Toronto's finest shops for upgrading your kitchen
Both at-home chefs (where enthusiasm outweighs inexperience) and top restaurateurs agree: Toronto is home to some of Canada’s most unique cookware shops, locally minded food organizations, and ethically informed grocers, not to mention a crew of kitchen equipment spots that will have you running home to concoct your latest masterpiece. Take it to the next level by visiting one of these beautiful bodegas or specialty shops.
Popbox Mrkt
1-725 Dovercourt Rd, Toronto ON M6H 2W7Looking to fill your cupboards with fine raw chocolate, locally made cold brew coffee and all-natural sodas? Look no further than this compact market at Dovercourt and Bloor. The petite bodega is the place to upgrade your pre-work breakfast, with vegan and additive-free granola from Niagara on the Lake’s Small Batch Co., or boost your dinner party dessert with apricot gelato bars from Bar Ape (pastel-hued macarons sourced from Dufflet Pastries on Queen are another tempting contender). Pick up grocery essentials like free-range eggs, butter, and yogurt as well as prepared foods like daily sandwiches for takeaway lunch.
Lookery (The Art Of Cooking)
303 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto ON M6R 2M6This cute-as-hell Roncesvalles kitchen supply store is a true one-stop-shop. On the barware front, the shop carries everything from curvy wine decanters to bottle openers that resemble a classic wrought iron wrench or set of pliers. Baking needs? Invest in a new set of biscuit cutters or a hand-held pastry blender (non-mechanical). Flatware, cute kitchen wall hangings, linens, and serving ware are among the other selections. Bonus, the sweet boutique also offers cooking classes (think: Cookery 101 and Global Getaways), as well as parties for the young and the old.
Rowe Farms
893 Queen St E, Toronto ON M4M 1J4Among the most admirable business models for ethical eats in the city, Rowe Farms works with a specially selected group of Ontario farmers surrounding the GTA, ensuring a standard of humanely raised meat and dairy products. With a location on Roncesvalles as well as in Leslieville, both west- and east-enders can visit the butchery meets small-scale grocer, with free-range eggs, 100% grass-fed beef, and nitrate-free deli meats on offer. Not only are the selections next-level delicious, they’re consciously produced and antibiotic-free.
Goodness Me! Natural Food Market
430 King St W, Main, Toronto ON M5V 1K3Downtown-dwellers were pleased to see the Toronto-born health food chain launch in the Entertainment District, with several additional locations scattered across the city. Not only is Noah’s a goldmine for bulk foods, carrying everything from Himalayan sea salt to baked banana crisps, but it’s the place that will more than likely carry that hard-to-find grocery item, whether it’s hazelnut cooking oil or gluten-free baking mixes. The other half of the store is dedicated to health and beauty, so while you’re in, pick up a musk-scented all-natural hand soap for your kitchen sink or stock up on your vitamins.
Stasis Local Foods
476 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto ON M6R 2N5A spoonful of made-in-house walnut honey on your morning toast sounds like a pretty nice upgrade and Stasis is the very spot to make it happen. Next time you’re searching for an upscale addition to your own kitchen or a host gift for someone else’s, stop into this Roncesvalles preserves shop and grocer, which features everything from sherry vinaigrette (Reserva), to a carefully curated cheese fridge, to locally produced organic milk, to croissants and coffee to-go. Local is the word at this dazzling pantry, where owners Emily and Julian concoct delicious preserves that allow Torontonians to enjoy Ontario produce year-round.
Knife
803 Dundas St W, Toronto ON M6J 1V2Every at-home chef extraordinaire needs a good knife and for those looking to up their game, KNIFE has some of the most beautiful blades in the city. Visit the retailer of finely crafted Japanese knives and invest in a one-of-a-kind lance that will take your cooking process to the next level. The handcrafted options – like the Koutetsu, rendered in cladded powdered steel and finished off with an octagonal rosewood – are almost too beautiful to use (almost). Or, treat your existing knife set to a hand-sharpening on a set of Japanese waterstones.
Nella Cucina
876 Bathurst St, Toronto ON M5R 3G3One part kitchen supply store, one part casual cooking school, Nella Cucina will help you boost your kitchen game in more ways than one. Learn the ropes at the cooking academy, which features workshops and one-off events including a knife skills class, a fresh-pasta crash course, and a how-to on a four-course harvest dinner, just in time for autumn. Looking for a hard-to-find kitchen utensil? Nella Cucina is the spot for foodies and restaurateurs alike. Or, visit the retail space and treat yourself to a colourful cast-iron Dutch oven, some chic chinaware, or a new set of stemmed wine glasses.
Cocktail Emporium
972 Queen St W, Toronto ON M6J 1H1Got a dinner party coming up? Consider adding a signature cocktail to the menu and visit the expansively stocked and pleasantly affordable cocktail emporium on West Queen West. This is the city’s go-to spot for all things booze-related: ginger flavoured syrup for a quick dark ‘n’ stormy, cardamom bitters for an upgraded gin and tonic, and a margarita mix that will – really though – change your life. Pick up a set of art-deco-inspired martini glasses, a specialized strainer for your mint juleps or a sturdy Calabrese mixing glass, and score yourself the designation of official bartender of the house.
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