Distillery Historic District
Distillery Historic District
4.5
About
The Distillery District is an internationally acclaimed village of brick-lined streets and dozens of vibrantly restored Victorian Industrial buildings. It’s one of Ontario’s hottest tourist attractions and home to live theatres, galleries, fashion, design and jewelry boutiques, unique cafes and award-winning restaurants. It’s all completely closed to traffic and just a few minutes walk from downtown Toronto.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Downtown
At the heart of Toronto, Downtown is the destination for cheap eats and fast fashion. Cut through by hip and trendy Yonge Street, the vibe here is young, with a strong student influence from the Ryerson University Campus. As a result, the Downtown area is always in flux: undergoing the construction of new facilities, with fresh retail spaces and pop-up cafes. Home to Toronto's largest indoor shopping mall, a number of vintage cinemas, and a healthy nightlife centered on the area's Distillery District bar and clubs near the East End, it's both an easygoing daytime spot and a popular party place after sunset. It also features some of Toronto's best outdoor landmarks, including Yonge-Dundas Square and the Nathan Phillips Square: perfect for a concert, a skate, or a relaxing sit-down.
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Restaurants
3,751 within 5 kms
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730 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Zainab AToronto, Canada1 contributionDistillery in the daytime or nighttime??I love walking around the Distillery and exploring different stores and cafes. This time I visited in the morning and noticed that it's less busy, which means you get a better chance to appreciate the architecture and explore the art galleries. At night, it's more lively and the atmosphere is magical, especially when the winter village goes live. I find that weekdays are the best time to visit if you want to avoid crowds. I found this Distillery District map helpfulVisited October 2023Travelled with friendsWritten November 16, 2023
- Erika K2 contributionsBang for your BuckWe highly recommend this! My husband and I shopped around the distillery district first during the Winter Festival. Really beautiful and lots of nice shops. Our tour was with David and he was very knowledgeable and did an excellent job! Everything was very interesting, and we were taken to areas we wouldn't have went to had we not done the tour. David was so kind and fun. Highly highly recommend !!! Worth your buck.Visited November 2023Travelled soloWritten November 23, 2023
- EmLieselBirmingham, United Kingdom227 contributionsWorth a visit when in TorontoWe visited while in Toronto in February. It was a long cold walk but worth it. Given the time of the year it was really quiet which was really nice and as we didn't have to fight the crowds. We loved the red brick architecture and walking around the historic buildings. There is a great collection of shops and cafes and something for everyone. The prices were reasonable it was a really nice place to visit.Visited February 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten December 12, 2023
- Cggrimm07Blackburn, United Kingdom299 contributionsDistillery district, cool place to visitInteresting place to visit we visited in December so they had the Christmas market on , we visited during the day there were lots of stalls and shops to spend your time perusing. The Xmas decorations were a little different but the Dior Xmas tree looked fantastic. I would like to visit the area without the Christmas market to get a better picture of the distillery district it seemed like a chilled area to visit.Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten January 7, 2024
- Stefan OvertonColchester, United Kingdom229 contributionsInsta FriendlyIf you’re wanting some pics for the gram then this is a good place to go. A few installations to take pictures with (shown in pics attached). For the time of year we went, there wasn’t much open and it was pretty deserted so can’t give this a proper review but from what we saw, it was fun and I expect this is bustling in the Summer but we went in the Winter time. I’m still glad I went as there are still a few things to see. I would say, the surrounding areas are pretty run down and isn’t the prettiest of areas to be in.Visited January 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten February 9, 2024
- vegetarian-girlAustin, Texas543 contributionsGreat date venueMy husband & I visited on a rainy day which took away from the experience but I can picture couples going on dates there because it was very charming & the industrial setting so quaint. There was a New Orleans theme going on & it reminds me of the warehouse district there. At night, it must be a great place to go with the lights & lively atmosphere.Visited May 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten May 18, 2024
- Fearless7789662 contributionsGood place to knowI’ve stayed there in the weekend and I loved it. You find a lot of stores, restaurants and good places to take a beer and wine. The atmosphere is friendly. Everybody needs to know and enjoy the place.Visited June 2024Travelled soloWritten June 27, 2024
- ChaitanyaCambridge, Canada1,457 contributionsGreat Visiting SpotGreat place to go with your partner and just walk around the streets and get the feel for victorian style neighbourhood. Good place to take friends and out of town relatives. Lots of shopping and food options and they most often have events for weekends or holiday seasons.Visited June 2024Travelled with familyWritten August 19, 2024
