Guillermo del Toro loves Toronto, a city that he considers his second home.
Over the course of his storied career, the Mexican-born, Oscar-winning filmmaker has always found ways to include 海角社区官网in his movies, from his 1997 sci-fi horror 鈥淢imic,鈥 set in New York but filmed here, to his Best Picture-winning film 鈥淪hape of Water,鈥 which was also filmed in 海角社区官网and Hamilton.
鈥満＝巧缜偻鴌s an incredibly vital city,鈥 del Toro says, 鈥淭he arts, the food, the culture, the idiosyncrasy of its shops and shop owners. I love it. I absolutely love it 鈥 I feel like I am a Torontonian filmmaker.鈥
Del Toro has been spending a lot of time in Toronto, while filming the upcoming Netflix film 鈥淔rankenstein,鈥 starring Jacob Elordi, Oscar Isaac and horror darling Mia Goth.
To mark the occasion, we asked del Toro to share a list of his favourite places to eat, shop and see a movie across the city.
Favourite 海角社区官网restaurants (and an ice cream shop)
鈥淚鈥檓 not a Michelin guy,鈥 says del Toro. 鈥淚鈥檓 a guy who repeats restaurants a lot.鈥
听(Various locations)
鈥淢y favourite ice cream store in Ontario. My favourite ice cream is Sweet Cream.鈥
Customers at Ed’s Real Scoop share some treats in the Leslieville neighbourhood.
Bernard Weil / 海角社区官网Star听(12 Brant St.)
听鈥淭heir Wagyu selection is a tasting course heaven and their fresh Yorkshire pudding and table Caesar salad (a Tijuana invention) is old-school perfection.鈥
Danny McCallum pours duck fat over Peking duck at Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse in 海角社区官网in 2016.
Nick Kozak(6 Sakura Wy., North York)
鈥淎 fantastic Japanese restaurant. Family-run and as good a dining experience as in Tokyo. A place run with pride and commitment to perfection.鈥
Masaki Hashimoto, chef/owner of Kaiseki Yu-zen Hashimoto, the city’s most expensive restaurant at $400 a head, without alcohol.
Corey Mintz for the 海角社区官网Star听(1146 Queen St. E.)
鈥淥ne of my three favourites in Toronto, run by the best staff. Ask for Valencia or Arroz Negro with Allioli and demand they 鈥榖urn the bottom鈥 and create the treasured 鈥榮ocarrat.鈥欌
听(Various locations)
鈥淪till my favourite thin-crust pizza in the city. Spicy sausage is delightful and their pear salad is perfect.鈥
Margherita pizza from Pizzeria Libretto.
Aaron Harris / For the 海角社区官网Star听(10 Bay St.)
鈥淚 love it for aburi sushi.鈥
18 Duncan St.
鈥淎 unique and wonderful experience. Street dining indoors with family recipes learned from generation to generation.鈥
Nuit Regular at PAI Uptown at Yonge and Eglinton.
Rene Johnston / 海角社区官网Star听(625 Queen St. E.)
鈥淎 secret jewel. Giancarlo, the owner, will make you anything off-menu and has the best of the cuppa and pasta. His fresh-made pizza is heaven itself.鈥
Favourite 海角社区官网movie theatres
鈥淭he thing that I find most real about 海角社区官网is that people love to discuss film,鈥 says del Toro. 鈥淚t is a really, really great cinephile city.鈥
听(350 King St. W.)
A person walks past the 海角社区官网International Film Festival (TIFF) Bell Lightbox in the Entertainment District of Toronto.
Spencer Colby/ THE CANADIAN PRESS鈥淚 feel very much at home at TIFF 鈥 I have become friends with people who are in the audience.鈥
听(2236 Queen St. E.)
鈥淚 like repertory cinemas!鈥
The Fox Theatre in Toronto.
Steve Russell / 海角社区官网Star file photoFavourite 海角社区官网bookstores, video and hobby shops
鈥淚鈥檓 a听bookstore junkie,鈥 says del Toro. 鈥淚 know the owners of these bookstores by first name. They have become friends.鈥
听(232 Queen St. E.)
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of Toronto鈥檚 oldest book shops and the greatest bookstore I have found in the city.鈥
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听(84 Harbord St.)
“A well-curated, lovingly put sanctuary to great and deep science fiction.鈥
Bakka-Phoenix is a hub for fans of a genre that is rarely awarded more than a couple of shelves at most big-box bookstores.听
Kristina Dittmar听(319 College St.)
鈥淐ommitted to quality and author-driven comics and a bastion of Canadian comic book art.鈥
听(471 Bloor St. W.)
Manager Mike Murray at BMV Books Bloor Street location is hard at work behind the buying desk as BMV celebrated 25 years in the city this year.
Paige Taylor White 海角社区官网Star听(239 King St. E.)
鈥淎n astonishing amount of books that go from vellum books to Canadian art prints and original sketches. A treasure in any city.鈥
听(957 Kingston Rd.)
鈥淒riven by the love of books and a personal bookstore kept by a true fanatic of culture and narrative. Great movie nights, too!鈥
听(1841 Danforth Ave.)
鈥淚 love it. I believe it to be one of the best cinema bookstores in North America.鈥
Mike Orlando first opened Hollywood Canteen, a small poster shop, in 1980.
R.J. Johnston 海角社区官网Star听and听听(491 Davenport Rd.)
鈥淭HE grande dame of all the collectible bookstores in Toronto. An East Coast marvel! You can spend hours there!鈥
听(1067 Bloor St. W.)
鈥淨uirky, brilliant and unclassifiable.鈥
Stephen Fowler owner of the specialty book shop The Monkey’s Paw, poses at his Blood St. W. shop, February 7, 2022. Andrew Francis Wallace/海角社区官网Star
Andrew Francis Wallace 海角社区官网S听(548 Danforth Ave.)
鈥淕reatest sci-fi annex in the city and a delightful bookstore by any standards. Next to听听so you can make an evening of it.鈥
听(375 Danforth Ave.)
鈥淪mall, perfectly curated by the most knowledgeable and loving staff. Fantastic collector鈥檚 editions and antique books.鈥
听(809 Queen St. W.)
Silver Snail comic book shop co-owner Brian Hamelin holds an X-Men comic book in the back end of the shop on Queen Street West.
Nick Kozak 海角社区官网Star听(399 Roncesvalles Ave.)
听鈥淵ou can spend a day just shooting the breeze and browsing and discovering LPs, VHS, collectibles and the best of the best in 4K and Blu-rays etc.鈥
Guillermo del Toro shares a selfie on X of his recent visit to Roncesvalles film shop Vinegar Syndrome.
Guillermo del Toro via X听(1880 Danforth Ave.)
鈥淥ne of the greatest hobby shops in North America and the world.鈥澨 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听
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