Hey there! First of all, a big "thanks" for all of the help that I have received so far regarding hotels. We are staying at the Sheraton Centre (got it on Priceline for $65!!) on Friday & Saturday evening (the 7th & 8th of this month). I've looked at some of the other Toronto posts & have managed to confuse myself even more. I need some dining advice for Friday & Saturday evening and b'fast/lunch advice for Saturday & Sunday. Food wise I think we're pretty open. Italian, Steakhouses, Thai, whatever...as long as it's good but not too terribly pricey.

We should be arriving Friday around 5pm or so, so I was wondering if the restaurants in the Sheraton Centre are a viable option? We'll probably want something casual since we'll be getting in from the road, so maybe their bar & grill, Trader's?

Saturday we were planning on hitting the Hockey Hall of Fame & then we have tickets for the Leafs/Habs that evening. Will we have any time for other sightseeing, or will the HHoF take up most of the day?

As far as b'fast Saturday AM, is there a diner close to the hotel? We don't need a fancy brunch or anything. And for lunch, restaurant/bar close to the HoF?

That leaves dinner before the game Saturday evening. I am SO excited for this!! Is there anyplace that just screams "hockey" that we should go to???

Any other suggestions are greatly appreciated! TIA for any any advice!

Oh, also need some good recs for bars....we'd prefer local-type places. Low key, casual beer bars. No martini lounges. Someplace that has darts/pool/shuffleboard would be cool, the "group" consists of 2 couples, and us wives are pregnant, so obviously will not be drinking. Thanks again!

Right down the street from your hotel is the Queen St. W. boutique and restaurant district... there are over a dozen casual "beer Bars" along with pretty good food...this is the Funky area of Toronto with street artists, musicians, and a very bohemian feel... you are also about four blocks from the entertainment district where you will find Montanna's, Al Friscos, and Gretzkys (there's your Hockey bar)...

Near the Hockey Hall is Movenpick Marche, which is a great place for lunch after the Hall...it features several stations each offering different choices in food... all good quality...

On Friday, I would check-in and wander to Queen St W and the Entertainment District... there is a great energy in the area and you should enjoy it... grab a bite anywhere you feel comfortable...

I would recommend the early Saturday start at the Hall of Fame followed by Movenpick for lunch... back to the Hotel for a rest followed by early dinner at Gretzkys... then off to the game...

There are also a few higher end dining choices in the area...Ultra Supper Club... Ruth Chris Steak house... but you will be more comfortable in the choices listed above... Have Fun!

Don't waste your time in the Sheraton Centre's restaurants. Do as Gary22 suggested and go to Queen Street West; there will be lots of casual dining options. East is an inexpensive but trendy-looking pan-Asian restaurant. There is also a branch of Young Thailand, a very good Thai restaurant in Toronto (just north of Queen Street West).

If you wanted to travel just a little further away, to Baldwin Street (about a 15 minute walk), there is a terrific short strip of restaurants with a wide range of cuisines. The street has a great ambiance, probably because of its proximity to the University and the Art College (low prices, funky student options), Queen St West and Chinatown. One of my favourites is Mata Hari Grill (Malaysian), but there's also Italian, Chinese, a French cafe, Chinese, etc. Baldwin runs E-W, parallel to Queen St. Walk West on Queen to Beverley, and then North on Beverley to Baldwin (it doesn't go further east than Baldwin).

You're near Sunset Grill (Richmond and Yonge) so you could eat there for breakfast one day. Or Shopsy's (a deli) at the corner of Front and Yonge near the Hockey Hall of Fame.

If you don't eat at East or have Thai food on Friday night, you could go to Spring Rolls (a pan-Asian place that is part of the same mini-chain as East) on Saturday for lunch. It's east of the HHF, on Front St E.

For Breakfast, try Cora's at Wellington and Blue Jay's way. To get there, walk west or take the street car on Queen to Peter Street. Walk south on Peter to Wellington past King. Coras is on the south east corner. Note that Peter Street is renamed to Blue Jays Way.

The alternative is eggspectation which is at 220 Yonge street in the Eaton Centre complex. Entrance is from Younge. eggspectation is closer than Cora's.

I was just on Baldwin Street the other night and remembered how much I liked it. If you like Chinese food and lobster, go to Wah Sing for their lobster special. Have the one with green onions & ginger -- mmm! mmm!

I agree about not bothering with the restaurants in the hotel. If you want a quick bite there are good food courts in the Eaton Centre which is essentially across the road from you. There's a good one at the south end.

Re breakfast, you'll be near a place called Fran's (across from Massey Hall on Shuter). It's fine for the bacon and egg sort of thing but it's not one of my favourites. Personally I think you should walk up to Victoria and Dundas (behind the Canon Theatre) and go to the Senator -- it's so much better and more interesting.

Gretzky's is definitely hockey-ish, obviously but if you want something closer to the Air Canada Centre, there are places in the Front and Church area and here are some of them:

The Keg (a chain steakhouse)
Shopsys (deli)
The International Beer Garden (various)
Le Papillion (Breton-style crepes and other)
the Hot House (various)
Young Thailand (Thai)
Springrolls (pan Asian)
Penelope's (Greek)
Marche (various and self serve)

I love that you're so enthusiastic about this trip. It's a great city and you're coming at a nice time of the year!

Thanks for all the great tips! I've printed this out to take with us....we leave tomorrow afternoon!

Toronto, here we come!

Saturday morning; leave the hotel, walk south on Yonge Street to Front, and east a couple of blocks to St. Lawrence Market. Get a back bacon on a bun sandwich for breakfast, and eat it on the balcony surrounding the market.

Then walk back west on Front to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Friday night: if you really don't want to leave the hotel for diner, try Le Bifteque, the mid-priced steak house in the hotel. Avoid Traders -- it's been years since I've eaten there, because it was awful the last time.

If you like jazz in grunngy bars, walk wast from the hotel to The Rex, a couple of blocks from the hotel (at St. Patrick.)

BAK

We actually drive 20 minutes to come downtown to eat at Le Biftheque in the hotel. It was started out of Montreal and they have opened a few locations in Toronto, the first was in your hotel. You will have lots of choices for inexpensive meals in the food court at the hotel. It is part of PATH, the underground Pedestrian passageway that connects most of the downtown area so that you don't have to walk outside if the weather happens to be bad. If you want to head up to the Yorkville area after the Hockey Hall of Fame (by cab or subway) you will get a different Toronto experience and find lots of great restaurants and shops. You've gotten a lot of good restaurant choices in the other replies as well.