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Church Street - Toronto’s Gay Village

From South of Bloor on Church Street just north of Wellesley to Church and Alexander Street is the heart of Toronto’s Gay Community.

The heart of the Gay Community starts with Slacks, previously called Slack Alice’s, Toronto’s most popular Lesbian bar. The Dj’s here are fabulous. The music they spin on Friday and Saturday Night are definitely worth the trip to Slack’s even, if you are not Gay. Slack’s also serves up some good food. Last time I was there, I had the baked brie appetizer and it was much better than I even expected. The pear chutney was a great added touch to the baked brie. Service is seriously good here too, which is important to me. Be prepared for line ups on Friday and Saturday nights after about 11:30. Cover charge is $5.00 on Friday and Saturday nights after 11:00 so best to go about 10:30, and have a drink with the $5.00 instead, while avoiding the line ups.

Just a few doors south from Slack’s is A La Turque a fast food restaurant serving Turkish Cuisine. The people who work there are so nice, and their food is great and cheap too. The Chicken wrap is best for me for under $5.00. Added bonus, you can tell this place is really clean.

South of Wellesley on the block of Church Street between Wellesley and Maitland to the South is a number of intresting places, including This ain’t the Rosedale Library, a great independent bookstore in the heart of Toronto’s Gay Village with quite a long history in the area. This ain’t the Rosedale Library sells among other titles many Gay and Lesbian books and has thankfully managed to survive as an independent book store in the heart of Church Street for over 30 years. To visit This ain’t the Rosedale Library’s website, please go to www.thisaint.ca

On the east side of Church Street just 3 doors south of Wellesley is a great video store called 7-24 Movies and More. They have quite a few movies, that you would be very difficult for you to find somewhere else. For example, would you believe, that 3 blockbuster’s I went to in Toronto did not have all seasons of the L Word. I was lucky if they had season one it appeared. Lucky 7-24 has all the seasons of the L Word.

For another good, cheap meal, why not try Reuther’s Fine foods about one block south on the west side of Church Street. They sell ready made food, like roast chicken and pasta salead, in a grocery store environment, with a sandwich bar with a window view facing church street. Great view and cheap meal if you are on a budget. Cumbrae’s across the street sells ready made food too, and is great for a quick meal, in more of a fine dining grocery store environment. There is no where in Cumbrae’s to sit and eat the food you bought though.

Zelda’s another popular bar and and Restaurant on Church Street has one of the largest patio’s in the heart of Toronto’s Gay Village. To get more information on Zelda’s check out their website at www.zeldas.ca

I like the Village Rainbow Café on the East North Corner of Church and Maitland. It’s a great restaurant that has been in the heart of the village for as long as I can remember. I like having brunch there, the eggs florentine rock. Also, great to grab a seat at and a beer when during for example the height of Pride celebrations there seems no hope in getting a beer on Church as all the bars have a line up.

Diagonally across the street on Church from the Village Rainbow to the south west is Crews and Tango, one of the most popular Gay Bars on Church. If you want to go on the week-end, try going before 11 pm to avoid the line up. There always seems to be a line up here on Friday and Saturday night. No cover charge here I believe. To check out crew and tango’s website for more information, go to www.crews-tango.com

South of Crews and Tango on the other side of the street is where pretty much the majority of Church streets Gay Village action ends at Hair of the Dog at Church and Alexander. Hair of the Dog is very convieniently located across the street from a parking lot if you are driving and nice for bruch or a quick drink before heading out to some more livelier places on Church Street

For more information on Toronto’s Gay Village please check Wikipedia by going here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_and_Wellesley

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