Roncesvalles Village Neighbourhood Guide

Cyclist and family friendly, thriving independent businesses, dreamy Victorian century homes, more coffee shops, dogs, and kids than you can count, home to the popular Sorauren Farmers Market, all located next to Toronto's largest park. 

Reasons To Love Roncesvalles Village

• Dogs, strollers, babies, and kids on scooters are all very common sights in Roncesvalles. As the stomping ground for many of Toronto's hippest west end families, Roncesvalles Village offers both a trendy and traditional vibe with many great shops, restaurants, and services for young families. Roncesvalles Village residents are a proud and engaged bunch, putting down roots here, evidenced by the fairly low housing turnover in this neighbourhood.

• Sorauren Avenue Park is more than a park, it's a community hub. Families gather at Sorauren Park to enjoy the year round farmers market, off leash dog park, baseball diamond, tennis courts, soccer field, The Fieldhouse, Town Square, outdoor family movie nights with fresh pizzas in the outdoor pizza oven, yoga in the park, an outdoor skating rink in the winter, and so much more! Sorauren Park is also home to the annual Pumpkin Parade on November 1st, where 2,000+ families bring their jack-o-lanterns to line the path of the park. If the kids need to burn off some energy still, you can pop across Wabash Ave to the playground at Charles G. Williams Park.

• Java junkies and baked good fanatics love it here! Roncy residents enjoy an abundance of delicious bakeries and coffee shops. Check out Cherry Bomb Coffee, Mabel's Bakery, Extra Butter Cafe, Reunion Island Coffee, Lit Cafe, Coffee & All That Jazz, I Deal Coffee, Sunny Joe's Cafe, and Gloria Espresso Bar & Cafe. Honorary mention to Craig's Cookies at the very south end of Roncesvalles who make life changing chocolate chip cookies served with shots of cold milk.

• Great restaurants for families, date nights, and health nuts. Roncesvalles has one of the better dining scenes in the west end. Some of our favourites are Barque Smokehouse, Lambretta Pizzeria, Cinco Mexican Restaurant, The Ace, Pizzeria Defina, and La Cubana. For a lighter but delicious bite, we suggest The Simple Kitchen, Fantail, The Goods, Fresh City, and Village Juicery. If you are cooking a nice meal at home, check out Thin Blue Line's huge cheese selection, Barque Butcher's Bar for fresh meat and sauces, and Alimentari Italian Grocery for fresh pasta.

• Dedicated cycling lanes, the streetcar route, subway, and UP Express running through Roncesvalles makes commuting easy. Cyclists are welcome in Roncesvalles Village and can enjoy the safety of the designated bike lanes on Roncesvalles Ave. The streetcar line running through Roncesvalles Village can take you downtown along King St or connect up to the Dundas West subway station. Also, there is a Union Pearson Express stop located on the north end of Roncesvalles which gives you the option of getting to Pearson Airport or Union station downtown for about $5. Local cyclists looking for a tune up or new bike gear stop at Mojo Cycles, Blacksmith Cycle, West Side Cycle, and Alpha Velo.

• A candy store + a cute book store + toy stores = kid heaven. Roncesvalles Village knows their audience which is why you will find a great selection of kids stores in this neighbourhood. Check out Scooter Girl Toys and Hey Kiddo for their kid gear and toys, and Another Story Bookshop for their great book selection and inspiring window displays. If you're brave enough to take kids to a candy store we suggest Sweet Thrills or The Chocolateria on Roncesvalles Ave for everything your sweet tooth could want.

• Home to some of the best fruit and flower stands in the west end. In our opinion, the fruit stands in Roncesvalles rival those in Bloor West Village as the best in the west. Fresh fruit and veggies beautifully arranged along the sidewalks, and big bouquets of seasonal flowers too. Definitely check out Berry Fresh Fruit Co at the corner of Roncesvalles and Westminster, offering Ontario grown produce six days a week since 2012. The Sorauren Farmers Market on Mondays is another sure bet for great produce. For a professional floral arrangement, we recommend Willem & Jools, or Sweetpea's.

• The proximity to High Park. Roncesvalles Village residents can walk to High Park in about 10 minutes and enjoy the beauty of this huge west end gem. The open green space, picnic areas, splash pad, playgrounds, zoo, outdoor pool, Grenadier Pond, and the dog park are just a few of the reasons that High Park is a peaceful place to spend the day. Every spring, High Park sees a flurry of activity as people come from all over to see the abundance of cherry blossoms in bloom. It is beautiful!

