The longest South Asian commercial strip in North America — stretching along Gerrard Street East. Sari shops, imported spice stores, incredible Tamil and South Indian restaurants, and sweet shops selling barfi, gulab jamun, and jalebi that rival anything you'd find in Mumbai. Virtually no tourists, no tourist prices.
Area: East End (Gerrard & Coxwell) · Address: Gerrard St E between Coxwell & Greenwood, Toronto, ON · Best time: Weekend afternoons
Insider tip
The gulab jamun from the sweet shops here is a Toronto bucket list item — warm, syrup-soaked, made fresh. Udupi Palace is the legendary vegetarian South Indian restaurant (order the masala dosa), and Lahore Tikka House at nearby Gerrard & Greenwood is famous for its overnight-marinated tikka. Go hungry.
Getting there
Subway to Broadview (Line 2), then streetcar 506 Carlton east to Greenwood Ave. Or bus 22 Coxwell south from Danforth. The strip runs along Gerrard between Coxwell Ave and Greenwood Ave.