Hello everyone, we are traveling to canada near the end of december(6 days)staying at the fairmont royal york. Have tickets to Mama Mia one evening. Searched several sites and would like to know if the following are good restaurants or any better suggestions are appreciated. Verona (before the theater), Spuntini's, Joe Badali's, Zee Grill, Reds Bistro. We like mainly seafood, italian-nothing gamey or too eclectic.Any suggestions on nice bar/good view/somewhat quiet for after dinner/late night drinks?Plan on seeing casa loma,CN tower, batu shoe, some shopping.Any other thoughts? Also need limo service recommendations from airport. thanks so much!

Verona is a decent pre-theatre choice. Reds is kind of a restaurant for suits - not particularly thrilling and probably rather dull at the end of December when the financial district is quiet. Not sure about the others.

At the airport, when you exit the building you'll see signs for "limos" and "taxis". They are exactly the same type of car (a town car) in the same condition, but limos charge more (so stand in the taxi line-up). It's a waste of time to prebook a limo to pick you up at the airport, since it's easy to get a decent car at the airport. On your return to the airport, you could order a town car from a limo service (Rosedale Limousine is popular) if you want a town car. Alternatively, you could book one of the better taxi services and save $15. I use Maple Leaf Taxi all the time. They'll quote you a flat rate, like a limo service. Don't let the hotel order a car for you - they'll probably mark up the price.

There's a good Art Deco exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum (near the Bata Shoe museum).

What kind of shops/styles do you like? If you provide a few more details, you'll get more detailed responses.

shopping wise I like classic/designer styles, love shoes,cosmetics, enjoy a good bargin, not intersted in home furnishings/antiques on this trip.Husband also classic style clothes, loves cigars. We will do the museums you mentioned,thanks for the tip on Red's. Any suggestions on cigar bars? Looking for a relaxed, dining out, laid back trip. We love to go out for the evening-dinner,drinks,music. Tend to like more the upscale, quieter and dressier venues than a jeans/pool bar type. thanks for all your help!!

The classic bar with a view for grownups is at the top of the Park Hyatt Hotel, across the street from the Royal Ontario Museum and the Four Seasons Hotel.

But it's not that close to the Royal York nor to Mamma Mia.

Close to both is the CN Tower, which has a nice bar with a great view up top. I don't know the rules about paying admission to the tower if youjust want to go to the bar. the CN Tower restaurant is excellent, too.

Is Zee really YYZ? YYZ is a bar / restaurant combo a few blocks from the theatree. It's on Adelaide Street West, near Spadina Avenue. I've never eaten there, but Canada's worst television show is broadcast there late most evenings.

Joe Badali's gets good reviews from people I know. I'd pick Verona from your list for before theatre, because it is only about a block away.

From the ;lobby pof the Royal York, walk to the est en, down the stairs, down the escvalator, and you'll be in a network of tunnels lined with stores, extending all the way to The Bay (at Yonge and Queen) and The Eaton Centre, Toronto's largest indoor mall.

To move up several notches in retail, take the subway from the hotel (just for the fun of it -- and it's faster than a cab) up to the Bloor and Yonge subway station. (Union Station subway station is easy to get to via the same "walk to the east end of the hotel" instructions.

At Bloor and Yonge, your goal is to walk west and north. Bloor Street islined with great stores, and more are on the two parallel streets.

Direct your husband to Harry Rosen men's wear, at Bloor and Belair, and to the men's department in Holt Renfrew. Holt's is for you, too.

You are on your way to the Royal Ontario Museum as you do this walk, and the Bata Shoe Museum is another couple of blocks west along Bloor.

If I was eatinglunch in the neighborhood, not worried about money, I'd probably go to The Studio Cafe on the second floor of the Four Seasons.

When I actually am in the neighborhood, I eat at lower priced establishments most of the time. Remy's on Yorkville Avenue, some Japanese restaurant (true bargain, price-wise) on Belair between Cumberland and Yorkville Avenues, and, Sassafraz, which is an over-priced se and be seen place at Cumberland and Belair, but I still like it, and the kitchen's usually good.

