wages in weeks, saying that "employees are behind five pay cheques. All his cheques got bounced, not once but twice and thrice." The employee shared images of the bounced cheques to back up this claim.In addition to their unpaid wages, workers allege that Memom...

Events

1 week ago Major international discount chain opening first store in Toronto

Get your shopping cart ready, because a global discount chain — which has often been described as Temu in real life — is gearing up to open its first location right here in Toronto. Established in 2010, Panda Mart is a South African discount retailer known for carrying low-cost household goods, home decor, furniture, beauty products, stationery, and accessories. The global brand is preparing to open its very first store in North America in Scarborough at 768 Warden Ave. this week. The 120,000-square-foot store, which was previously home to a Rona, is set to carry over 30,000 products across all its categories.     View this post on Instagram           A post shared by Panda Mart Canada (@pandamart.canada)Since launching in South Africa, the brand's presence has grown to 40 stores across 12 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, and now Canada. The retai...

Society

1 week ago Japanese noodle chain with Michelin nod opening Toronto location soon

An international Japanese food chain known for its handmade noodles is finally about to open its first Canadian location in Toronto.Toronto loves our noodles — that much cannot be argued. Whether served in a soup, stir-fried or, heck, even dripping in bolognese, there's something about a tubular, starch-based creation that speaks to the soul every time.Lucky for us, Toronto is about to get its very own location of a noodle shop that's already made waves across the globe: Kajiken.The noodle dish in the spotlight at Kajiken? It's none other than aburasoba, a dish similar to ramen but served without broth. Instead, the noodles, which are made by hand in the shop, are coated in the restaurant's legendary secret sauce for a sip-free experience.The chain may be landing in North York this fall, but Kajiken brings with it a 15-year history that spans the globe.Kajiken was first born in 2010 when founder Kenichi Kaji fell in love with aburasoba. He o...

Other

1 week ago Toronto spa was just crowned the best in Canada for second year in a row

For the second year in a row, a Toronto spa has been named the best in Canada at the World Spa Awards. Guerlain Spa Toronto, located inside Hotel X Toronto, took the top spot at the prestigious awards programme and was highlighted for its blending of French elegance with modern wellness practices. The winners of the awards are chosen by a combination of industry experts and public votes. The spa draws on the luxury skincare house's Parisian techniques and exclusive protocols, which are taught only in Guerlain's own training institutions, and offers a variety of packages and treatments, including facials, lymphatic drainage, face sculpting, and makeup applications. Spa packages also include intensive body therapy, bridal packages, couples packages, and post-natal packages. The hotel spa's facilities include steam rooms, manicure and pedicure stations, a beauty studio, and 10 treatment rooms overlooking Lake Ontario. Guerlain Spa Toronto ...

Other

2 w. ago Beloved Toronto restaurant to leave location after 13 years in business

A Toronto restaurant that's been a local staple for over a decade is closing permanently to move out of the city.Toronto's culinary scene is a dazzling mosaic of international cuisines that span, seemingly, every corner of the globe. It may be trite, but it's true.If you're in the mood for Nicaraguan, Georgian, Ethiopian, Peruvian or anything else, it won't take you long to find it in the city. That's what makes the 'Six so special.When it comes to Cuban food, however, the options — though great — are decidedly limited, and, since 2012, Roncesvalles' La Cubana has been the undisputed champion for the cuisine in the city.Founded by chef Corinna Mozo, the restaurant is a cool, casual spot that serves up the absolute best of Cuban cuisine, which, yes, includes but is in no way limited to, the almighty Cubano Sandwich, a forever favourite of ours.In the 13 years since opening, La Cubana has become a local institution, embodying the untucked, c...

