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A deeply cultural ethnic enclave now populated by artsy boutiques, creative galleries and culinary ingénues, Queen West brightens the West End of Toronto with youthful energy, famous designers, broadcast geniuses and hipster musicians. Running through the Queen West district for two kilometres, the strip known as Queen Street West happily mixes commerce and culture into a dynamic shopping, art and nightlife destination where locals raise a glass to visitors from across the globe.

Toronto’s creative heart lies in Queen Street West, where a night of dining and drinking could mean anything from microbrews and smokehouse barbecue to fig-grappa clafoutis tarts, molecular cocktails, rockabilly taverns and tiki-hut culture from the 1970s. Indie, acoustic and Canadiana music permeates the pubs and clubs, even spilling over into more traditional venues such as the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, known colloquially as MOCCA. Images from the motherland take centre stage at Stephen Bulger Gallery, featuring Canadian photography and free film screenings in an on-site theatre.

Queen Street West dashes through the downtown district of Toronto west of Bathurst Street, connecting or crossing other major roadways such as Gladstone, Simcoe, Dufferin and Yonge. Subways, streetcar lines, buses and GO Transit commuter trains all service Queen West, with a major transportation hub at Dundas West station. Automobiles are not necessary for exploring Queen Street West or its adjacent blocks, as the eateries, music venues, shops and comedy clubs run together in a continual string of nonstop action.

Although Queen Street West is a trendy area in Toronto these days, it hasn’t always been that way. For its first 60 years, it was known Lot Street, renamed in 1837 to honour Queen Victoria. The Queen Street neighbourhood has traditionally been home to thriving ethnic communities such as Irish and Jewish immigrants, a Chinatown district at the intersection of Queen and Bay Streets, and gathering spots for newcomers from Poland, Portugal and Ukraine.