- Rosemary M39 contributionsNeighborhoods in TorontoThis shopping and entertainment area is built on the site of the old Godderham & Worts Distillery. Apart from the architectural significance, there is shopping, bars & coffee shops and it is one of the best Xmas Markets in the world. It is within walking distance to the Port of Toronto and Marina with bicycle and walking trails and a ferry to Toronto Island Park.Visited July 2024Travelled soloWritten August 20, 2024
- Travel Blog Anna Blunschi509 contributionsgreat industrial architectureThis district east of the city centre is characterised by industrial architecture from the 19th century. The area has been declared as a historic monument. Not surprising, as it is rare to see architecture from this period so well preserved in North America. There are imposing Victorian buildings, chicly converted warehouses, lofts with high ceilings and cobbled streets full of character.Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten August 21, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
8,345 reviews
Excellent
4,157
Very good
3,130
Average
863
Poor
136
Terrible
59
MandaGo
Gold Coast, Australia49 contributions
Dec 2019
Went here while I was visiting Toronto with some friends. We went online just to find out more details and saw that you had to purchase tickets to enter, so we bought tickets which ended up costing around 35 dollars each. We got to the location and there was a giant line up that wrapped around the entire building, so we asked one of the volunteers if we had to wait in line since we already had purchased tickets (or if there was a seperate line for people who had purchased tickets previously). They told us no, so we went into the back of the line which we waited for close to an hour to get in.
We asked a couple of others who were in the line if they had bought tickets and everyone kept saying no. We finally get to the front and we notice everyone is just going straight on in, it wasn't until we asked someone about our tickets that they mentioned: "oh we can scan them."
WASTE OF MONEY.
If we had of known you can get in for free, we wouldn't have bought tickets. Also the customer service of whoever deals with the sales of these tickets is absolutely terrible.
So next Christmas markets, save your money for some mulled wine :)
We asked a couple of others who were in the line if they had bought tickets and everyone kept saying no. We finally get to the front and we notice everyone is just going straight on in, it wasn't until we asked someone about our tickets that they mentioned: "oh we can scan them."
WASTE OF MONEY.
If we had of known you can get in for free, we wouldn't have bought tickets. Also the customer service of whoever deals with the sales of these tickets is absolutely terrible.
So next Christmas markets, save your money for some mulled wine :)
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
N S
Ottawa, Canada491 contributions
Nov 2019
A popular area for Christmas shopping and restaurants in the summer and holiday season. $5.00 per person charge for the dubious privelege of joining the crowds at the Christmas Market on weekends. It does house one of Toronto's best theatre companies, Soulpepper.
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Str8_Shot
Toronto, Canada22 contributions
Aug 2019
I was hoping that there was going to be some really interesting historical facts about this re-purposed area, but I found little. Every store and restaurant was over-priced and the parking was not cheap. I don't care for shopping but am interested in food, history, and art. The food caters to the masses and as such I do not think the establishments are interested in quality service. The art galleries had some interesting items, but nothing that other places in Toronto don't have. Did like Corktown Designs.
Written February 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reza Sattarzadeh
Muscat, Oman2,539 contributions
Jul 2020 • Solo
Distillery District is that area of town where you truly feel that you're walking in a historical setting. From the old buildings, most of which have become bars and restaurants, to art installations, the walking in the district is a rewarding experience. It can get very busy during the touristy season, though that matters on the time of the day. Expect to stop at a few points to take photos.
Written August 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nimit
Washington DC, DC23 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
Was lucky to visit this during the light festival. The decor is nice and there are a lot of nice places to go grab a drink and food. Good effort has been put into the lighting and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a nice evening in the city.
Written February 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gary K
Oakville, Canada2 contributions
Dec 2021 • Couples
Im my opinion its good for Torontonions but nothing to rave about if you are visiting from any major global city and no Toronto is not a world class city. Whats so good about this place? Standing in line to grab a pint in one of the 3 bars in this "distillary district". Every place has lineups to get in, so if its a spur of a moment thibg to go there you will be out of luck to eat anywhere. You need reservations for most of the venues. Make sure to go before 4pm during the Christmas Market its free, after 4pm its 8 bucks.