Economics

2 w. ago Sobeys is permanently closing one of its most popular Toronto locations

One pocket of Toronto is about to lose a key grocery store that has served the community for many years: its local Sobeys.The Kipling location of the supermarket chain, a tenured and well-frequented staple of the plaza at 1255 The Queensway, is apparently slated to shut down this fall.Although Sobeys Inc.'s head office has remained hush-hush about the forthcoming closure — its media team, at the time of publication, has yet to reply to blogTO's inquiry — some employees have been gradually informing customers about the news on the down-low.One shopper shared the scoop with fellow members of a South Etobicoke community Facebook group earlier this month, stating that during their last visit, they were told the store will close its doors for good on Nov. 1, 2025.Staff members at not just the location in question, but also the nearby Sobeys a few kilometres east on The Queensway, confirmed the rumours ab...

Other

2 w. ago Sneak peek at Toronto's newest Simons store at the Eaton Centre

Family-owned Canadian success story Simons is continuing its domination of the department store sector, swooping in to fill the void left by the recent departure of Hudson's Bay, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and others from the Toronto retail landscape.Just weeks after debuting its first urban T.O. outpost at Yorkdale Shopping Centre last month, the iconic Quebec-founded brand opened a three-level, 112,000-square-foot location — in yet another anchor space formerly held by Nordstrom— at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre on September 18. This marks Simons' 19th location, with each geared to their respective cities, neighbourhoods and target clientele.We got a first glimpse at the sleek new digs and the innovative shopping experience offered within, which includes interactive art (explorable through the company's "Walk of Frames" initiative), Toronto-centric design elements, and the wide variety of housewares, clothin...

Other

2 w. ago Taco joint with five locations in Ontario is finally opening a Toronto outpost

A taco chain that's been making a splash across Ontario is finally about to open a location in downtown Toronto.When we talk about, think about, and, most importantly, eat tacos, authenticity is typically a lauded quality. The more it tastes like you just picked it up from a stall on the streets of Mexico City, the better.Generally, we’re inclined to agree with that take, but in the case of Newmarket's Ghost Taco, inauthenticity is the name of the game.It's not a blunder on the restaurant's behalf, but their modus operandi, as the chain proudly advertises the "unauthentic Mexican" cuisine on their menu.Their menu includes 12 taco varieties, which you can mix and match for servings of two, three or four, and which come in flavours ranging from tried-and-true to utterly out of this world.Take the vampire, for example, which comes with fried cheese, pickled jalapeño, braised pork and sriracha aioli, or the Alabama chicken,...

Sport

2 w. ago You can now buy and reload Presto cards at No Frills locations in Ontario

Buying or loading up a Presto card just got a whole lot easier thanks to a new Metrolinx pilot program that launched on Monday.The regional transit agency has partnered up with supermarket chain No Frills to bring Presto machines to five of the brand's grocery stores in Ontario — including three locations in Toronto and two in Ottawa.Metrolinx announced the new pilot partnership on Tuesday, revealing that Presto cards can now be purchased at the following locations:Jordan's No Frills, 1022 King St. W. (Toronto)  Carlo's No Frills, 6220 Yonge St. (Toronto)  John's No Frills, 1591 Wilson Ave. (Toronto)  Chris and Samia's No Frills, 200 Grant Carman Dr. (Ottawa)  Connor and Kennedy's No Frills, 2681 Alta Vista Dr. (Ottawa)  The pilot partnership also comes with the reveal of a new physical Presto card design bearing the No Frills logo, though its iconic yellow branding is otherwise conspicuously absent from the new-look cards.Metro...

Transport

2 w. ago Rare exotic bird reunited with owner after daring flight from Toronto to Mississauga

In a heartwarming but unexpected turn of events, a rare bird has been safely reunited with its owner after a dramatic three-day escape that took it from Toronto all the way to Mississauga. The bird, a rare Hyacinth Macaw, had escaped from Toronto and was missing for three days before it was ultimately found. According to the City of Mississauga, many sightings and rescue attempts were recorded, although the bird managed to evade capture every time. At one point, there were fears that the bird had been hit by a car, but it wasn't until one Mississauga resident offered their shoulder as a perch that the bird was finally located and captured. After a three-day adventure across Toronto and Mississauga, a rare Hyacinth Macaw is back home safe with its owner. 💙The macaw had escaped in Toronto before making its way into Mississauga. Despite many sightings and rescue attempts, the bird managed to evade capture. The… pic.twitter.com/8d9cyBF0Ll— City...

