Today I went out for lunch to The Pilot,  a Yorkville restaurant with a nice rooftop patio ( The Flight Deck). I kept looking at a city full of tall buildings and cranes. Some of the buildings are relatively new, some will be finished in a year or so. Small businesses and outdoor parking lot spaces are disappearing from Toronto and condos are taking over. Not too many people decide to stay downtown and would rather to have a spacious house in the suburbs but apparently there is also a strong market for those who can afford or are willing to pay the price of a downtown apartment.

While thinking of skyscrapers to live I started going over the places I have visited the most in the past five years living in Toronto. The Annex hood wins the first prize. Here is a small list of the ones I keep coming back and I would recommend to friends visiting:

– Future Bakery – for sangria and food during the summer/ Desserts and coffee during the winter.

– Sushi on Bloor – fast service, good prices.

– Red Room – drinks, good pad Thai and avocado brie sandwich.

– Global Cheese (Kensington Market) – wide variety of cheeses at a good price.

– Sneaky Dee’s – nachos and music on the top floor.

– Free Times Cafe – Sunday brunch (all you can eat).

– Dance Cave/ Lee’s Palace – grungy place with cool rock music selection and concerts.

– Serano Bakery – not to be missed if you go to the Greek Town.