Fatties, SummerWorks has arrived. For the next 11 days West Queen West strip has been taken over by Canada’s largest juried performance festival and we’re right in the middle of it. Naturally, our primary concern each day is what to eat. Long festival days mean only so much can be packed into our bags. We’re on the hunt for West Queen West’s #nomnoms.
Pickup a SummerWorks 2014 schedule at any of its venues then check out the venue map. We’ve created clusters of venues with our food recommendations:
Queen St W from Cowan Ave to Gladstone Ave (Venues # 7, 4, 5)
BBQ ribs, image via Blog To
1. Electric Mud (5 Brock Ave) – dirty, delicious BBQ with a refined touch. You can be in and out fast. Plus a fun patio. Bring wet naps.
2. Grand Electric (1330 Queen St W) – no, the names aren’t a coincidence. Grand Electric is Electric Mud’s taco-tastic predecessor. Small, fast and damn good.
3. Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St W)- if you’ve got a bit of a break between shows, go have a nice sitdown in the Gladstone’s Cafe.
Queen St W from Gladstone Ave to Ossington (Venues # 1 & 11)
1. The Drake Hotel (1150 Queen St W) – Another great spot for longer breaks between shows. Great food (including sushi, yes, sushi) and killer cocktails. You’re SummerWorks-ing, drinking is allowed.
2. Poutini’s (1112 Queen St W) – this iconic poutine spot is directly across the street from the festival’s hub (Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen St W). Their peppery gravy is awesome and if you’re in for several shows back to back it’ll keep you full in the most Canadian way possible.
3. Bolt Fresh Bar (1170 Queen St W) – Want to be healthy? Light, bright meals and drinks abound over here. Grab it to go as you walk down Queen to your next show.
4. Barton Snacks (1120 Queen St W) – if you’re around in the evening (open 3:00 pm – 3:00 am daily) this is the perfect spot for you. It all comes ready to eat on the move, it’s really reasonably priced and the variety is awesome. Everything from salad to tater tots to tacos and an awesome collection of ice cream.
The Ossington Strip (Venue # 3)
Yes, this one venue gets its own list. There’s essentially no bad choices along Ossington. But our favourites are:
Macaroon ice cream sandwich, image via The Globe and Mail
1. Golden Turtle (125 Ossington Ave) – one of the best pho spots in town
2. Bellwoods Brewery (124 Ossington Ave) – because it’s quick and dirty delicious
3. Bang Bang Ice Cream (93 Ossington Ave) – with its macaroon/cookie/puff pastry ice cream sandwiches and inventive flavours like orange cardamom you can’t go wrong.
Queen St from Ossington Ave to Augusta Ave (Venues # 6, 10, 8, 2 and 9)
Deep fried pizza, image via BlogTo
1. Lisa Marie (638 Queen St W) – Ever heard of Fidel Gastro’s food truck? They were at the SummerWorks Launch Party in June. This is their restaurant. Home to some of the dirtiest, most delicious foods of life. That’s all we’re saying. Go discover it.
2. Toma Burger (712 Queen St W) – good burgers, even better truffle scented poutine.
3. All the burger shops – you won’t go wrong with any of them. Gangster Burger (607 Queen Street W), The P & L Burger (507 Queen St W), they’re all great more-than-your-standard-burger burger shops.
4. Papaya Island (516 Queen St. West) – great smoothies.
Fatties, to say this is only a sampling is an understatment. SummerWorks venues happen to inhabit one of the best stretches of food in Toronto. Man do we love Queen West.
Where are you eating during the festival?