Other

3 w. ago Haunted Halloween event to take over abandoned Target location in Toronto

Toronto is about to get a brand-new Halloween attraction taking over an already chill-inducing venue: Cloverdale Mall's abandoned Target location.This fully immersive and nightmare-inducing playground, dubbed 13 Rooms, will let you step straight into over a dozen terrifying worlds, with no two rooms being quite the same. Rooms with themes like "Deadly Dolls," "Sinister Cinema," "Pumpkin Hollow," and more will offer a variety of frights for whatever kind of scare you're craving this fall. This attraction from the team behind the Screemers haunted house franchise is designed to be an immersive cinematic experience that will live perfectly on your social media feed, with spooky photo opportunities all around. And, like Screemers' other haunted house attractions, you'll want to pay very close attention to anything that may be lurking in the corners. Each space comes to life with dra...

Other

3 w. ago Iconic French bistro in Toronto is expanding with a spinoff location

The team behind one of Toronto's most popular French bistros is about to open a new spot in a completely different neighbourhood.Ossington Avenue's Côte De Boeuf is frequently (and accurately) described as a piece of Paris transplanted onto the streets of Toronto.Unpretentious though undeniably luscious, it's been a staple on the Ossington strip for over a decade, founded by Midas touch-wielding Toronto restaurateur Teo Paul, who is also behind staples like Union and Hamilton's Le Tambour.It's the sort of place that earns a spot at the top of everyone's must-try list, not for its Instagram-worthy interiors (though we'd argue it has those too) or influencer endorsements, but for the simple brilliance of its food.For nearly as long as Côte De Boeuf has existed, it’' been managed by Eamon O'Dea.Now, O'Dea and Paul are teaming up to bring the Côte De Boeuf experience to a brand-new ne...

Other

3 w. ago Toronto cafe to open second location combined with new snack bar

A cafe in one of Toronto’s trendiest neighbourhoods is soon opening a second location, but it has something brand-new tacked on, too.Fall calls for a steamy latte (both of the pumpkin spice variety and not) inside of a cute cafe, the same way that summertime calls for margaritas on a patio, and, we hate to break it to you, but leaves are already changing colours.Fall’s approach isn’t an entirely bad thing, though, because it means that it’s time to dust off that list and add some new spots to check out this season.Lucky for us, William and Carlos Oliveira, the son-and-father duo behind Little Italy’s Café Belém and Mercado in the Castlefield Design District, have something extra special up their sleeves.Despite only opening their Portuguese cafe (Belém) around a year ago, it’s already an inarguable hit in the neighbourhood. Now, they’re gearing up to open a second location of the cafe in Cor...

Other

3 w. ago See the moment Toronto flight's landing gear collapsed touching down in St. Maarten

Multiple videos shared on social media over the weekend show the shocking moment a WestJet flight out of Toronto made a hard landing in St. Maarten, a tropical destination located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon at the island's Princess Juliana International Airport and involved a WestJet Boeing 737-800 aircraft, operating as flight WS2276 from Toronto Pearson Airport. Videos taken from several angles show the aircraft made a hard landing at 1:31 p.m., resulting in a small cloud of smoke on the runway. The airport confirmed that despite 164 passengers being onboard, no injuries were reported, although three people were taken for medical evaluation out of an abundance of caution. Today a WestJet B-737 had a right main landing gear collapse while landing at St. Marteen. No one was hurt. Jet [Reg. "C-GWSR"] was operating as Flight WS2276, inbound from Toronto. Updates later. pic.twitter.com/a1T7UEprcm&m...

Culture