Oakwood Village might be Toronto’s most Toronto neighbourhood.
Tucked along Oakwood Avenue between St. Clair West and Eglinton West, it’s where Corso Italia and Little Jamaica get a little Portuguese — an unfussy exurb with a distinct, decades-old character that’s transforming into something new and uncertain. Plus, there’s a gorgeous ravine running alongside it.
Though it might not scream summer, Oakwood Village has all the affordable day-drinking and outdoor fun you need to beat that Lake Ontario humidity. You can also eat really well, hop-scotching between old-school pizzerias and new-school sandwich joints, with stops for churrasqueira (Portuguese barbecue) and jerk chicken along the way.
Dining and drinking your way through a neighbourhood on a gorgeous summer afternoon can be hard work, but I have faith in your ability to rise to the occasion. Here’s one way to do it.
How to get there
Using transit to visit Oakwood Village is easier than ever with the Crosstown LRT finally open on Eglinton just to the north. The 63 Ossington bus is the most direct route from downtown and is handy for heading south from the Oakwood TTC station on Eglinton. For a more scenic route, get out at St. Clair West Station, then walk or bike north through Cedarvale Park. Cyclists can make use of Vaughan Road bike lanes, too.
Stop 1: Primrose Bagels
317A Oakwood Ave.
Start off the day with a bite at this local bakery on Oakwood Avenue, just south of Rogers Road. While the bagel bros flock to that new Montreal import on St. Clair, stick to the (sort of) homegrown vision at Primrose Bagels. Their lighter spin on New York bagels remains superior as a sandwich vehicle to any big-holed bagel from Quebec. Tuck into your poppyseed with lox and a schmear of cream cheese on Primrose’s shady patio.
Stop 2: Café Belem
348 Oakwood Ave.
Just a few short steps up Oakwood is this excellent Portuguese bakery, which sells classics like pastéis de nata (egg custard tart) and unbelievably soft papo secos (bread rolls). Try their bifana (pork sandwich), which comes loaded with tender slices of pork and crispy potato sticks, but don’t overlook their chouriçao and shrimp rissois (turnover pastries), which cost just $2 each.
Stop 3: Nicaroma Café
357 Oakwood Ave.
Across the street from Belem is Nicaroma, Toronto’s only Nicaraguan café, part of the huge wave of Latin culture cresting in this part of town. Proper Central American coffee like Nicaroma’s boasts a boldness that cuts through the milk in an iced latte.
A half-dozen other quenchers can be found at Emilio’s Mexican Bakery (634A Vaughan Rd.), including horchata, mango-chamoy slush, jamaica and an especially invigorating cucumber-lemon juice. Scoop up a concha and other pan dulces — the best I’ve had in Toronto — for your cafecito tomorrow.
Stop 4: Nonna Lia’s
337 Oakwood Ave.
For dessert, head to Nonna Lia’s. Though known for their $20+ tiramisu (the Earl Grey lives up to the hype), their gelato bars — I recommend the pistachio — are more approachable at just $6.50.
Stop 5: Cedarvale Park
443 Arlington Ave.
Next up, take a stroll through the sprawling ravines of Cedarvale Park, where you can catch some cricket or chill in the shade with a book. It’s York’s version of Christie Pits, right down to the vibrations from the TTC passing underneath, just with more room to stretch out.
Alternatively, head west for a swim at Fairbank Memorial Park’s outdoor pool (2213 Dufferin St.)
Stop 6: Roots Bar
630 Vaughan Rd.
By now, you’ve earned a drink, and nothing cools down like a caipirinha. The national drink of Brazil mixes lime, ice and cachacha (a sugarcane liquor) to devastating effect. Roots Bar will fix you one for a reasonable $10 in between pints of Super Bock. Soccer fans can also pop into sports bars Edmundo Snack Bar (367 Oakwood Ave.) or Neiva’s (327 Oakwood Ave.) for ice-cold mass market beers at prices you’ll never see south of Bloor.
Stop 7: Oakwood Pizzeria
434 Oakwood Ave.
If you’re a glutton (or you brought your grey-market weed pen, or both), those drinks probably piqued your appetite for dinner. Place a pickup order from Oakwood Pizzeria, where they’ve been pumping out wallet-friendly pies and panzos for more than 50 years.
If you’re not feeling pizza, check out Restaurant Canadian Caribbean (620 Vaughan Rd.), a 24-hour standby where a small jerk chicken meal with rice and peas costs just $6.85.
Stop 8: Porzia’s
319A Oakwood Ave.
If you’re a real romantic, you will have made reservations at Porzia’s for their decadent, 14-layer lasagna and smart wine list.
Failing that, there’s always tall cans and sunsets in the ravine.
Mike Barber is the sole proprietor of Mikey Likey, Toronto’s No. 1 source for half-baked food takes.
This article appeared in the 2026 Summer issue.
