The best places to eat, drink and stargaze during TIFF
TIFF restos
Canteen
This Oliver & Bonacini establishment is attached to the TIFF Bell Lightbox, the official headquarters of TIFF. A patio seat at O&B Canteen is an ideal place to relax and have a meal, with the potential to see celebrities sauntering by or rushing to premieres at the Roy Thompson Hall or the Princes of Wales Theatre.
Where: Canteen
Address: 330 King Street West
What to eat: Grab a friend and share a Butter Chicken Pizza and a Spicy Carrot & Kale Salad.
What to drink: Wash down your food with a pint of beer on tap.
Ritz Carlton
Clive Owen and Josh Brolin are just two celebs who were spotted in the Ritz Deq and front bar this past weekend. Grab a seat in the indoor part of Deq and enjoy a casual meal, or grab a window seat at the Ritz Bar to spot celebs like Jason Bateman and Benedict Cumberbatch stroll through the hotel lobby.
Where: Ritz Carlton
Address: 181 Wellington Street West
What to eat: Grab a Deq Burger and truffle frites.
What to drink: Enjoy the last days of summer on the back Deq or Ritz Bar with a classic Bacardi cocktail, like the Rum Julep or Anejo Smash.
Thompson Hotel
The Rooftop Bar at the Thompson Hotel boasts a stunning 360-degree view of Toronto's skyline. Now imagine that skyline dotted with celebrities like Brad Pitt and Michael Fassbender, who were spotted there this past weekend!
Where: Thompson Hotel
Address: 550 Wellington Street West
What to eat: Enjoy the Thompson's signature beef sliders and other finger foods like quesadilla and crispy calamari.
What to drink: Sip on some fancy cocktails like Sage & Spirit and Cinnamon Sour.
Four seasons dbar
Now that the Four Seasons is back up and running, celebs are heading back to this iconic hotel in Yorkville. Chris Hemsworth was spotted there this past weekend, so Liam Hemsworth must not be far behind! Sip on a drink at dbar and watch the celebs roll in and out of their press conferences.
Where: Four Seasons
Address: 60 Yorkville Ave.
What to eat: Keep it Canadian and order a Nova Scotia Lobster Salad.
What to drink: We love a classic Pimms Cup, which is served with a ginger syrup at dbar.
Soho House
Soho House is the hotspot for celeb spotting and hosts premiere after-parties on a daily basis during TIFF. Celebs like Amy Poehler, Susan Sarandon and Tom Welling were just a few of many who were spotted there this past weekend. Unfortunately, unless you're a member of this exclusive clubhouse, you will be denied entry into the establishment. If you do manage to finagle a way in with a member, then you've won the celeb-spotting jackpot.
Where: Soho House
Address: 192 Adelaide Street West
What to eat: Their late night menu has a small array of wood-fired oven pizzas.
What to drink: Champagne, obviously!
Shangri-La
For those of us who can't get into the Soho House, the Shangri-La across the street is a great consolation. Enjoy a drink in the airy and gorgeous Lobby Lounge and you might just be lucky enough to get serenaded by Terrence Howard, who made an impromptu lobby performance this weekend.
Where: Shangri-La
Address: 188 University Ave.
What to eat: Get fancy with their high tea menu, or casually graze on a charcuterie plate while waiting for the stars to roll on by.
What to drink: Sip on a glass of some of their finely curated wine options.
Momofuku
Attached to the Shangri-La, this resto included famous diners such as Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal this past weekend. Daisho and Shoto are closed on some days during the TIFF (a sure sign of a private celeb party!), so grab a seat at the Noodle Bar or the Nikai cocktail bar and watch potential celebs walking by.
Where: Momofuku
Address: 190 University Ave.
What to eat: Enjoy tapas-style Asian delights such as their highly-touted pork buns, smoked chicken wings, roasted rice cakes and okonomiyaki.
What to drink: Feel glamourous by sipping on a sparkling Heartbreaker, or their classic twist on the cosmo, the 'Cosmomopolitan'.
Storys
The AMC Storys building is new to the TIFF scene this year, and will play host to this year's annual ONEXONE charity gala. This event hall houses a refined Cocktail Parlor, perfect for sipping a drink while keeping one eye open for celebs wandering in and out of private parties and after-parties in the building.
Where: AMC Storys Building
Address: 11 Duncan Street
What to eat: The bar menu includes delicious sounding finger foods like Zucchini Flowers, Spiced Ash Hamachi and Oxtail Tourtiere.
What to drink: The Cocktail Parlor boasts specially-crafted sippers with fun names such as 'The Strong Silent Type' and 'The Alchemist'.
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