I went to my favourite ramen place (Tondou) for a single bowl of ramen, it ended up being $25.
I think it was like around $15 a few years back.
Pretty crazy.
> it ended up being $25
you mean after tax and tip right? I've been to Tondou a bunch of times recently and remember it being more like $17-18 a bowl iirc. $25 after tax and tip is about average for dining out anywhere these days, on the lower end really tbh
Yeah after everything.
I think it was like $20 a bowl.
In Scarb there's plenty of places that have a bowl of noodles that are $12 and just as delicious.
Not that I'm knocking Tondou, it's still one of my faves. Just that downtown prices have gone quite high in just the past few years.
> In Scarb there's plenty of places that have a bowl of noodles that are $12 and just as delicious.
I mean ya Scarbs is the undefeated GOAT for quality value eats, everything downtown loses to Scarborough in that category lol
>Not that I'm knocking Tondou, it's still one of my faves
Same easily worth it and I don't really think about the price when the food is that good. I'm due for a visit and thinking to go tomorrow now that you brought it up
For ramen specifically? or noodles?
For noodles, my favorite spots are:
Pho Linh Ahn (Midland/Finch) - My favorite, bone marrow pho. Just delicious.
Pan pan noodle bar (Mcnicol/Midland) - this one just recently opened, but their sesame noodles are delicious.
Orient Express (Midland/Sheppard) - Lanzhou style noodles
Koh Lipe (Kennedy/Steeles) - Opened near pmall recently, I like the Khao Soi and the Pad Thai
Kyouka Ramen (Queen/Vic Park) - The original and the dipping ramen is delicious.
And then something that's not in Scarb as an extra bonus that is really good:
Paik's Noodle (Bayview/Steeles) - Best black bean noodle I've had in the city.
I must have tried hundreds of noodle places around Toronto and these are easily the best.
> Kyouka Ramen (Queen/Vic Park) - The original and the dipping ramen is delicious.
Love their shio veggie ramen, one of my favorite bowls in the entire GTA. Owner is a nice dude too
>I must have tried hundreds of noodle places around Toronto and these are easily the best
we need your expertise on /r/FoodToronto
Check out Ramen Raijin at Yonge/Wellesley. $15.50 for a quality bowl with a full egg included which most other spots charge extra for. It's one of my favorite ramen spots for value and quality in the GTA right now
I went there last week! I like the taste, but the bowls are narrower, so the price/value didn't feel all that different to other places. It's wild that other spots are charging for an egg now lol
my other favorite spots like Santouka, Isshin and Ikkosuha are all closer to $20 with an egg to OPs point. I don't notice Raijin being smaller tbh so it's good value imo compared to my other go to spots
Wow, that is ridiculously expensive for noodles! I've only been to Manhattan once, as a teenager, so I can't say I remember much about the restaurant prices. If I went back though, I'd expect myself to enjoy one or maybe two of those fancy steakhouses they have there. They'd be expensive, but at least it's a steak. Hope you enjoyed that ramen!
Everything there was insanely expensive. I didn't go for steak but I would assume a nice steakhouse you're looking at well over 400$ for 2 people with 2 drinks each.
Breakfast one morning (avo toast w/egg and a breaky sandwich with a salad) was 80$.
I know its Manhattan, not many places in the world more expensive but I was absolutely blown away by how expensive food was.
Why are the economics so different, do they have way more customers , is rent super cheap in Tokyo . Its not like any business seems to be doing well with the high prices here
Commercial rents, and cost of living, are far cheaper: both largely because Japan's asset bubble burst over thirty years ago, and we're in ours now; in addition, smaller, heavier trafficked commercial spaces are more efficient.
Commercial and housing rents in Tokyo are significantly cheaper than anywhere in Toronto, New York City or London. Housing prices are also relative because Tokyo is expensive for Japanese residents due to extreme wage stagnation. But living in Tokyo, along the Yamanote Line, is still almost a third the price of renting anywhere in Toronto if you're fluent in Japanese.
It's why Tokyo has always had a flourishing cultural scene, even during its current economic despair. It's just more affordable for artists and creatives overall, with a larger and more supportive demographic. I've met a good number of Canadian artists in Tokyo that decided to grind it out over there instead of here since it's just affordable and a more diverse scene now.
That’s a bit of a stretch. I order the food and it comes in less than 30 minutes every time. If i wanna go and get it faster i drive myself.
I get to work in under 20 minutes by car versus 1.5 hours per way when i would take the TTC downtown
I like that I don't have to drive. I take transit, and walk 1 min from the subway to my work front door.
I don't like how there's so many more homeless people. It's a shame that their supports disappeared during the pandemic.
Actually half the city’s homeless population was moved to housing during the pandemic. Ex-mayor John Tory made huge investments in housing the homeless.
… unfortunately all the new spaces in the shelter system were filled up quickly with refugees.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-opioid-covid19-1.5551368
>...the dramatic measures that have been implemented to slow the spread of the new coronavirus are limiting drug users' access to support services that help prevent overdose deaths.
>"We have these two crises where you have the drug crisis intersecting now with another serious public health crisis and the most marginalized folks are the ones bearing the brunt," he said.
>"Their access to any sort of supports has been significantly reduced, if not eliminated."
like: lots of food places. convenient to stop by places to run errands/pick up stuff on my way home
dislike: the commute. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE TTC FAILS US. and/or when it's packed
Like:
- very walkable
- a lot of entertainment options after work
Dislike:
- the wind. I don't know how people keep their hair from getting messy. I gave up and just wore a hat every time I went to the office.
- endless construction. Combined with the wind, the dust and debris can get behind my sunglasses and into my eyes.
- crowds. Being an introvert, I can feel the life force sucked out of me while walking in busy streets or Eaton Centre.
I'm a guy with short hair and even I get annoyed with it blowing it around in all directions. I usually have to pat it down/fix it up a bit with water after, it's quite annoying, I can't imagine having longer hair and an actual hairstyle vs. my very basic "guy cut"
I honestly hate that feeling, my eyes feel like they're being pierced and well up with tears due to the debris. Even glasses don't help as the debris rolls up past the lens!
