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2 weeks 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.
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3 weeks ago | 
foodism.to | Taylor Newlands
Tucked away in the quaint cobblestone-lined Distillery District, Cluny Bistro & Boulangerie is a beautiful, sprawling restaurant. Brick walls add a down-to-earth charm to the elegant French bistro, while the intricate details on the floor and ceiling pull the eye in every direction. In the warmer months, it's also got a beautiful garden patio.
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2 months ago | 
escapism.to | Taylor Newlands
Whistler is known for being one of the best ski slopes in the world in the winter and a top-notch biking destination in the summer. But the Canadian resort town deserves a lot more credit for its infrastructure. Between outdoor adventures, folks can explore the beautiful, walkable town at the base of the mountain and fuel up at the best Whistler restaurants.
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Jan 6, 2025 | 
escapism.to | Taylor Newlands
I was stuck in a rut and feeling burnt out. Even when you're job is as exciting as being a food and travel writer, the banality and stress of everyday life can be taxing. So when Mazda invites me down to Palm Springs, California for a weekend getaway to test drive the new CX-70 hybrid SUV, I jump at the offer. The trip starts with a first-class flight, which is already a life-changing experience.
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Dec 10, 2024 | 
escapism.to | Taylor Newlands
"That’s it?” I ask nervously as I’m handed the keys to a CanaDream Maxi Motorhome after a surprisingly speedy check-in. I almost want to turn back and just spend our vacation in Vancouver. I’ve long loved watching van-life romanticized in Instagram reels, but as a downtown dweller born and raised in Toronto, I never thought I would actually live in an RV — even for a week-long road trip.
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Oct 23, 2024 | 
foodism.to | Taylor Newlands
A spacious, golden dining room at Yonge and St. Clair, Ultra is Midtown's answer to the best downtown Toronto restaurants and the seductive resto-lounges of King West, but with a much more comfortable atmosphere. It's not one of the newest Toronto restaurants, but since taking over the former Arthur space, Ultra has flown relatively under the radar, perhaps because the restaurant caters to a more mature crowd.
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Sep 3, 2024 | 
foodism.to | Taylor Newlands
Last year, when we first visited Maxime's, the new Toronto restaurant drew us in with its glowing entranceway, seduced us with its alluring atmosphere and surprised us with its menu of succulent steaks. Now, we're revisiting Maxime's as a seafood restaurant to dive into the oceanic offerings and see what's changed. In a year, Maxime's has become one of the best restaurants in downtown Toronto, and has introduced Le Jardin, a seasonal sidewalk patio shrouded in greenery.
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Aug 30, 2024 | 
foodism.to | Taylor Newlands
"A playground for taste and sound.” The website description makes me smirk, but when I visit Rhapsody, it’s clear the statement is more than just a grabby tagline. Past the blacked-out façade on Ossington Avenue, eyes are pulled in every direction by the bar’s intricate décor — thought up by owner Dan Eyimina, who’s also behind Little Italy’s Mrs. Robinson.
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Aug 15, 2024 | 
foodism.to | Taylor Newlands
First date or tenth date — it's hard to constantly come up with romantic restaurants. And our wallets can only handle visiting the best restaurants in Toronto about once a year. Dating is no fun if you have to declare bankruptcy afterwards. There are a lot of great bars in the city, but (at the risk of sounding ancient) some of them are just too loud for the soft, lilting conversation that goes along with the early stages of dating.
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Aug 14, 2024 | 
foodism.to | Taylor Newlands
The Drake has been a Toronto institution since time immemorial. No, not really. But it did open 20 years ago, shaking up the West Queen West strip and setting the seedy area down a path of gentrification that would lead it to become one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world. Since then, The Drake has opened its new Modern Wing, and expanded to Prince Edward County with The Drake Devonshire and The Drake Motor Inn.
