Know A Neighbourhood – Roncesvalles

by CHRISTINE SIROIS for Urbane Magazine
FROM VOL I: Issue 1, Spring 2010

Although Roncesvalles Avenue has looked more like one big construction site than a destination for travel over the last few months, remember the old adage: looks can be deceiving. The pavement and streetcar tracks on the stretch of road between Dundas St. West to the north and Queen St. West to the south seems to be catching up with the rest of the neighbourhood, which has been growing in both population and popularity over the last 10 years or so.

According the Roncesvalles Business Improvement Area’s website, the neighbourhood came to be through donations of land by John Howard, Toronto’s first surveyor, and Colonel Walter O’Hara, who named Roncesvalles after the gorge where he fought during the Battle of the Pyrenees in 1813. Many of the homes in the neighbourhood are from the early 1900’s, when the neighbourhood experienced its first boom in growth. Up until World War II, most of the residents of Roncesvalles were of British decent. After the war, a large number of Polish immigrants settled in the area. Their influence is still strong today, with many polish businesses bustling from day to day. Roncesvalles is also home to Toronto’s Polish Festival, which happens in the fall and is, according to BlogTO, the largest in North America.

Cafe Polonez (195 Roncesvalles Avenue) harkens back to a bygone era. Despite recent renovations, there is still a homey feel to the restaurant that dishes out Eastern European soul food full of cabbage, celeriac, beets and poppy seeds that rivals your Babcia’s. A “half-portion” of their Wiener Schnitzel ($9) comes with a heap of mashed potatoes, deli-style coleslaw, shredded beets, steamed veggies, sauerkraut and an egg fried sunny side up.

There are at least a dozen coffee shops and espresso bars along Roncesvalles Ave., however, according to locals, there are only three places that matter

For a slightly lighter fare, Mitzi’s Café (100 Sorauren Avenue) continues to be a popular breakfast spot. Although the menu is limited, the quality of the food is top notch and the prices are reasonable (scrambled eggs were $10.99). The deck out front makes dining alfresco a pleasure in the warmer months and the interior is cozy in the winter. And while the espresso at Mitzi’s is decent, there is a battle royale going on along Roncesvalles and those who live in the Village pledge their loyalty to one of three espresso bars along the strip.

There are at least a dozen coffee shops and espresso bars along Roncesvalles Ave., however, according to locals, there are only three places that matter. Alternative Grounds (333 Roncesvalles Avenue), was among the first Toronto cafés to serve Fair-Trade coffee and espresso. Roasting their own beans, this café has earned has the allegiance of many, however surly staff and burnt beans were a turnoff on both visits. Down the road at Cherry Bomb (79 Roncesvalles Avenue) is a favourite for those who take their coffee to go. With little seating but tasty brews using beans from the Dark City roastery, it is tough to get a seat at the best of times, but worth lingering around if you can get one. For a true sit-down experience, Lit Espresso Bar (221 Roncesvalles Avenue ) is the neighbourhood favourite. Brewing beverages with beans from Stumptown Coffee Roasters out of Portland, Oregon, Lit’s baristas are competent, making foam that is silky and smooth, not lumpy and saggy, poured precisely into a leaf or heart design. If the coffee does not tempt you to stay, the baked goods and paninis probably will.
Once sufficiently caffeinated, a stroll down the street, lined with charming boutiques and shops, is a necessary next step. Mrs. Huizenga’s (121 Roncesvalles Avenue) is a veritable trove of vintage and antique finds. Huizenga’s website does the best job describing their shop that is “teeming with undiscovered favorites, furnishings large and small, old books with lovely covers [and] new jewelry made with vintage findings”.

The Film Buff (73 Roncesvalles Avenue) boasts an impressive collection of arthouse, classic, indie and foreign films as well as a notable selection of Criterion Collection films for your take home enjoyment. Their catalogue, excluding new releases, is listed alphabetically on their website (http://www.thefilmbuff.com/). For an evening out, the Revue Cinema (400 Roncesvalles Avenue) may not be the most thrilling multi-media experience but its charm and history certainly make up for its lack of multi-plex amenities. On its website, the Revue Cinema proudly boasts about its roots, stating that it has occupied the same address on Roncesvales for almost a hundred year. Opening in 1912 and closing briefly in 2004 until June 2006, the Revue has earned the distinction of being one of the oldest continuously running movie theatres in the Canada. The Revue now operates as “a community-run not-for-profit cinema” showing second-run films. It is a great opportunity to catch films that you may not have had a chance to see the first time around. Standing the test of time, the Revue is a symbol of the tenacity of the neighbourhood on the whole.

With its roots deep in Toronto’s history, Roncesvalles is in the midst of a re-birth. While many of the shops hold on to old-time traditions (many are closed on Mondays) there is a pleasant mix of old world charm and an astute trendiness that is only going to blossom once the dust settles and the streetcars are up and running again.