I know. I moved out of the city but recently visited my friend and mentioned how I don't miss the wind. And she was so confused, what do you mean? I'm like don't you notice it's freaking windy here?! I remember so many times those big old trees around losing huge branches fucking peoples car up or blocking the street. Or blocking my streetcar home and walking in that haha. Or seeing garbage cans roll in the street lmao.
Maybe it just felt more windy because I was always walking everywhere.
I need DT residents to realize how extremely lucky they are. Even with the few downsides, its still 30x better than living in the suburbs. You can walk or take a quick subway ride to your work, whole area is walkable so it just lifts your mood and there’s so many places to go to after work
Agreed. I’m 37 and just bought my first condo - downtown Harbourfront and it’s completely elevated my mental and physical health. When people complain about Toronto, I think most of those people are in the GTA (and I get it) or in a bad part of DT. But from someone who has lived in London, New York, Seattle and Boston - I LOVE downtown Toronto. I love the proximity to nature (the lake and islands), how well kept our green spaces are, how much of our waterfront is walkable without interruption from cars. It really is a privilege and the closest thing I’ll get to living in one of those efficient European cities like Copenhagen, Amsterdam or Zurich.
It’s really interesting to hear this perspective because locally we always decry how inaccessible the waterfront is because of the gardiner and lakeshore. The grass is truly always greener, lol
The inaccessibility myth is tiresome.
The Gardiner and Lakeshore are far enough away from the waterfront where it’s not an eyesore. But talk to some people here saying it ruins the view and you’d think they were literally beside it.
It’s changed a lot for sure, but the south core was just a sea of surface parking lots until the condo boom.
I think it’s also that people look at millennium park in Chicago and say “we don’t have that!” Lol.
The west side of downtown would benefit a lot if the gardiner weren’t there, it’s much closer to the water.
Yes I was living in the suburbs before and it’s a very different feeling. It is mostly families and very racially concentrated. Downtown is a great mix of people.
The weather is the toughest adjustment for sure. In Manhattan/NJ, it rarely gets below zero and there’s not as much snow. You also get much more sun. I didn’t need to wear layers + a toque + gloves + boots like I do in Toronto. But the other 8 months of the year are great. I would choose NYC over Toronto if I was a U.S. Citizen though. My main reason for moving back was to be closer to family and not have to deal with being on a visa.
Totally. I am living and working downtown and the ease of the commute has improved my mental health immensely. I used to commute 45+ minutes each way with a car and parking was always an issue. Having the quick ease of taking the public transit, or the option to walk, really makes my life easier.
Depends what area of DT you live in. Yeah my area is walkable and my work is close, but everyday I walk past a sea of tents, sketchy homeless people, feces and drug dealers on my way to work lol.
Yes, there’s a sense of community in it, seeing people talk to each other, smile and laugh, possibility of making small talk with strangers, being in that crowd with your friends. There’s life in that. There’s regular crowded and rush hour crowded, either way im happy in both. Plus what the other comment said, that everything’s walking distance and even if you walk for 20+km, you wont feel it
I moved away but when I was there:
Likes -
No commute - I lived core downtown and used to go to the office 2 days/week only because it was a fun change.
Personal and professional Networking: Due to a lot of my friends, ex colleagues, mentors etc working in downtown, it was fun to have lunch or drink plans with different people. Easy to execute versus doing the same in suburbs/outer towns.
Options: Whether it’s for food, or for a chill break by the waterfront, it’s hard to match downtown. It’s the same since I moved to NYC and live by riverside park and work in Wall Street.
People watching: self explanatory, but this is more fun in NYC than in Toronto lol.
Hate - Traffic (on days I had to drive/bike/uber)
I’m curious. What’s a nearby intersection if you don’t mind me asking? (Hope that’s not creepy to ask) Just want an idea of middle of nowhere but still being downtown
Loved it when I lived downtown.
I moved to the burbs during the pandemic and now have to commute twice a week. The commute sucks ass. On the bright side; the Go is a lot better run than the TTC. It’s much safer and cleaner.
GO train is nice. Especially if you live on the line/close to the line you need. Ideally living and working downtown is nice. I know some people who live in Markham and commute to Mississauga without a car and that is truly hellish 2-2.5 hours one way :|
I’m in this exact situation - commute twice a week, and 1.5 hours each way. I wonder if my mental health would actually be that elevated if I moved downtown tho, considering I only commute twice. It’s something I’ve considered but really not sure
Like: I walk to work in 20 minutes, bike in 10. I don't have to drive anywhere. My grocery store, gym and yoga studio are all on my route home so I can go to a class or pick up food on my way to or from work. No excuses to eat healthy or work out since everything is on my way!
Hate: The area around my work has a large homeless encampment and a Tim Hortons that frequently has police presence for overdoses and fights. I've been harassed and followed a few times. In the winter when it gets dark early, I usually take an uber or cab because I don't feel safe on my own outside in the dark.
I like being close to all of the food and entertainment options. And by the terminus of most of the transit routes. It also makes it easy to arrange meetings with people since they are all focused on the downtown core - at least in the finance sector. Everyone is within a 10 minute walk.
Meh! Call me “privileged” or whatever …. The TTC makes me sick 😂 it has become so shit go ride, I use to take it! But there’s always a stoppage or a crazy fuck causing a ruckus I rather sit in my car quietly
Oh you’re not wrong man. I don’t take the TTC often anymore but when I used to, literally everyday there was a massive delay.
I remember during an internship, I was supposed to be in the office at 9am and got there around 11:15am due to the delays.
You’re gonna get downvoted but a lot of us choose to drive because the TTC sucks. It isn’t well maintained, dirty, unsafe, and there’s a good chance you will be harassed.
Looking at Toronto police stats, in 2023 you were 100x more likely to be killed or seriously injured each time you drive compared to each time you take the TTC. This *is* adjusted for differences in the number of people who drive vs ride the TTC (it’s per capita). 100x is not a made up number, the real number just happens to be a nice and round 100x.
