In this episode...
It’s really cool to just see everything floating above my head.
Well, cheers. – Cheers.
I’m Krystle Ng-A-Mann, lifestyle blogger, travel enthusiast, and proud Toronto local.
I love the city for its energy and its individuality.
Toronto is the capital of the province of Ontario, situated along Lake Ontario’s northwestern shore.
With over 130 languages spoken, it’s been called one of the most diverse cities in the entire world.
I especially love the winter here because there’s so much to do in the city at night.
From its cutting-edge fusion dining to its great selection of bars, there’s something for everyone.
That’s why I think Toronto is one of the greatest cities in the world for nightlife, and I’m here to show you what I mean.
The Distillery District has to be one of the coolest places in all of Toronto.
It really has so much to offer, from boutique shops and galleries to sculptures and stage performances.
Plus there’s such an eclectic mix of bars and restaurants —there’s really something to keep everybody happy.
So is it fair to say that there’s a little bit more comfort food on the menu during the wintertime?
Absolutely, yes. The menu is street food from Mexico, tapas-style.
We use a lot of roots for salads—we have a Mexican salad called La Milpa, which is a fusion between Canadian and Mexican.
I love the presentation on this. It looks beautiful. – Thank you.
I love that there’s the fire pit here and that we can sit outside in the middle of the winter and still feel warm.
It’s incredible what we have here, the atmosphere in the restaurant.
At night it’s just completely different.
Well it sounds wonderful, it looks wonderful, and I can’t wait to eat. – Let’s try it.
So we’re here at Assembly Chef’s Hall which is a giant food hall in the middle of Downtown Toronto.
I love coming here because there are 17 different chefs
and 17 different types of cuisine, so every time you come, you can try something different.
I’m Nick Liu, from DaiLo in Toronto.
It’s a classic new Asian cuisine style.
What we’re doing here is we’ve got a bao burger —it’s super delicious and just kind of a fun play on some Asian classics.
It’s fun, right?
I absolutely love the texture of the bao.
It’s the perfect place to come in the winter —I can feel the heat emanating off of the stove.
Yeah, it’s a perfect place for winter.
So tell us about Tachi.
Tachi means “standing sushi.”
This is actually the chef’s choice—eaten right away is the best way.
It’s probably the best sushi I’ve ever had.
Sometimes I like to have a bit of a different experience at night, and Ripley’s Aquarium is definitely different.
If walking under tunnels with giant fish going above your head isn’t enough
they also have really awesome late-night events like the Symphony of the Sea, which I’m going to tonight.
Ripley’s is about, obviously, the fish—we have over 20,000 animals here on site, over 450 different species.
And tonight you’re seeing them in a different way with our Symphony of the Sea event.
We always tell people that it’s an excuse to escape winter and come visit this tropical exhibit right behind me.
It’s really cool to just see everything floating above my head.
I’ve shown you guys some of the best places to go out, now here’s some of the best places to stay.
Toronto really has hotels to suit all budgets.
From high-end luxury to mid-range to boutique hotels, there’s something for everyone here.
If you’re looking to be in the heart of everything the city has to offer, my suggestion would be to look at the Sheraton Centre Toronto.
No matter what time of year, you just can’t beat its location.
Thinking of catching a game or a show?
The Toronto Marriott City Centre Hotel is the perfect home base.
It is literally attached to the Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays play baseball and where some of the biggest events happen year-round.
You can catch the action from your window, or party with friends at one of the suites overlooking the field.
There’s a newly opened St Regis, which boasts luxury and a high-end experience.
One of the most unique features of the hotel is that they saber a bottle of Champagne every day at 5 p.m. in their lobby.
What makes me happy, and what I think makes other people happy as well, is that everything is just perfect.
I’m standing in front of the Art Gallery of Ontario.
It’s one of the largest museums in North America, so we’re pretty lucky to have this on our doorstep.
What a lot of people don’t know is that it’s actually free to the public on Wednesdays,
and it’s open late on Wednesdays and Fridays, so it’s the perfect place to come in the evening.
There’s a wide collection of classical, contemporary, and indigenous Canadian art,
and I’m looking at one of the pieces, which is absolutely stunning.
I love all the different materials used. It’s vibrant, it’s beautiful, it’s empowering.
We’re standing in front of Bar Reyna, which is one of my favorite places to come.
It’s a modern bar inside of an old house, and it’s the perfect place to come during the winter months
because they have a beautiful back patio that’s not only fully heated, but they also have live music.
So what do you love about Toronto, and in particular the food scene in Toronto?
There’s so many different flavors, there’s so many ethnicities, and there’s so many young, hungry chefs who are out there,
so talented, just looking to create something special.
That’s the thing that I absolutely love —you can find any different type of cuisine,
from Greek to Thai food to Mediterranean, like you guys have here. – It’s really wonderful.
The back patio is obviously beautiful. It’s like a little oasis back here.
Can you tell us a bit about the design, the vision behind the back patio?
There’s a ton of ambient lighting and green space. It is super beautiful.
As you mentioned, it’s so cozy—it’s really inviting.
I guess you’ve put up the lights here for the winter. – The holiday season, yeah.
And then in the summertime the roof is open obviously, and it’s a little bit more tropical vibes.
This is such a hot spot for Toronto.
And it has an amazing rooftop restaurant and bar called KOST.
One of the things that makes us so unique is the importance of design.
The great thing about Mister C towards the back of the room here is this coziness.
It is very cozy. It’s nice and warm.
So the vibe here is very young, vibrant, and very sophisticated.
Do you guys have any signature cocktails that you like to offer to draw people in during the wintertime?
The well-known vanilla-infused old fashioned is personally my favorite.
Well, cheers. – Cheers.
You wouldn’t be in Toronto if you didn’t pay a visit to the CN Tower.
It’s home to a 360 Restaurant and the highest wine cellar in the world.
What’s beautiful about this in the wintertime is that you have that crystal-clear view right across the city.
And the restaurant actually revolves. – It revolves.
When you have dinner, it’s a 72-minute rotation, so you’ll actually have a view of the entire city as you make your way round.
So are there any specific wines that you recommend especially during the wintertime?
During the winter I would tend to lean more towards red varietals.
We do a fantastic cabernet from Niagara, so we’d pair those with some of our steaks,
so you get a big, hearty meal with a big, hearty wine as well.
What better way to spend a winter’s evening than staring out over the city’s beautiful, bright lights?
From aquariums and art galleries to swanky cocktails and street food.
There’s really no excuse not to pop on your hat and gloves and get yourself out into Toronto for some winter warmth.
With longer nights come brighter lights here in Toronto.