The east end: things to do and places to meet

The east end is the part of Toronto people move to and then never leave. Leslieville and Riverside for the main streets, the Don Valley for the trails, and Riverdale Park East for the single best view of the skyline in the city — free, and better than anything you pay for.

5 places to meet here

These are the public places Churr suggests for a first meeting in this part of the city. Each one was picked for being easy to find, easy to describe, and easy to leave.

• Riverdale Park East lookout

  The postcard view of the skyline, from a hill people actually sit on.

• Withrow Park

  A neighbourhood park with no agenda. Dogs, a rink in winter, and benches.

• Leslieville

  Queen East around Logan: brunch that is not a two-hour queue.

• Greektown on the Danforth

  Patios, late kitchens, and a subway station every few blocks.

• Evergreen Brick Works

  A ravine, a market on Saturdays, and a shuttle if neither of you drives.

Free things that happen here anyway

No calendar required — these run all year, or near enough.

• Riverdale Park East at dusk, for the skyline. It is the view on every postcard and it costs nothing.
• The Leslieville and Riverside main streets on a Saturday, which are made for a wandering conversation.
• The Lower Don Trail, which takes you from the middle of the city into a ravine in about four minutes.

What’s on free across Toronto this week →

Meeting people in The east end

The advice that works everywhere works here too: pick something that repeats, go six times before you judge it, and be the one who suggests the next thing. The longer version →

Or let your twin do the suggesting. Churr introduces you to people in your part of Toronto with a first thing to do already agreed.