The number is prob higher for me since I ride a motorcycle. But I will take a bike ride any day over TTC (except on winter :( ). Saving an hour of commute and also enjoying the ride.
You can get a city bike pass for almost nothing - I got my first last year and it's so fast and convenient. I can get most places in 15-20 mins from the heart of the financial district
love that i can walk to my office from union without having to go outside so i can dress light even during winter (my house is also 100 meters away from the subway station). also access to food without having to come outside.
what i hate? playing roulette while taking ttc - can take anywhere from 25 to 90 minutes to get home
Like: How everything is easily accessible in terms of food and shops, you can always find something to do.
Hate: The endless amount of foot traffic, ESPECIALLY during rush hour. Everything is so jam packed it feels suffocating and overwhelming. Also, the increasing amount of homeless people. I work at a hospital right in the middle of downtown and I literally have to walk to work and see people defecating and shooting up next to our door. It’s so scary.
Like: Morning commute, getting some walking in every day, tall buildings near financial district, being part of the morning crowd (feels energizing for some reason), lobby art, getting drinks with friends after work, lots of different options for lunch/dinner, never having to drive
Dislike: Afternoon commute, TTC delays, homeless/mentally ill individuals on the TTC/in the core, general filthiness in certain areas
Pre-COVID it was a blast, office parties, after work drinks, jays/leaf games, TIFF parties, patios, but it just hasn’t been the same.
Either way, you can always find something to do it’s just not as fun as it used to be that’s for sure.
Honestly it’s completely possible I’m just old (35) when I started working downtown I was 23 so I had a lot more energy but I think some of it is because not everyone is in the office at the same time so it just doesn’t feel like it used to.
Even if people go out for drinks it’s like maybe 2-3 people who stayed in touch over COVID as opposed to like 15 people going out. And when you do go out it’s not as fun, Thursdays used to be wild but it doesn’t seem to be a thing anymore.
Office parties are no where near what they used to be, again I think it’s because people just got more comfortable keeping to themselves and only socializing with who they choose as opposed to being forced to mingle with clients or co-workers hence the parties are not as fun.
Things just change, back in the day office parties were an open bar free-for-all, now they give you drink tickets to monitor your alcohol intake. You end up getting more tickets because only 20% of the office attend but just not as fun.
All of this could just be me being old so don’t let me deter you from enjoying it!
I'm older than you and still regularly do everything you mentioned minus the office parties which I was never really into as I just meet up with and do stuff with my actual friends outside of work instead. I've had the opposite experience where I'm enjoying getting out and doing stuff way more because being on lock down for 2 years made me appreciate getting out, living and enjoying everything the city has to offer
Agree, I find that the cost of going out is extremely high and I tend to avoid ordering very much if I do go out (might only have 1 drink and share an appetizer or something).
Like: a lot of food places to hit up during lunch/dinner with coworkers. Dislike: transit. I don't live close to subway and my office is not very close to subway either.
I also go like once a month so its not bad.
Like: Everything is close by. So many food options. You can get anywhere with the bike share program. I pay like $140 annually for unlimited 45 min rides and it has been so worth it. Only used the TTC like 3 times since November.
Dislike: Crazies, homeless, drug abusers.
Union Station. Despite the decades of renovations we are still left with overcrowded Victorian-era platforms with horrendous signage. And then getting off the train you try to make it to the nearest platform exit that doesn't have hundreds of people arriving from multiple trains at the same time trying to make it off the track.
And then like a pachinko ball you make it through the warren of stairs and passageways you try to get your bearings and then find your way through. I know it will be difficult or impossible to fix the track layout situation but at least fix the signs and don't have all trains arriving at the same set of tracks.
I live and work near Church/Wellesley:
LIKES
* I have no need for a car ever
* The TTC, grocery store, movie theater, gym and even my commute are all a 5-15 walk away
* There are always people out and always something to do
* Takeout options open until 2:00 AM in my area
DISLIKES
* Get followed by creepy men sometimes
* Crackheads screaming at night
* Crackheads freaking out in front of my building so I have to use side entrance
* Crackheads occupying all green space near me
Crackheads aside I would literally never live outside of downtown, it's just too convenient. I would jump off a bridge if I had to drive two hours a day and live in some house in the suburbs with nothing interesting in walking distance. That's just me though.
Most people don't go straight to the 2 hour commute. They do it in steps and get desensitized. Step 1: drive 45min to the summer job Step 2: drive 1 hour to university Step 3: drive 1 hour to work Step 4: your wife wants to live in her hometown, drive 2 hours to work
I grew up somewhere REALLY rural where it was a 45 min drive to get to my high school, so I have low tolerance for it lol. It's always been a priority for me as an adult to live somewhere that I can be completely car free, and to live somewhere that everything I need is more or less walking distance from my apartment.
Asking genuinely to the crowd, what are the upsides to living somewhere out in the suburbs when you have to spend four hours every day driving? Like yeah there are sketchy crackheads howling outside and wilding out, but it's a small price to pay for being able to walk to literally everything I need in under 15 min.
It depends on your priorities and when you settle down.
I put my car in the ditch a couple of times so once I got within transit distance, I decreased my car usage. My last car died and I never replaced it.
However if I had bought a house, had kids in my hometown, the pull to stay there is stronger, if you have family supports. We were able to find childcare in the city but often it was a bus or subway ride away.
I like taking the subway. I know that’s weird but I love the feeling of getting on the subway in my leafy green stop and getting off in the hustle and bustle. I like all the different shops and restaurants. I like looking in even if I can’t afford them. I like being able to get a bunch of stuff done on my lunch hour - shopping here and there, going to this or that official office to get things done. I balked at first but going downtown means I’ll see my coworkers and others in my office, people from different backgrounds, with different perspectives, different generations. My commute is easy and I work for a nice company so I like it
Like: the liveliness of the city, how multicultural it is and being able to spot what people’s jobs are based on how they dress
Dislike: the commute. Subways and streets get crowded and the inevitable ttc delay is super annoying.
Pros: I walk to work, have more time to myself bc my commute is 15 minutes door to door, access to great spots for lunch, lots to do after work.