I don't think of Toronto as a seafood town, but for fun, if you are here on a Saturday morning....

Walk east on Front Street several blocks to The St. Lawrence Market at Front and Jarvis. Go in the south building and walk to the back of the main floor. Buy bagel from St. Urbain, and smoked salmon from any of the fishmongers, then turn around and go to one of the cheese shops and get some cream cheese. Now you've got sdome great snacks for back in the hotel.

Tradition Toronto Saturday morning breakfast is a back bacon on a bun sandwich from the market, too.

There's samdwich pictures in the tourist part of my web site, at www.BrianKilgore.com Look near the top of the opening page (down a bit, under a BAK's Report logo)and you'll see a link to tourist stuff, and then after you go to that page, scroll down a while you'll see the sandwiches.

My favorite up-market restaurant is Oro, a cab ride from the hotel, on Elm Street, just east of Bay. They do fancy things, but I'm a basics kind of eater, and always find something very, very good, too.

BAK

thanks for the information. Zee is Zee's Grill on mt pleasant st,not YYZ(www.zeegrill.com)Have you ever heard of Spuntini's restaurant? We have 5 nights of dining out so I would do places all over town not just near the theater so thanks for the tip on the park hyatt bar. I already have new year's booked and after reading the 2 replies RE: Verona, I made reservations for the night of the theater. Glad Badali's is good as it is near the hotel.appreciate the tips on shopping and walking certain areas.No problem with using the subway-used the heck out of it in London.Most other countries' systems beat the US versions.thanks for all your time and thoughts.looking forward to my first trip to canada.If any of you ever plan a trip to Georgia or South Carolina, let me know so I can return the favor.

I'd go to Starfish, at 100 Adelaide Street East, and joso's, on Davenport near Avenue Road, before Zee Grill, based on several reasons.

I've eaten at Joso's (with a genuine criminal, Lord only knows whose credit card he paid with, but that's another story) and I've held a meeting with the owner of Starfish, based on very positive reviews from conventioneerrs who were very serious food-eaters, and thought the place was great.

When you get to Toronto, buy Toronto Life Eating and Drinking magazine, and it will give you lots of good ideas. it's easy to find in the magazine store in the Royal York.

BAK

Shopping for you: In addition to Holt Renfrew, check out (1) Price Roman on the south side of Queen St a couple of blocks west of University Ave. Price Roman has beautiful locally designed clothes, focusing on evening wear, that perfect suit/outfit for a wedding, and dressy day wear. Exceptionally good quality at amazing prices. (2) Marlowe (another Canadian label) on the west side of Avenue Road just north of Bloor has more somewhat more low key (think Armani) suits and separates. (3) Femme de Carriere (another Canadian label) - in shops of the same name (Holt Renfrew centre) - has less expensive suits and evening clothes. (4) Mendocino (Eaton Centre and Queen St West) and TNT (which stands for The Next Trend (Hazelton Lanes) have funkier casual clothes. TNT is more expensive but has very interesting stuff. Of course, Roots (leather goods and casual clothes for both of you) and Club Monaco are worth a vist - both on Bloor St. Holt Renfrew's private label is a good value (but it stocks all of the designer labels you could hope to find).

One more bit of advice - about shoes (the ones you'll be wearing). It doesn't snow as often or as much as you'd expect in Toronto, but there are often ice patches etc on sidewalks and sometimes light snowfalls (e.g. an inch that disappears). This means that you need at least one pair of shoes or boots with good traction, e.g. a flexible rubber sole with some treads. Also, they sprinkle salt on the sidewalks to melt the ice/snow, which can damage shoes, so don't bring your most expensive leather shoes to walk around. If there is a heavier snowfall, they clear the main streets and sidewalks quite quickly (but you'll still need shoes/boots with good traction - and for going out at night, you might end up wearing boots out and changing into dressier shoes at the restaurant/theatre).

thanks to both of you for all your information!! Have a great holiday season