The Best Restaurants in Beaches, Ontario

At the East end of Queen Street, nestled under the ribs of busy suburban Scarborough lies the trendy beaches neighbourhood, an attractive commercial and residential setting that plays host to numerous large and small businesses, cafes and bistros. Stretching from Victoria Park Avenue on its Eastern border and as far West as Coxwell, the Beaches is defined by its Southern border - a stretch of sandy lakefront park space with a public boardwalk that begins at the Balmy Beach Canoe Club and ends at Ashbridge's Bay Park near Coxwell Avenue. The Beaches neighborhood is actually comprised of four separate and distinct beaches along the shores of Lake Ontario. Woodbine beach is furthest to the West with Kew Beach and Scarboro beach in the centre. Balmy Beach is the furthest East. It is from the presence of these four beaches that the Beaches neighbourhood derives its name.

The residents of the Beaches Neighbourhood value the balanced lifestyle opportunities offered by this urban space and have traded the hustle and bustle of the urban downtown life for this gorgeous lakeside community. There are many opportunities for recreation in the beaches, including beach volleyball leagues and youth soccer. Residents also have access to the boardwalk and lakeside cycling path, which facilitate long evening walks or an invigorating mid-day bike ride. Large fields and play areas right next to the boardwalks afford plenty of space for soccer, football, and frisbee games. The many benches along the cycling path along with rows of old oak and maples trees. These offer many a shady refuge from the sun, especially during the warm summer months. Toronto residents flock to the four beaches of this neighbourhood every weekend to place in the beach volleyball leagues, tan in the warm summer sun or enjoy a quick dip in Lake Ontario.
The Beaches Neighbourhood is a great culinary destination because of its numerous independently operated restaurants and cafes. Although there is a somewhat regular turnover of new business owners along Queen Street East, the main strip of commercial space in the beaches, many establishments manage to keep their doors open and continue to serve great food and refreshments in this community. The regular availability of new retail space also ensures an ever-expanding variety of food and beverage options for local residents. Restaurants in the Beaches come in all shapes and sizes, and many have become icons of a community with lasting appeal.
The Beacher Café
The Beacher café is an absolute staple for locals at any time of the day. Located at 2162 Queen Street, this café has plenty of seating space and is regularly packed, especially around breakfast time. During the summer, the elevated patio allows patrons to enjoy the sights and sounds of Queen Street with a delicious meal and a cold beverage. The Beacher is famous for their weekend brunch, which offers heavy portions of hearty food at a modest price. The French toast with Farmer's sausage is a popular choice and comes with seasonal fruit and what was once described as "a sausage that doesn't apologize for being a sausage". The real claim to fame of the Beacher is their Eggs Benedict, a noteworthy culinary accomplishment in every respect. Put simply, you'll probably never try a better Hollandaise sauce. Ever.
The Lion on Queen
If you're looking to knock back a few brews at a more traditional-style pub, the Lion on Queen is a great choice for cold beer and traditional pub fare. In such a high traffic area, and with competing bars just across and down the road, the Lion earns a competitive edge with one unique offering: darts. Patrons can get darts from the bartender and enjoy a casual game at no cost - there's even a chalkboard for keeping score.
Castro's
Castro's Pub is situated right in the middle of Queen Street East and provides many unique options for diners. The ambience of this little bar is the first thing you'll notice - portraits and images of historical politicians and entertainers cover the walls, including several of Cuban leader and icon Fidel Castro after whom the bar is named. The beer menu is several pages long and includes beer from every continent for the true beer connoisseur looking for alternatives to the generic brands served in most pubs. The extensive drink list is complemented by the Asian-inspired vegetarian menu, which incorporates Mexican and Indian cuisine. Castro's is a great place to try something new.
The Salty Dog
Known by locals as "Salty's", this independently owned pub is just one of many great patios where thirsty folk can gather to enjoy a drink on a warm summer day. Serving cold beer and warm appetizers across from the beautiful Kew Gardens Park is a great recipe for this centrally located Queen Street Pub.
The Burger's Priest
Looking for a greater gastronomical endeavour? Try lunch at Burger's Priest, Hero Burger, or one of the many other burger spots located in the Beaches neighbourhood. The Burger's Priest earned an excellent reputation at its Yonge and Lawrence location, and its newest location brings the same decadent combination of flame-grilled patties, breaded and cheese-stuffed mushrooms and grilled cheese sandwiches to the beaches.
Fine dining establishments in the beaches cater to middle-upper class clientele who frequent the beaches and Queen Street East. Italian restaurant IlFornello is a classy middle-range eatery which serves traditional Italian gourmet at a reasonable price. The Green Eggplant restaurant is also a local favourite. This restaurant is frequently near capacity during the dinner hour and serves delicious entrees in great portion sizes. The flowing Belgian draught beers and delectable appetizers of bread served with hummus, tomato pesto and a delicious roasted eggplant spread are more than enough to bring new patrons through the front doors every night of the week.
With numerous dining options for every season and occasion, plus activities for before and after, the beaches are yours to enjoy year-round. Visit beaches restaurants or pubs in the summer to enjoy the authentic patio lifestyle, or try one of the classier restaurants this winter for a wonderful evening meal.