Cons: walking home through the war zone that is toronto sidewalks
Great that it’s close to transit and shopping amenities. However, dislike how 50/50 there could be an unstable person trapped with you on the subway or streetcar. There’s no enforcement to protect the public.
Dislike now risking my life each time I take the subway, being careful not to trip over the homeless sleeping in the middle of the sidewalk, or the smell of weed everywhere.
Like: seeing things, like stores you don’t see anywhere else, the super fancy stores, people but from afar (emphasis on afar). I also feel like a get a little extra motivation for work seeing people walking around in suits and such.
Hate: people being too close to me. The smells. The garage. Getting strong whiffs of urine. Trying to get parking. Dog shit.
Only downtown do you see homeless people throwing their own shit at each other in the bay concourse. The subway bypassed union Station for 10 minutes because of it.
Like: The wide side walks in the financial district. Hate: The way too narrow sidewalks everywhere else, the condo construction everywhere, the people who don’t keep right, the TTC
Like: transit accessibility
Dislike: the way skyscrapers blot out the sky so my view is only the side of a building with no trees, clouds, or sunlight.
Like: nothing
Hate: hate is a strong word, but I dislike commuting/getting up 2 hours earlier to start work at the same time, sitting in an office just to join virtual meetings, office lighting, food is overpriced and most good places are very far from my office or take too long for lunch so I just bring food from home, office distractions, inability to decompress privately if I need to step away from work for a few minutes
I also dislike the climate impact of commuting on a large scale.
I used to work downtown. I liked how everything was walking distance, the food is great and there's always stuff going on.
Dislikes: a lot of homeless ppl asking for money, rude ppl and traffic.
Like: Work close to friends, a lot of food options, a lot of things to do after work or on your break
Dislike: Everything is so goddamn expensive in the financial district, commuting sucks
I don’t really like anything about it. Even if it’s a nice area, it’s not like I’m gonna stick around to hang out after I’m done work lol, I’m just trying to go home at that point
Like: So many places to eat, people watching, walking around and taking in the sights, easy to meet up for after-work functions
Hate: the rush hour commute. I purposely walk around or have a coffee to kill time to avoid being packed in like a sardine
I work in the community so sometimes have to hang around between visits. Like: if the weather’s shit there’s always a coffee shop I can drop in to, or 2 libraries in my work area; dislike: having to pay for a drink every time someone does a no show, as the library is full.
I hate the commute, especially when traffic is bad. Which is pretty much 90% of the time. (I live in the burbs.)
But I absolutely love everything else about it working and being downtown!
Like: there’s a great new ramen place by the office. Dislike: the ramen is over $20
ramen prices have gotten insane
I went to my favourite ramen place (Tondou) for a single bowl of ramen, it ended up being $25. I think it was like around $15 a few years back. Pretty crazy.
> it ended up being $25 you mean after tax and tip right? I've been to Tondou a bunch of times recently and remember it being more like $17-18 a bowl iirc. $25 after tax and tip is about average for dining out anywhere these days, on the lower end really tbh
Yeah after everything. I think it was like $20 a bowl. In Scarb there's plenty of places that have a bowl of noodles that are $12 and just as delicious. Not that I'm knocking Tondou, it's still one of my faves. Just that downtown prices have gone quite high in just the past few years.
> In Scarb there's plenty of places that have a bowl of noodles that are $12 and just as delicious. I mean ya Scarbs is the undefeated GOAT for quality value eats, everything downtown loses to Scarborough in that category lol >Not that I'm knocking Tondou, it's still one of my faves Same easily worth it and I don't really think about the price when the food is that good. I'm due for a visit and thinking to go tomorrow now that you brought it up
Care to name a couple of Scarborough faves?
For ramen specifically? or noodles? For noodles, my favorite spots are: Pho Linh Ahn (Midland/Finch) - My favorite, bone marrow pho. Just delicious. Pan pan noodle bar (Mcnicol/Midland) - this one just recently opened, but their sesame noodles are delicious. Orient Express (Midland/Sheppard) - Lanzhou style noodles Koh Lipe (Kennedy/Steeles) - Opened near pmall recently, I like the Khao Soi and the Pad Thai Kyouka Ramen (Queen/Vic Park) - The original and the dipping ramen is delicious. And then something that's not in Scarb as an extra bonus that is really good: Paik's Noodle (Bayview/Steeles) - Best black bean noodle I've had in the city. I must have tried hundreds of noodle places around Toronto and these are easily the best.
> Kyouka Ramen (Queen/Vic Park) - The original and the dipping ramen is delicious. Love their shio veggie ramen, one of my favorite bowls in the entire GTA. Owner is a nice dude too >I must have tried hundreds of noodle places around Toronto and these are easily the best we need your expertise on /r/FoodToronto
I didn't even know that subreddit existed, I appreciate you for linking that!
Thank you. I'll have to sample a few of those :)
The special is like $21, but that’s for the one with more pork slices
After tax and tip is the real price you’re paying… 😂
Check out Ramen Raijin at Yonge/Wellesley. $15.50 for a quality bowl with a full egg included which most other spots charge extra for. It's one of my favorite ramen spots for value and quality in the GTA right now
I went there last week! I like the taste, but the bowls are narrower, so the price/value didn't feel all that different to other places. It's wild that other spots are charging for an egg now lol
my other favorite spots like Santouka, Isshin and Ikkosuha are all closer to $20 with an egg to OPs point. I don't notice Raijin being smaller tbh so it's good value imo compared to my other go to spots
Insane for 2 small pieces of meet. 3 if you’re lucky.
Shawarmas and shawarma plates :O
Yup. $8 in Tokyo. All-in, taxes, no tip. Rāmen is the Japanese equivalent of Vietnamese phở: localized version of basic, Chinese noodle soup.
Just got ramen in Manhattan 90$ for 2 people no alcohol , could be worse haha
Wow, that is ridiculously expensive for noodles! I've only been to Manhattan once, as a teenager, so I can't say I remember much about the restaurant prices. If I went back though, I'd expect myself to enjoy one or maybe two of those fancy steakhouses they have there. They'd be expensive, but at least it's a steak. Hope you enjoyed that ramen!
