By Caitlyn Holroyd
Vintage Finds:
69 Vintage (1100 Queen St. W.) – One of the more popular vintage shops in the city. We love their great selection of clothing and shoes! http://www.69vintage.com
Preloved (881 Queen St. W.) – One-of-a-kind clothing made from vintage fabrics and plenty of TLC. http://www.preloved.ca
Boutiques we love:
Drake Hotel General Store (1144 Queen St. W.) – Packed full of fun and quirky items, from mustache kits to comfy socks. http://www.thedrakehotel.ca/dgs
Lavish & Squalor (253 Queen St. W.) – Cute and trendy clothes and shoes, including labels Cheap Monday, Hudson, and Levis. http://lavishandsqualor.com
Come As You Are (701 Queen St. W.) – Friendly co-operative sex shop for all your intimate needs. http://www.comeasyouare.com
The Paper Place (887 Queen St. W.) – Your best source for all things paper-related – stationary, journals, cards, and more. http://www.thepaperplace.ca
Rotate This (801 Queen St. W.) – One of the city’s best independent music stores, with a great selection of vinyl, CDs, and concert tickets. http://rotate.com
Grab a pint:
751 (751 Queen St. W.) – Cheap pitchers and home to one of our favourite monthly parties – Motown Party!
The Dog’s Bollocks (817 Queen St. W.) – Cheap pitchers and plenty of TV screens make this a popular hangout for university students.
Black Bull Hotel & Tavern (298 Queen St. W.) – A staple of the Queen West scene with one of the best (and biggest) patios in the city.
The Savoy (1166 Queen St. W.) – Low-key bar with great service and DJs Wednesday to Sunday.
Cheap eats:
Java House (537 Queen St. W.) – You won’t have to shell out more than $10 for any menu item here, plus there’s always affordable beer-food combos.
Tortilla Flats (458 Queen St. W.) – The Mexican cuisine and cheap drink specials throughout the week give you plenty of bang for your buck here.
Smoke’s Poutinerie (578 Queen St. W.) – Poutine done right and piled high with toppings like pulled pork, veggies, and more. Open ’til 4am on Fridays and Saturdays. http://smokespoutinerie.com
Squirly’s (807 Queen St. W.) – Plenty for under $10 and notoriously good chicken wings.
Oh Boy Burger Bar (571 Queen St. W.) – Their burger combos are where it’s at. http://www.ohboyburger.com
Dancing ’til Dawn:
Tattoo Rock Parlour (567 Queen St. W.) – Popular spot with a little edge and a lot of rock. http://www.tattoorockparlour.com
Wrongbar (1279 Queen St. W.) – This west-end spot knows how to throw a dance party and does so well.
UNIT (1198 Queen St. W.) – It may not have a sign, but this newish bar is a hotspot on the weekends and the perfect place to hit up after drinks at the Drake or Gladstone.
People watching:
Trinity Bellwoods Park (Queen St. W. @ Crawford) – Quite possibly THE best people-watching spot in the city.
Drake Cafe (1150 Queen St. W.) – One of the hippest addresses on Queen West, the cafe is the perfect spot to catch up with friends. http://www.thedrakehotel.com
Horseshoe Tavern (368 Queen St. W.) – This legendary venue at Queen and Spadina is packed full of a music-loving crowd pretty much every night of the week. http://www.horseshoetavern.com
Tequila Bookworm (512 Queen St. W.) – Coffee shop by day and a great place to grab a pint by night, this spot is always flowing with young Queen-westers.