Head to the west end of Toronto to visit one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods, Mimico Village. Once a small community and industrial area established in 1856, Mimico is now a bustling neighbourhood known for its fantastic restaurants, city connectivity, and local businesses.
Roughly housed in the general area centred around Royal York and Lakeshore, up to The Queensway (though some would widen that boundary), here’s your complete guide to Mimico.
Come hungry
If you’re talking about Mimico, you can’t skip the famous SanRemo Bakery, a family-run neighbourhood favourite for over 50 years. Italian treats reign king here, from the fresh zeppole to deluxe loaves, you’ll also find a hot table with daily specials, espresso bar, dessert counter, and deli section.
Queen’s Pasta, just a hop, skip, and jump away from SanRemo, at 66 Newcastle is one of the city’s leading pasta manufacturers and restaurant suppliers, and here is where you can try it out for yourselves. Selling over a dozen fresh pastas, Italian pantry staples, and specialty items like panettone, you’ll totally love their unique (and house-made) maple leaf, heart, flower, and bunny-shaped ravioli!
Going further south to what is known as the Mimico-by-the-Lake area, you’ll find even more neighbourhood staples like LaVinia for elevated Spanish bites, New Toronto Fish and Chips (since 1973), Birds & Beans Cafe for organic coffee, and Ed’s Real Scoop for small-batch gelato and ice cream.
Other local favourites include Tom’s Dairy Freeze, serving up ice cream cones, sundaes, and soft serve, plus burgers, dogs, and fries since 1969. Somewhat as a signifier of warmer weather to come, locals know that when Tom’s opens for the season, summer is around the corner! Mamma Martino’s, just beside, is another longstanding joint, and has been serving the neighbourhood classic Italian dishes like spaghetti and meatballs and chicken parm since 1983.
Check out these other local restaurants:
Mimico Bagel and Coffee
La Vecchia Lakeshore
Eden Trattoria
Everest Hakka House
Local businesses
Staying on Royal York, you’ll stumble upon Giovenco Shoes and Repair, an old school joint still run by the original owner, 90-year-old Joe Giovenco and family. Delivering nothing but quality repairs, friendly faces, and reasonably priced new shoes for 60 years now.
Redecorate your home at the ever-cute Little Pink Brink House on The Queensway with vintage modern pieces and find tools to hang or install your purchases at Mimico Home Hardware at 2404 Lakeshore, which has been family-owned for over 40 years.
For flowers, Royal York Flowers is always well-priced, while blooms & general, just steps away, sells unique bouquets and hand-tied bundles. Another beloved business is Oti’s Barbershop at 349 Royal York Rd., known to be frequented by basketball stars like Jonas Valančiūnas.
Entertainment and community history
Mimico Square is always a busy place to whether you’re just chilling out or participating in the many seasonal events like vintage clothing sales, cultural fests, or Easter bunny visits.
Keep walking further down and you’ll find yourself at Amos Waites Park, a 1.4-hectare lakeside park complete with a boardwalk, beach, and trails. Head out to the park bright and early to catch the sun come up over the city — and snap a couple pics for the ‘gram.
For a bit of old Toronto history, visit 285 Royal York, the site of an unsolved robbery almost 100 years cold. This building, now Nobuya, was once the Mimico Post Office, and on March 2, 1929, a truck from that office was robbed with five bags of mail stolen, in hopes of finding valuable items. The thieves were last seen being dropped off in High Park and have yet to be identified!
Another piece of Mimico history is the Blue Goose Tavern (1 Blue Goose St.), which opened in 1909 as the Windsor Public House. A staple neighbourhood hangout where you could meet up with friends and have a few beers, this legendary dive bar was closed in 2018 and is soon to be transformed into a neighbourhood hub — microbrewery included.
A piece of Toronto history
To fully dive into the beauty of Mimico, it’s always best to check it out yourself. As a marker of some important Toronto history, and one of the original Lakeshore Municipalities, this neighbourhood is fiercely loved and defended.
Whether you visit the longstanding businesses that have shaped the community, the natural wonders of the area, or just take a stroll through its peaceful streets, Mimico is a beautiful neighbourhood waiting to be discovered, and rediscovered again.
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