• Roncesvalles Village has great neighbours. Perfectly positioned in the city's west end, Roncesvalles Village has great neighbours on all sides. The Junction to the north, High Park to the west, Brockton Village and Little Portugal to the east, and Parkdale to the south. Roncesvalles is in walking distance to so much - wind your way through High Park to shop in Bloor West Village, or check out the shops along King St or Queen St on your way to meeting friends in Trinity Bellwoods Park.

• Dreamy and diverse homes can be found in Roncesvalles Village. This neighbourhood has something for everyone style wise, but prices in Roncesvalles tend to be on the higher side because the demand for the area is also on the higher side. Historical hard lofts, large centry homes with 5+ bedrooms, a church loft conversion, renovated 100+ year old homes with an inviting front porch, shiny new condos and soft lofts, or a modern custom home. Whatever your real estate preference, you will find it here in Roncesvalles. Most homes in this neighbourhood are lucky enough to be located within a 10 minute walk to the shopping and community hub along Roncesvalles Ave and the serenity of High Park.

• Polish pride is celebrated in Roncesvalles. After World War II, many Polish immigrants settled in Roncesvalles. Over the years, Polish culture has continued to be celebrated here with the annual Roncesvalles Polish Festival in September. Local businesses like Cafe Polonez, Chopin Restaurant, Benna's Bakery & Deli, and Chicago Bakery & Deli continue to serve up authentic Polish dishes. Pickle soup - yum!

• The magic of 240 Roncesvalles. This address is home to the historic (and still operating) Roncesvalles United Church, but this building is far more than just a church. The rainbow painted front steps welcome those arriving for one of the many programs and services that operate here, such as The Roncy Flea Market, The Artful Child, Boomerang Pilates, Yoga Village (pay what you choose), Girl Guides and Boy Scouts, and Village Healing which offers a huge variety of wellness and counselling services. The church hosts a "Dinner With Dignity" every Sunday for those in need of a fresh meal, warm clothing, and companionship.

Things To Do, Eat, and See in Roncesvalles Village

• Visit the Sorauren Farmers Market for fresh produce, treats, and seasonal events. Every Monday from 3pm-7pm all year long, locals gather at the Sorauren Avenue Park to chat with the vendors and stock their fridge with local goodies. During the cooler months, the market moves indoors to The Fieldhouse. The market also hosts an annual Tomato Tasting, Country Fair, Harvest Festival, and Pumpkin Fest.

• Indulge at Mabel's Bakery. A west end favourite, Mabel's has three other locations but their Roncesvalles bakery is the O.G. Mabel's specializes in homestyle baked goods, bread, and satisfying to-go options like their quiche, empanadas, sandwiches, pot pie, and mac & cheese. Their brownies, lemon squares, cheesecake, chewy chocolate cookies, and coconut cream pie have been extensively taste tested by us and get two thumbs up. Mabel's uses local and organic ingredients, and also carries homemade jams, soups, and granola.

• Enjoy a beer on the Bandit Brewery patio, followed by a concert at Hugh's Room. With an atmosphere inspired by German beer gardens, the patio at Bandit Brewery is a local hot spot. Indoor seating is available too, so you can enjoy a beer, cheese platter, and buttermilk fried chicken sandwhich all year round. If you feel like bar hopping, check out Round The Horn, Loons, Ciderhouse, The Dizzy, and The Local which has live music every night. Live music lovers should also definitely check out a concert at the legendary Hugh's Room Live.

• Satisfy your sweet tooth at Ed's Real Scoop. It's not hard to be tempted to stop at Ed's when you walk down Roncesvalles Ave and see the groups of people outside enjoying their ice cream. Ed's Real Scoop is always busy and always delicious, known for their homemade ice cream, gelato, frozen yogurt, sorbets, and ice cream sandwiches. They have over 100 flavours of ice cream that they rotate through, and we highly recommend the s'mores, Ed's rocky driveway, cookies and cream, and pistachio almond ice cream. They have great seasonal flavours too. How can you go wrong with Mini Egg themed ice cream?

• Jump on your bike and head to nearby High Park, the Sunnyside boardwalk, or explore along the Martin Goodman waterfront trail. Cruise the dediated bike lane along Roncesvalles Ave and check out the popular hang out spots near Roncesvalles Village. Kids will love the zoo and splash pad at High Park, the wading pool and beachfront at Sunnyside Park, and cycling the Martin Goodman Trail west to cross the popular Humber Bay Arch bridge.