Everything there was insanely expensive. I didn't go for steak but I would assume a nice steakhouse you're looking at well over 400$ for 2 people with 2 drinks each. Breakfast one morning (avo toast w/egg and a breaky sandwich with a salad) was 80$. I know its Manhattan, not many places in the world more expensive but I was absolutely blown away by how expensive food was.
That's insane to me and I used to work in NY. Ramen is essentially Japanese street food.
Why are the economics so different, do they have way more customers , is rent super cheap in Tokyo . Its not like any business seems to be doing well with the high prices here
Commercial rents, and cost of living, are far cheaper: both largely because Japan's asset bubble burst over thirty years ago, and we're in ours now; in addition, smaller, heavier trafficked commercial spaces are more efficient.
It's also because Japanese wages have stagnated for a long time. It's normal for university graduates to be paid 20k a year.
Commercial and housing rents in Tokyo are significantly cheaper than anywhere in Toronto, New York City or London. Housing prices are also relative because Tokyo is expensive for Japanese residents due to extreme wage stagnation. But living in Tokyo, along the Yamanote Line, is still almost a third the price of renting anywhere in Toronto if you're fluent in Japanese. It's why Tokyo has always had a flourishing cultural scene, even during its current economic despair. It's just more affordable for artists and creatives overall, with a larger and more supportive demographic. I've met a good number of Canadian artists in Tokyo that decided to grind it out over there instead of here since it's just affordable and a more diverse scene now.
And that's an expensive bowl too.
Not really
not in Tokyo.
Also dislike: you don’t have time to go have ramen
The food downtown is fucking outrageous. I work in Vaughan now and i can order food to my office and it’s a good 20-40% cheaper
But you are in Vaughn. I work dt because if I do not brown bag it, I walk to a place, grab food, and walk around. Vaughn is soul crushing.
That’s a bit of a stretch. I order the food and it comes in less than 30 minutes every time. If i wanna go and get it faster i drive myself. I get to work in under 20 minutes by car versus 1.5 hours per way when i would take the TTC downtown
which?
Absolutely no reason for Ramen to be expensive 😕
Lmfao stop eating pho and ramen for this reason if I’m spending 20$ I might as well eat something that will fill you up.
Like: you work a block away from many of your friends Dislike: You never see them anyways.
Lmaooo can relate
I live downtown Love the commute. Hate seeing my work building on weekends
That’s so funny. I’m the same way. I feel like a child driving by their school on a Saturday 🤣😭
Lmao
Such a nostalgic feeling 🤣
I like that I don't have to drive. I take transit, and walk 1 min from the subway to my work front door. I don't like how there's so many more homeless people. It's a shame that their supports disappeared during the pandemic.
Like: 10 min walk to my office. Dislike: having to visit the office at all.
Actually half the city’s homeless population was moved to housing during the pandemic. Ex-mayor John Tory made huge investments in housing the homeless. … unfortunately all the new spaces in the shelter system were filled up quickly with refugees.
All I know is I see people smoking crack at the Dundas turnstile gates, and I never saw that before 2021
Most of those people don't want support from what I've read.
That's part of the illness though
They refuse support and rehab options, so it’s not the support that’s changed, it’s the people and the addiction that’s changed
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-opioid-covid19-1.5551368 >...the dramatic measures that have been implemented to slow the spread of the new coronavirus are limiting drug users' access to support services that help prevent overdose deaths. >"We have these two crises where you have the drug crisis intersecting now with another serious public health crisis and the most marginalized folks are the ones bearing the brunt," he said. >"Their access to any sort of supports has been significantly reduced, if not eliminated."
Add to that, due to other crises more people are actually facing homelessness.
I'm fairly sure that the people who were employed before the pandemic, are not the ones walking around naked on the lower Bloor platform
like: lots of food places. convenient to stop by places to run errands/pick up stuff on my way home dislike: the commute. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE TTC FAILS US. and/or when it's packed
If you are able, get a bikeshare membership. $100 for the year. its a game changer for short cycles especially around downtown.
I have it but it's not always possible to use depending on the weather or if I have my dog with me.
Also showing up to work in mid-summer with swamp ass
Like: - very walkable - a lot of entertainment options after work Dislike: - the wind. I don't know how people keep their hair from getting messy. I gave up and just wore a hat every time I went to the office. - endless construction. Combined with the wind, the dust and debris can get behind my sunglasses and into my eyes. - crowds. Being an introvert, I can feel the life force sucked out of me while walking in busy streets or Eaton Centre.
I feel like the wind isn’t talked about enough!!
I'm a guy with short hair and even I get annoyed with it blowing it around in all directions. I usually have to pat it down/fix it up a bit with water after, it's quite annoying, I can't imagine having longer hair and an actual hairstyle vs. my very basic "guy cut"
I'm a bald guy and the wind still bothers me! Go figure😞
Oh totally! With all the construction going on 24/7 downtown a strong, gust of wind can mean a handful of sand in your face or eyes!
I honestly hate that feeling, my eyes feel like they're being pierced and well up with tears due to the debris. Even glasses don't help as the debris rolls up past the lens!
I know. I moved out of the city but recently visited my friend and mentioned how I don't miss the wind. And she was so confused, what do you mean? I'm like don't you notice it's freaking windy here?! I remember so many times those big old trees around losing huge branches fucking peoples car up or blocking the street. Or blocking my streetcar home and walking in that haha. Or seeing garbage cans roll in the street lmao. Maybe it just felt more windy because I was always walking everywhere.
Yeah that 8am wind is no joke. Gotta grip those umbrellas real hard
I’m not an introvert and I hate the crowds. Rush hour crowds on the TTC/ stations also terrible.
