MY TORONTO: A Tiny Art Guide
Summer 2026 Edition
If you live in Toronto, you know we’re obsessed with neighbourhoods. All of them boast good coffee, independent shops, natural wine bars, and food for days. Hidden throughout the city is also a sprawling and ever-expanding art scene.
One of the questions I get asked most often is: where are the galleries? Which ones are cool? Where is that one?
For a long time, it felt like there wasn’t a single place to discover Toronto’s gallery scene the way you can in New York, Los Angeles, London, or Paris (and yes, I am absolutely putting Toronto in that conversation).
Thankfully, organizations like ADAC have done an incredible job through Canadian Art Hop, creating one of the best resources for discovering galleries, artist-run centres, museums, and creative spaces across the country. Artforum is another great resource if you’re looking for current exhibitions and openings.
But maybe you’re looking for something a little more curated. A little more Lio Projects.
This isn’t every gallery in Toronto. It’s my Toronto. The places I return to, the coffee shops I stop at afterwards, and the neighbourhoods I think are worth wandering. It’s not everything. It’s just a day in my life.
JUNCTION
Start at Hunt Gallery. Head over to Shoppe Clover for some vintage finds, then continue to Christie Contemporary—a gallery that feels far larger than it appears from the street.
From there, make your way to Zalucky Contemporary before visiting the new Abbozzo Gallery space. Finish the gallery portion of the day at Franz Kaka and grab a coffee from Hale in the same building.
There are some fantastic artist studios scattered throughout this pocket of the city as well. End the afternoon at Dotty’s for a burger and a glass of wine.
Stops:
Shoppe Clover
Hale Coffee
Dotty’s
RONCESVALLES
A quieter route with a mix of galleries, parks, and neighbourhood favourites.
Start near High Park. Visit Alison Milne Gallery and She Said Gallery before grabbing a beer at Bandit Brewery or simply wander down Roncesvalles. Continue toward Olga Korper and Bus Gallery, then spend some time wandering Sorauren Park.
If you still have energy, finish the day at General Hardware Contemporary.
Stops:
Bandit Brewery
Sorauren Park
STERLING ROAD
One of the strongest concentrations of contemporary art in the city.
Start with Daniel Faria and Clint Roenisch before heading through the neighbourhood to Towards Gallery. Grab a coffee or pastry at Forno Cultura inside MOCA and wander around before continuing on to Ethica Coffee (yes, more coffee—I am fuelled almost entirely by flat whites).
From there, head to Gallery 1888 and explore the Sterling Road artist studios. This entire area is packed with working artists and creative spaces. Keep an eye out for open studios and studio parties throughout the year.
Wrap up at Patel Brown, the Wade Avenue artist studios, and either Propeller Coffee or Sugo. Bonus: you’re right next to Lansdowne Station if your feet have officially given up.
Stops:
Forno Cultura
Ethica Coffee
Wade Avenue Artist Studios (join a studio party, find out more)
Propeller Coffee
DUPONT
Start with a coffee at Contra. It's tucked into a neighbourhood just north of Christie Pits and is one of my favourite places to stop before a gallery day. Head up to Passenger Contemporary, a newer gallery located within the Dupont studio building, home to what feels like an endless number of artist studios. Continue to Cooper Cole down the street and, if timing aligns, try for lunch at Famiglia Baldassarre. (I'm still trying.) If not, 915 Dupont makes for a great place to work, meet a friend, or grab yet another coffee.
Stops:
Contra Coffee
Passenger Contemporary + the Dupont Artist Studios
915 Dupont
Famiglia Baldassarre
Lio Note: You can easily combine Roncesvalles, Sterling Road, and Dupont. They all live within the same pocket of the city—this is just how I tend to wander through it.
QUEEN WEST (ISH)
This is the easiest neighbourhood to spend an entire day wandering.
Start at 401 Richmond and Gallery 44 before making your way through Waterworks Park and the Ace Hotel. Honestly, stop into the lobby for the architecture alone (Shim-Sutcliffe Architects).
Continue west toward United Contemporary, Macaulay & Co. (coming soon!), and the Tecumseh Street gallery cluster. Grab a coffee—and obviously the banana bread—from Café 23, wander through Trinity Bellwoods, and spend some time popping into the shops along Queen and Dundas. When you’re ready for a break, stop at Grape Witches for a glass of natural wine.
From there, visit Stephen Bulger Gallery and MKG127 before crossing the street to Milou for a bite.
Finish the day at Cry Baby Gallery—a gallery, bar, and community space rolled into one.
Stops:
Ace Hotel
Macaulay & Co. (coming soon)
Café 23
Trinity Bellwoods
Grape Witches
Milou
ADDITIONAL SPOTS
Nicholas Metivier Gallery + Neo Coffee Bar + St. Lawrence Market
Bonne Choice (for design lovers)
Emc Contemporary + Studio Ninth — both nomadically curating and constantly finding new ways to bring people together around art.
Vessels and Sticks
Toronto’s art scene is growing every year. New galleries open, artists move studios, and neighbourhoods continue to evolve. These are the places I keep returning to.
If I’ve missed one of your favourites, let me know. I’m always looking for my next spot.
-Rach
P.S. If people enjoy this one, My Vancouver, My New York, and My Paris are next.
Thank you for honouring our art scene & coffee culture here in TO!
Alright, consider us officially sold on Toronto