The Annex food guide: student favourites and Bloor Street eats

The Annex is a leafy neighbourhood of Victorian houses just north of the University of Toronto, and its stretch of Bloor Street West is one of the city's most student-friendly food streets. Expect cheap eats, cafés where people study for hours, pubs where professors and students share tables, and plenty of late-night options. Head a little further west and you are in Koreatown.

Where is the Annex in Toronto?

The Annex runs north of Bloor Street West, roughly between Avenue Road and Bathurst Street, with the busiest food stretch on Bloor between Spadina and Bathurst. Spadina and Bathurst stations on Line 2 sit at either end, and St. George station is close to the university. Koreatown begins at Bathurst and runs west to Christie.

What kind of food is in the Annex?

Kind of place	What to expect
Cheap eats	Shawarma, falafel, burritos, noodles and slices
Cafés	Study-friendly coffee shops
Pubs	Long-running student and faculty favourites
Japanese and Korean	Sushi, ramen and Korean restaurants near Bathurst
Brunch	Neighbourhood brunch spots on weekends
Late-night food	Quick bites after the pubs

What happened to Honest Ed's?

For decades, the corner of Bloor and Bathurst was dominated by Honest Ed's, a famous discount store founded in 1948 and known for its flashing signs and bargain prices. It closed at the end of 2016, and the site has been redeveloped as a mixed-use project with housing, shops and food spaces, keeping the name Mirvish Village for the area. The behind-the-store strip of shops and restaurants on Markham Street was part of the neighbourhood's character for many years.

Is the Annex good for cheap eats?

It is one of the best areas downtown for eating well on a student budget. Shawarma and falafel counters, burrito shops, noodle houses, pizza by the slice and Korean food nearby all keep costs down. Many places are counters where tipping is optional. At table service, tip 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax amount. Ontario adds the 13 percent HST.

Are Annex cafés good for studying or working?

Many are, especially on weekdays. Be considerate: buy something every couple of hours, give up a big table at busy times, and keep calls short. During exam season, cafés near the university fill quickly.

Is the Annex good for a night out?

Yes, in a relaxed way. Its pubs are lively on weekends and during the university year, and there are bars with live music nearby. Combined with Koreatown's late-night restaurants and karaoke, it makes an easy evening without going downtown.

What is near the Annex?

• Koreatown, immediately west along Bloor.
• Yorkville, a short walk east, for upscale dining.
• Kensington Market and Chinatown, a short ride south on the Spadina streetcar.
• The Royal Ontario Museum and University of Toronto, nearby.
• Little Italy on College Street, a few blocks south-west.

Where can you eat near the University of Toronto?

Beyond Bloor Street, the area around the university has food courts and cafés serving students, and the streets to the south and east have more options. Kensington Market and Chinatown are a short streetcar ride down Spadina Avenue and are among the best places in the city for cheap, filling food. Baldwin Street, near the Art Gallery of Ontario, has a small cluster of restaurants too. During term, the busiest times are lunch hours and early evenings.

Is the Annex good for vegetarians?

Very. Falafel, Middle Eastern and Indian restaurants, vegetarian cafés and plenty of plant-based options at student-friendly spots make the Annex an easy neighbourhood for eating without meat.

When is the Annex busiest?

During the university year, from September to April, cafés and cheap eats are busy with students, especially at lunch and in the evenings. Summer is calmer around the university, but patios on Bloor fill on warm nights.

How do you find the best cheap eats in the Annex?

Look for busy counters with short menus and lines of students, and ask people who live nearby. On Mosey you can see where people actually ate and what they ordered, rate the dishes you loved, and keep a list of Annex and Koreatown spots for the end of the month.

Is the Annex good for a cheap first date?

Very. The Annex has the relaxed, unpretentious feel that suits a first date, and it keeps the bill low:

• A café or a pint on Bloor Street West, in a room where nobody is rushing you.
• Cheap and cheerful dinner, such as Korean food a few blocks west, dumplings, or a slice.
• A walk afterwards, through the side streets of big Victorian houses or toward the University of Toronto campus.
• A film at one of the neighbourhood's cinemas, if one is showing something good.

Bloor and Spadina, Bathurst and Christie subway stations all serve the area, so getting there and home is easy.

How to spend an evening in the Annex

1. Start at Spadina station and walk west along Bloor.
2. Grab a cheap dinner at a counter or noodle shop.
3. Continue into Koreatown for dessert or a drink.
4. End at a pub or a karaoke room if it is a celebration.

More guides to read next:

• Mississauga and Brampton food guide: Punjabi, Pakistani and Caribbean food in Peel Region
• Birthday and group dinners in Toronto: how to book a big table
• Brunch in Toronto: the best neighbourhoods and how to skip the line

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.