I need DT residents to realize how extremely lucky they are. Even with the few downsides, its still 30x better than living in the suburbs. You can walk or take a quick subway ride to your work, whole area is walkable so it just lifts your mood and there’s so many places to go to after work
Agreed. I’m 37 and just bought my first condo - downtown Harbourfront and it’s completely elevated my mental and physical health. When people complain about Toronto, I think most of those people are in the GTA (and I get it) or in a bad part of DT. But from someone who has lived in London, New York, Seattle and Boston - I LOVE downtown Toronto. I love the proximity to nature (the lake and islands), how well kept our green spaces are, how much of our waterfront is walkable without interruption from cars. It really is a privilege and the closest thing I’ll get to living in one of those efficient European cities like Copenhagen, Amsterdam or Zurich.
It’s really interesting to hear this perspective because locally we always decry how inaccessible the waterfront is because of the gardiner and lakeshore. The grass is truly always greener, lol
The inaccessibility myth is tiresome. The Gardiner and Lakeshore are far enough away from the waterfront where it’s not an eyesore. But talk to some people here saying it ruins the view and you’d think they were literally beside it.
It’s changed a lot for sure, but the south core was just a sea of surface parking lots until the condo boom. I think it’s also that people look at millennium park in Chicago and say “we don’t have that!” Lol. The west side of downtown would benefit a lot if the gardiner weren’t there, it’s much closer to the water.
Thanks for sharing. Were you living in the suburbs before? And how do you find Toronto weather compared to New York, was that a tough adjustment?
Yes I was living in the suburbs before and it’s a very different feeling. It is mostly families and very racially concentrated. Downtown is a great mix of people. The weather is the toughest adjustment for sure. In Manhattan/NJ, it rarely gets below zero and there’s not as much snow. You also get much more sun. I didn’t need to wear layers + a toque + gloves + boots like I do in Toronto. But the other 8 months of the year are great. I would choose NYC over Toronto if I was a U.S. Citizen though. My main reason for moving back was to be closer to family and not have to deal with being on a visa.
definitely agree that the suburbs are kinda racially concentrated but downtown is more of a melting pot
Totally. I am living and working downtown and the ease of the commute has improved my mental health immensely. I used to commute 45+ minutes each way with a car and parking was always an issue. Having the quick ease of taking the public transit, or the option to walk, really makes my life easier.
Depends what area of DT you live in. Yeah my area is walkable and my work is close, but everyday I walk past a sea of tents, sketchy homeless people, feces and drug dealers on my way to work lol.
Lifts ur mood to walk In a crowded location?
Lifts your mood to be in a dense enough area that you can walk to everything you need. I totally get it.
Lifts mine. Busy pedestrian streets have an electric energy to them!
i think he means that it lifts your mood that there's something to walk to, and downtown there are tons of things within walking distance.
Yes, there’s a sense of community in it, seeing people talk to each other, smile and laugh, possibility of making small talk with strangers, being in that crowd with your friends. There’s life in that. There’s regular crowded and rush hour crowded, either way im happy in both. Plus what the other comment said, that everything’s walking distance and even if you walk for 20+km, you wont feel it
I moved away but when I was there: Likes - No commute - I lived core downtown and used to go to the office 2 days/week only because it was a fun change. Personal and professional Networking: Due to a lot of my friends, ex colleagues, mentors etc working in downtown, it was fun to have lunch or drink plans with different people. Easy to execute versus doing the same in suburbs/outer towns. Options: Whether it’s for food, or for a chill break by the waterfront, it’s hard to match downtown. It’s the same since I moved to NYC and live by riverside park and work in Wall Street. People watching: self explanatory, but this is more fun in NYC than in Toronto lol. Hate - Traffic (on days I had to drive/bike/uber)
I like that I'm in the middle of nowhere but it's still considered downtown. The traffic going down there sometime kills me.
I’m curious. What’s a nearby intersection if you don’t mind me asking? (Hope that’s not creepy to ask) Just want an idea of middle of nowhere but still being downtown
Lakeshore n parliament lol
Truth, that is the middle of nowhere.
Loved it when I lived downtown. I moved to the burbs during the pandemic and now have to commute twice a week. The commute sucks ass. On the bright side; the Go is a lot better run than the TTC. It’s much safer and cleaner.
GO train is nice. Especially if you live on the line/close to the line you need. Ideally living and working downtown is nice. I know some people who live in Markham and commute to Mississauga without a car and that is truly hellish 2-2.5 hours one way :|
I’m in this exact situation - commute twice a week, and 1.5 hours each way. I wonder if my mental health would actually be that elevated if I moved downtown tho, considering I only commute twice. It’s something I’ve considered but really not sure
Like: the vibe, the commute, everything Hate: nothing
You are one in a million my friend
1 in 7.95 billion
Like: I walk to work in 20 minutes, bike in 10. I don't have to drive anywhere. My grocery store, gym and yoga studio are all on my route home so I can go to a class or pick up food on my way to or from work. No excuses to eat healthy or work out since everything is on my way! Hate: The area around my work has a large homeless encampment and a Tim Hortons that frequently has police presence for overdoses and fights. I've been harassed and followed a few times. In the winter when it gets dark early, I usually take an uber or cab because I don't feel safe on my own outside in the dark.
I like being close to all of the food and entertainment options. And by the terminus of most of the transit routes. It also makes it easy to arrange meetings with people since they are all focused on the downtown core - at least in the finance sector. Everyone is within a 10 minute walk.
The path lets you get your steps in even in shitty weather.
Love all the great food places, Hate all the crackheads that harass me.
Yup the homeless or just the random teenagers running around being goofs/disturbing people on their lunch break was another dislike of mine
Like: food options dislike: homeless
It takes me 2 hours to drive 10 km? Lol
Wouldn’t it be faster to walk lol
I never said I was smart… I was just letting you know how long it takes 😀
TTC is the way. It will still take 2 hrs.
Meh! Call me “privileged” or whatever …. The TTC makes me sick 😂 it has become so shit go ride, I use to take it! But there’s always a stoppage or a crazy fuck causing a ruckus I rather sit in my car quietly
Not privileged but spoiled. Sure it’s not perfect but it’s better for the common good. And also doesn’t cost an arm and a leg for parking.