I will say its decent to take a few pics if you have little kids and want some outdoor pics with some giant christmas tree. Otherwise trust me you will leave in 20 minutes.
I will say its decent to take a few pics if you have little kids and want some outdoor pics with some giant christmas tree. Otherwise trust me you will leave in 20 minutes.
Written December 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Culture42788
Toronto, Canada39 contributions
Dec 2019
One of Toronto's oldest downtown areas, the historic Distillery District has become one of the hippest locales in the city -- fine restaurants, the city's most interesting theatre company (Soulpepper) and artsy shops galore. Parking is a bit tricky but if the weather is good dip your toes in. It's hot.
Written March 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul W
Taplow, UK44 contributions
Dec 2019
Made the mistake of walking to the Distillery district from the harbour, lots of construction along the harbour side en route. The Distillery district provides photo opportunities for a number of interesting artefacts. (War of the wolrds alien statue, Heart Stature, Gren peace sign) We visiuted just after Xmas so missed all the Christmas stalls. The Tree was still lit. We stopped at a bar and had a nice drink and nibbles but that was probably the highlight of my trip to the district. After reading so many reviews of the area was expecting a little more
Written January 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BeachBuddha
Leeds, UK669 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
This place wasnt our cup of tea.
We visited mid afternoon and it was very quiet with not many places open. I believe it could be better in the evening.
We expected it to be old buildings converted into cafe bars and bars but there didn't seem to be many of them.
Lots of abstract statues.
We visited mid afternoon and it was very quiet with not many places open. I believe it could be better in the evening.
We expected it to be old buildings converted into cafe bars and bars but there didn't seem to be many of them.
Lots of abstract statues.
Written February 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rostand63
Tampa62 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
Many of the lights were on and working in various art works, AS art, and exhibits for kids, even though long past Christmas. The area is very old English, with cobblestone walkways and small brick buildings. It was cold and a little rainy which is probably why everything wasn't on. What we did see was impressive!
Written January 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
anna22389062110
Nigeria
13 contributions
Awesome idea
Written January 3, 2021
Great place but closed only pick up and deliveries
Written January 4, 2021
is there a bus service on front street from union st, to parliament st.
Written January 14, 2020
If you want to get to Parliament, go north from Union to Queen Street and take the 501 streetcar.
However, if you want to get to the Distillery District, take the 121A bus from just outside of Union Station.
Written January 25, 2020
You can park on front street, mill street or parliament street which is in that area of the distillery district.
Written August 22, 2019
With only 10,000 photos on Instagram (while other tourist sites have 100,000) and reading their site about a photography permit my impression is you are very limited on what you can photograph without paying for a permit. Can anyone confirm this?
Written June 4, 2019
No issues here. A group of 10 took many photos. Also weddings in the area were taking shots. No problem taking any of the artwork as we walked through such as LOVE sign, red heart.
Written June 26, 2019
Are there any baby changing stations and/or nursing rooms near by?
Written September 25, 2018
Sorry but I didn’t really pay attention while I was there, however I got this from the internet hope it’s helpful.
“The Distillery Historic District is an accessible site and provides for mobility-accessible parking, ramp access to buildings, shops and restaurants, washrooms with child changing facilities.”
Written September 27, 2018
Which working distilleris and breweries offer tours and tasting?
Written August 3, 2018
None. Here the distilleries do no work anymore. The area is a turistic pedastrian area with shops and bars
Written August 3, 2018
What time in the morning would be best to avoid crowds? I will be there on a weekday at the end of August.
Thank you in advance ❤️
Written August 1, 2018
I was there on a cold spring day.... by end of April 2018... unusually cold as I was said, and it was extremely calm with just a few shops opened.
Written August 2, 2018
What time in the morning would be best to avoid crowds? I will be there on a weekday at the end of August.
Thank you in advance ❤️
Written August 1, 2018
Any time before 4 pm is fine. However - if you also want to have dinner or see a play it will have to be the evening, in which case mid-week is your best bet
Written August 1, 2018
Underground parking entrance is off of Cherry Street just north of the Gardiner Expressway. Here is a great app for parking which allows you to pick your location, date and time range for parking and it will show you all parking in that area and the costs. It is super helpful. I love it! parkopedia
Written May 12, 2018
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