• Show your home and yourself some love, or pick up a great gift. Shop for some new housewares and gift ideas at Scout, The Mercantile, Cookery, and Home Smith. If vintage design is more your thing, you will love Addison's Inc and Mrs Huizenga's Antiques. We have scored several vintage The New Yorker covers here over the years. For ladies fashion, check out Likely General, Ardith, and Frock. Browse the vinyl collection at Tonality Records, and then the sneaker collection at Livestock.

• Foodies can take a trip to Italy without leaving your neighbourhood. Alimentari Italian Grocery on Roncesvalles Ave is inspired by the owners time in Italy and their love for the Italian concept of an alimentari being the town's fresh food shop, lunch spot, and gathering place for the locals. Stop in for a delicious lunch, shop the pantry staples, pick up some fresh pasta for dinner, sign up for a cooking class, or grab a sandwich to go. We highly recommend their porchetta panini and their stuffed pastas.

• Catch a movie at Toronto's oldest operating movie theatre. Completed in 1912, The Revue Cinema is a designated heritage building with Edwardian and Art Deco charm. The theatre shows current films, and also hosts several fun events like a monthly "Druken Cinema" where drinking games are played while watching 80s and 90s cult classics. Parent and Baby movies are offered every other week where parents can see grown up movies with their little ones in tow. Lights are turned up a bit, sound is turned down a bit, and noise from babbling children is embraced.

• Check out Roncy Rocks, a street festival celebrating music and the arts in Roncesvalles. Every June, Roncy celebrates local artists, musicians, and artisans with a street festival along Roncesvalles Ave. It is a great way to check out some art exhibits, live music, and the sidewalk sales.

• Work off the bakery tasting tour with a sweat session. Roncesvalles is an active neighbourhood where cyclists and runners are frequently seen working their way through the neighbourhood and often over to High Park or the trails along the waterfront. If you prefer a more organized workout, check out Fuel Training Club, Fine Tune Pilates, Yoga Star, Bloor Street Fitness and Boxing, and Sama Studio which offers pre and post natal yoga classes.

The Lay of the Land

Located in the west end of Toronto, Roncesvalles Village borders High Park to the west, Parkdale to the south, Little Portugal to the east, and the Junction Triangle to the north. Official boundaries are Parkside Dr to the west, Queen St to the south, Bloor St to the north, and along the train tracks to the east. 

Roncesvalles Ave is the hub of activity for Roncesvalles Village with lots of options for restaurants, shopping, kids stores, and pubs. Dundas St and Sorauren Ave also have great options for thriving independent businesses, restaurants, and coffee shops. Roncesvalles Village residents benefit from easy access to larger shopping malls like Stock Yards Village and Sherway Gardens being only a 15 minute drive, or a short walk from all the great options along King St and Queen St.  

The Bloor subway line (Line 2) runs through the top of Roncesvalles Village and streetcar routes operate along Roncesvalles Ave, Dundas St, and Queen St so there are plenty of options for commuting. Also, the dedicated cycling lanes on Roncesvalles Ave make the neighbourhood easy for bike commuters too. Roncesvalles Village residents also benefit from having a stop for the Union Pearson Express train located in the north end of their neighbourhood, so they can get to Pearson airport or Union Station for about $5. With the Gardiner Expressway running along the south end of Roncesvalles, you can get east or west easily and quickly assuming traffic is on your side.

Roncesvalles Village Real Estate

Style of Homes in Roncesvalles Village

Roncesvalles Village is home to some of the most dreamy real estate in the west end. This neighbourhood offers something for everyone style wise. Historical hard lofts, large century homes with 5+ bedrooms, a church loft conversion, renovated 100+ year old homes with an inviting front porch, shiny new condos and soft lofts, or a modern custom built home. Most original homes were built in the early 1900s, and you will see Victorian and Foursquare style homes here. Generally, homes west of Roncesvalles Ave tend to be larger detached houses and some have been converted to multi-unit dwellings for renting. The homes on the east side of Roncesvalles Ave tend to be smaller in comparison but still very generously sized, with a mix of detached, semis, and row homes.  Most homes in this neighbourhood are lucky enough to be located within a 10 minute walk to the shopping and community hub along Roncesvalles Ave and the serenity of High Park. 

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