Toronto Real Estate with the Julie Kinnear Team

King West Village

Top rated restaurants »

(1) Island Foods

Best Roti's in Toronto - always a hopping place - fast food type atmosphere, food is excellent.

(1) Cafe Cinquecento

Great Italian Food, authentic great atmosphere well priced.

Top rated services »

(1) World Hair Salon

Friendly service and a beautful venue, I was referred by a good friend who has gone there for years. I loved the salon, but they cut my hair a bit shorter than I wanted it!

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AND FOR RESTAURANT REVIEW ENTRY FORM.

King West Village is a dynamic community of townhouses, eclectic shops, fashionable restaurants and artist studios minutes from downtown Toronto by the TTC. In recent years, King West has undergone a fantastic transformation that now epitomizes urban living in the city. What makes it one of the hottest areas in Toronto to live and work in?

King West Street Sign

Where there were once huge industrial operations and factories like Macgregor Socks, now sit modern Victorian-style townhomes. Where streets named Massey and Battery Road evoke the manufacturing plants that built the city, now rise spectacular lofts and condominiums served by retail and big box stores such as Dominion, offering nearby cafés, art galleries, trendy bars and restaurants, and parks that provide places to walk, bicycle, rollerblade, and entertain friends.

The area roughly bordered by Spadina, Front, Adelaide and Bathurst is suddenly alive with construction and demolition, renovations and renewals. Developers are grabbing every available lot in the King West area, driving out long-time fixtures and pushing up values. Six recent land sales in the will see 1000 new condominium units, some of them very deluxe indeed, constructed.

King West Village Condos

Contributing to the appeal of the neighbourhood is its rich history: the old factory buildings and warehouses along King & Wellington streets, the famous Wheat Sheaf Tavern which has been a Bathurst & King fixture for more than 150 years, and Victoria Memorial Park, which is actually a cemetery for some of the dead of the war of 1812 and is currently undergoing a $1 million restoration. While King West Village has already lost some of its unique mixed use appeal due to all the changes, the majority of the historical King West buildings are protected, and it is hoped this preservation will prevent the loss of its lively, pedestrian-friendly feel.

The flavour of King West is found not only in its historical roots, but in the modern conveniences of great shops, independent galleries, restaurants and clubs. King West is also parks, carwashes, fitness centers, health food shops and yoga classes. Have a morning coffee at a café and then hop the streetcar for a five-minute ride to Bay Street or the subway station. Or drive to the Gardiner Expressway – it's less than five minutes away.

King West Village Liberty Street

But what really makes King West is the genuine sense of community – residents say that they actually know their neighbours, and see the same people jogging down the street, shopping and having espresso. It's this ambience of community that pervades King West and allows the people here to be at home with urban living.

The location provides residents very easy access to Toronto's business and financial districts – minutes by car or streetcar, while the frequent Bathurst streetcar connects to the Bloor Line in minutes. Famous destinations such as the Skydome, Exhibition Place, Harbourfront, Fort York and the Toronto Islands are also all very accessible.

King West Village Townhouses

King Street itself offers shops, professional services and restaurants that serve the area's day-to-day needs. In terms of local recreation, Stanley Park is a favourite neighbourhood meeting place, offering baseball diamonds, tennis courts, an outdoor pool, and a soccer field. The community centre located on its grounds is used for residents' meetings, community-based programs and social functions.

With close proximity to another uber-trendy neighbourhood, Queen Street West, King West Village offers few bargains; however one advantage to those wishing to purchase in this rapidly emerging area is that properties are fairly large by downtown standards, offering big underground garages and elevations up to 20 stories.

Map of King West Village - Click for Larger Version

Map of King West Village