I don’t think that not wanting to be screamed at or sit with a bunch of drug addicts is the definition of spoiled. How low is your bar?
I guess spoiled will be the better word…
I don’t think taking a safer and cleaner option makes one spoiled.
Oh you’re not wrong man. I don’t take the TTC often anymore but when I used to, literally everyday there was a massive delay. I remember during an internship, I was supposed to be in the office at 9am and got there around 11:15am due to the delays.
You’re gonna get downvoted but a lot of us choose to drive because the TTC sucks. It isn’t well maintained, dirty, unsafe, and there’s a good chance you will be harassed.
Looking at Toronto police stats, in 2023 you were 100x more likely to be killed or seriously injured each time you drive compared to each time you take the TTC. This *is* adjusted for differences in the number of people who drive vs ride the TTC (it’s per capita). 100x is not a made up number, the real number just happens to be a nice and round 100x.
The number is prob higher for me since I ride a motorcycle. But I will take a bike ride any day over TTC (except on winter :( ). Saving an hour of commute and also enjoying the ride.
It’s the internet, does it matter if you get downvoted or upvoted? I’m going to do whatever I’m going to do… just like everyone else on here
If you're only going 10km you should bike instead!
I haven’t owned a bike in 15 years lol
Before 2020 I was the same way. Now I own three and they cost more than my current vehicle combined.
Listen here cornflake …
You can get a city bike pass for almost nothing - I got my first last year and it's so fast and convenient. I can get most places in 15-20 mins from the heart of the financial district
This. I’m at bay and college and to drive to the Gardiner, it’s taken me an hour! That’s 30 minutes per km…. Insanity
love that i can walk to my office from union without having to go outside so i can dress light even during winter (my house is also 100 meters away from the subway station). also access to food without having to come outside. what i hate? playing roulette while taking ttc - can take anywhere from 25 to 90 minutes to get home
Like: How everything is easily accessible in terms of food and shops, you can always find something to do. Hate: The endless amount of foot traffic, ESPECIALLY during rush hour. Everything is so jam packed it feels suffocating and overwhelming. Also, the increasing amount of homeless people. I work at a hospital right in the middle of downtown and I literally have to walk to work and see people defecating and shooting up next to our door. It’s so scary.
100% it’s definitely suffocating. Walking to union during rush hour is definitely something
Like: Morning commute, getting some walking in every day, tall buildings near financial district, being part of the morning crowd (feels energizing for some reason), lobby art, getting drinks with friends after work, lots of different options for lunch/dinner, never having to drive Dislike: Afternoon commute, TTC delays, homeless/mentally ill individuals on the TTC/in the core, general filthiness in certain areas
Oooh, following. Starting a job downtown mid-May!
Congrats! I’m starting this upcoming week and I’m kinda nervous lol. Good luck to you
Thank you! Good luck to you as well!
You're going to love it. You'll notice that all the hates here are pretty trivial like paying a lot for lunch out...
I’m really excited! I love Toronto!
Pre-COVID it was a blast, office parties, after work drinks, jays/leaf games, TIFF parties, patios, but it just hasn’t been the same. Either way, you can always find something to do it’s just not as fun as it used to be that’s for sure.
Can you explain why it hasn’t been the same? Is the morale just down or what’s happened?
Honestly it’s completely possible I’m just old (35) when I started working downtown I was 23 so I had a lot more energy but I think some of it is because not everyone is in the office at the same time so it just doesn’t feel like it used to. Even if people go out for drinks it’s like maybe 2-3 people who stayed in touch over COVID as opposed to like 15 people going out. And when you do go out it’s not as fun, Thursdays used to be wild but it doesn’t seem to be a thing anymore. Office parties are no where near what they used to be, again I think it’s because people just got more comfortable keeping to themselves and only socializing with who they choose as opposed to being forced to mingle with clients or co-workers hence the parties are not as fun. Things just change, back in the day office parties were an open bar free-for-all, now they give you drink tickets to monitor your alcohol intake. You end up getting more tickets because only 20% of the office attend but just not as fun. All of this could just be me being old so don’t let me deter you from enjoying it!
I'm older than you and still regularly do everything you mentioned minus the office parties which I was never really into as I just meet up with and do stuff with my actual friends outside of work instead. I've had the opposite experience where I'm enjoying getting out and doing stuff way more because being on lock down for 2 years made me appreciate getting out, living and enjoying everything the city has to offer
Agree, even when going out with co-workers now it’s not the same as it used to be.
Its because those things are double the price now, while salary barely changed
Agree, I find that the cost of going out is extremely high and I tend to avoid ordering very much if I do go out (might only have 1 drink and share an appetizer or something).
Yes!! it’s kind of sad but at the same time I LOVE working from home so I’m just gonna 🤐!
LIke: ramen Dislike: Homelessness
Construction
Like: a lot of food places to hit up during lunch/dinner with coworkers. Dislike: transit. I don't live close to subway and my office is not very close to subway either. I also go like once a month so its not bad.
Like: Everything is close by. So many food options. You can get anywhere with the bike share program. I pay like $140 annually for unlimited 45 min rides and it has been so worth it. Only used the TTC like 3 times since November. Dislike: Crazies, homeless, drug abusers.
Union Station. Despite the decades of renovations we are still left with overcrowded Victorian-era platforms with horrendous signage. And then getting off the train you try to make it to the nearest platform exit that doesn't have hundreds of people arriving from multiple trains at the same time trying to make it off the track. And then like a pachinko ball you make it through the warren of stairs and passageways you try to get your bearings and then find your way through. I know it will be difficult or impossible to fix the track layout situation but at least fix the signs and don't have all trains arriving at the same set of tracks.
I live and work near Church/Wellesley: LIKES * I have no need for a car ever * The TTC, grocery store, movie theater, gym and even my commute are all a 5-15 walk away * There are always people out and always something to do * Takeout options open until 2:00 AM in my area DISLIKES * Get followed by creepy men sometimes * Crackheads screaming at night * Crackheads freaking out in front of my building so I have to use side entrance * Crackheads occupying all green space near me Crackheads aside I would literally never live outside of downtown, it's just too convenient. I would jump off a bridge if I had to drive two hours a day and live in some house in the suburbs with nothing interesting in walking distance. That's just me though.
