My Hood: Natalie

To continue our My ‘Hood series, Natalie dishes on her ‘hood – Dufferin Grove. 


Last September I moved from a condo at Queen & Spadina to a house at College & Dufferin. Initially, the move threw me off a bit – Where was my corner H&M? Why can’t I eat dim sum at 3 a.m.? Why isn’t there a movie theatre in my basement? – but I learned to embrace the area’s “slower” pace and discovered a number of local treasures. 

First and foremost in my heart is The Common. Purveyor of delicious coffee by day, cheap wine by night and the home of the best-valued charcuterie plate in Toronto, The Common is the quintessential date spot. If you ever want to meet me for drinks, chances are I’ll suggest this place (and not only because it’s 10 steps from my house).

Cozy interior of The Common. Photo via fieldguided.

I love to cook, but some days all I want to do is pick up a cheap, home-style meal after work. Thankfully, I have Bairrada Churrasqueira in my hood. A haven of scrumptious Portuguese food, Bairrada is wonderful for take-out or dining in. They also have an INSANELY large back patio that can accommodate large groups. My go-to meal is their BBQ chicken, rice and potatoes. Whatever you order, please do not forget to get an extra helping of their spicy Piri Piri sauce – my mouth is watering just thinking about it. 

Image source.

Sure, there’s a No Frills at Dufferin Mall, but why buy their limp vegetables when the Dufferin Grove Farmer’s Market is right across the street? Held every Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. all year round, this farmer’s market is a fantastic place to access local and seasonal goods.

Delicious bounty of nature. Image source.

Now onto my favourite: shopping. The lack of stores was the hardest thing for me to adjust to, but I’ve discovered some cute shops in the area (note: these places may not technically fall into the Dufferin Grove neighbourhood, but they’re close to me and I love them). 


Penny Arcade has a well-curated selection of vintage items and, just in time for summer, they’re now carrying vintage-inspired swimsuits by Minnow Bathers. Another vintage spot is the newly opened Magwood. The prices here can be on the high side, depending on what you’re looking for, but the pieces are truly one of a kind and span the decades. 

Interior of Magwood via Toronto Life.

And finally, the thing I love most about my neighbourhood is that the air often smells of chocolate, thanks to the Cadbury factory in my backyard. How great is that? 

Assembly line of chocolatey goodness. I like to imagine this is what goes on inside the factory. Image source.

Have a favourite spot that I should know about in my ‘hood? Tweet me @rockitpromo!