Taylor Newlands

5 days ago | foodism.to | Hunter Gutman |Taylor Newlands |Katie Bridges

Offering a different, slower experience than many of the city's best drinking dens, Toronto's top whisky bars are for the real aficionados. Here, you'll find shelves stocked with rare bottles and special releases, often hand-picked by their knowledgeable owners. Prepare to pore over novel-length menus — Toronto's best whisky bars take pride in their enormous selections, with hundreds of spirits lining the walls like a drinkable art installation.

2 weeks ago | foodism.to | Taylor Newlands

Wine terminology flies around the room faster than I can grab onto. It’s not just tasting notes and tannins, which I can usually guess my way through. We’re talking technical — yeast inoculation and dozens of other things I don’t understand. I’m a wine “enthusiast,” let’s say — I love to drink wine, and I want to understand why I like what I like. But I’m in way over my head as the only journalist amongst a group of wine professionals today. How do you picture a group like this?

3 weeks ago | foodism.to | Taylor Newlands

I've long loved 1 Hotel Toronto for its environmental focus, reclaimed wood furniture and the oodles of live plants adorning the property. It's also got its fare share of drinking and dining destinations — Casa Madera gets all the hype for its vibey atmosphere and Harriet's Rooftop offers one of the best patios in Toronto. But the stunning Flora Lounge in the lobby and the adjacent 1 Kitchen remain relatively under the radar.

1 month ago | escapism.to | Taylor Newlands

I’ve been stuck in a rut. Even when your job is as exciting as being a food and travel writer, the banality of everyday life can be taxing. So, when I get the chance to go on Jen Fabel’s Soulful Radiance Retreat, I jump at the opportunity. I’ve never done anything like this before. I’ve gone on spa weekends and wellness getaways that are all about escaping from life to carve out time for self-care in the form of healthy indulgence and pampering. This Ontario wellness retreat is entirely different.

1 month ago | foodism.to | Taylor Newlands

Solid cocktails, a menu of tasty South American-inspired bites and one of the best bottomless brunches in the city made Marked Restaurant my go-to spot whenever I needed an easy, crowd-pleaser. I've been there with friends, dates and even my family. Now the downtown Toronto restaurant has transformed into Runway06. The sprawling space feels louder and flashier than before. On a Thursday evening after work, EDM is bumping out of the speakers, even though most diners don't arrive until much later.