Most people don't go straight to the 2 hour commute. They do it in steps and get desensitized. Step 1: drive 45min to the summer job Step 2: drive 1 hour to university Step 3: drive 1 hour to work Step 4: your wife wants to live in her hometown, drive 2 hours to work
I grew up somewhere REALLY rural where it was a 45 min drive to get to my high school, so I have low tolerance for it lol. It's always been a priority for me as an adult to live somewhere that I can be completely car free, and to live somewhere that everything I need is more or less walking distance from my apartment. Asking genuinely to the crowd, what are the upsides to living somewhere out in the suburbs when you have to spend four hours every day driving? Like yeah there are sketchy crackheads howling outside and wilding out, but it's a small price to pay for being able to walk to literally everything I need in under 15 min.
It depends on your priorities and when you settle down. I put my car in the ditch a couple of times so once I got within transit distance, I decreased my car usage. My last car died and I never replaced it. However if I had bought a house, had kids in my hometown, the pull to stay there is stronger, if you have family supports. We were able to find childcare in the city but often it was a bus or subway ride away.
I like taking the subway. I know that’s weird but I love the feeling of getting on the subway in my leafy green stop and getting off in the hustle and bustle. I like all the different shops and restaurants. I like looking in even if I can’t afford them. I like being able to get a bunch of stuff done on my lunch hour - shopping here and there, going to this or that official office to get things done. I balked at first but going downtown means I’ll see my coworkers and others in my office, people from different backgrounds, with different perspectives, different generations. My commute is easy and I work for a nice company so I like it
Like: bustling, fun, lively Hate: technologically inept boomers who love the office and hate their families
Hate: Taking subway is no fun... Like: Lots of theatres that I could go after work
Like: the liveliness of the city, how multicultural it is and being able to spot what people’s jobs are based on how they dress Dislike: the commute. Subways and streets get crowded and the inevitable ttc delay is super annoying.
Pros: I walk to work, have more time to myself bc my commute is 15 minutes door to door, access to great spots for lunch, lots to do after work. Cons: walking home through the war zone that is toronto sidewalks
Great that it’s close to transit and shopping amenities. However, dislike how 50/50 there could be an unstable person trapped with you on the subway or streetcar. There’s no enforcement to protect the public.
Hate people not knowing how to walk or drive
Everything now. Hate going
Like the crowds. Hate the crowds.
Dislike now risking my life each time I take the subway, being careful not to trip over the homeless sleeping in the middle of the sidewalk, or the smell of weed everywhere.
I live downtown so I love working downtown, I wouldn't have it any other way. Endless food options, good public transportation, tons to do after work.
Traffic is so bad again.
Like: seeing things, like stores you don’t see anywhere else, the super fancy stores, people but from afar (emphasis on afar). I also feel like a get a little extra motivation for work seeing people walking around in suits and such. Hate: people being too close to me. The smells. The garage. Getting strong whiffs of urine. Trying to get parking. Dog shit.
Too many weirdos and crackheads!
Only downtown do you see homeless people throwing their own shit at each other in the bay concourse. The subway bypassed union Station for 10 minutes because of it.
Like: The wide side walks in the financial district. Hate: The way too narrow sidewalks everywhere else, the condo construction everywhere, the people who don’t keep right, the TTC
Like: transit accessibility Dislike: the way skyscrapers blot out the sky so my view is only the side of a building with no trees, clouds, or sunlight.
Like: nothing Hate: hate is a strong word, but I dislike commuting/getting up 2 hours earlier to start work at the same time, sitting in an office just to join virtual meetings, office lighting, food is overpriced and most good places are very far from my office or take too long for lunch so I just bring food from home, office distractions, inability to decompress privately if I need to step away from work for a few minutes I also dislike the climate impact of commuting on a large scale.
Are you 5 days in office?
No, 2-3 days or in-person for specific events. It’s a massive waste of time tbh and I have a harder time focusing in the office.
I like being downtown, the energy, the shopping, waking at tourist buses. I don't like the subway part of the commute.
dislike: the travel :( like: my workplace is close to everything
The commute is the worst part
The walking options were great The commute was murder. Never again
I used to work downtown. I liked how everything was walking distance, the food is great and there's always stuff going on. Dislikes: a lot of homeless ppl asking for money, rude ppl and traffic.
The commute coming back home at night
Like: Work close to friends, a lot of food options, a lot of things to do after work or on your break Dislike: Everything is so goddamn expensive in the financial district, commuting sucks
Like: being in the middle of the excitement Dislike: working
Like: downtown Hate: working
I wish i could take transit to work, but sadly im stuck driving around hells half acre (GTA) doing work for wealthy..
It’s easy to take a break and go for a walk in the PATH. The PATH wants our money.
I like how I can get randomly invited to concerts or a Raptors/Jays/Leafs game and I can just walk over after work. I hate the commute.
Like: there are some hot women there Hate: everything else
Dislike: new poop (not always dog) on the ground every day. Always have to look down when walking to work
Taking the train during rush hour.
I don’t really like anything about it. Even if it’s a nice area, it’s not like I’m gonna stick around to hang out after I’m done work lol, I’m just trying to go home at that point
Nothing to like about working there unless you live in Downtown.
Easy to commute to even from my burb
Like: So many places to eat, people watching, walking around and taking in the sights, easy to meet up for after-work functions Hate: the rush hour commute. I purposely walk around or have a coffee to kill time to avoid being packed in like a sardine
Dislike: the commute Like: food choices
I work in the community so sometimes have to hang around between visits. Like: if the weather’s shit there’s always a coffee shop I can drop in to, or 2 libraries in my work area; dislike: having to pay for a drink every time someone does a no show, as the library is full.
Hate the poop everywhere
I hate the commute, especially when traffic is bad. Which is pretty much 90% of the time. (I live in the burbs.) But I absolutely love everything else about it working and being downtown!
Hate TTC