Distillery District
The Distillery District is a popular Toronto destination featuring a variety of boutique shops and restaurants in a historic setting
The brick-lined streets of the carefully restored Distillery Historic District are limited to pedestrian traffic making it an ideal place to relax and explore on foot. Numerous outdoor patios and restaurants create a interesting vibrant experience. You wont find any franchise stores here! The film industry has used this location for filming many popular movies.
This was the original site of the Gooderham and Worts Distillery - the largest distillery in the world by the 1860s. The de-industrialization of neighbouring areas finally resulted in shutting down all remaining distillery operations by 1990. In 2001, the rundown Distillery District, was reclaimed and transformed into a historical district with a unique collection of boutiques, art galleries, coffeehouses, restaurants and more. It also became the home to two theatre companies; the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, Soulpepper Theatre Company and the George Brown College School Of Performing Arts. This reclamation project has preserved the largest collection of Victorian industrial buildings in North America.
The Historic Distillery District hosts the popular Toronto Christmas Market each year from mid November through mid December. It's one of the top rated Christmas Markets in the world — definitely worth a visit if you are in Toronto during that time.
The unique atmosphere and lighting at nighttime make this an ideal place to enjoy a date or romantic evening out.
The Distillery District is easy to get to by a combination of the TTC Subway and Streetcar or Bus. See the map and directions or use our instant route-finder below.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: NoDistillery District Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Friday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Sunday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Address: 55 Mill St, Toronto, ON M5A 3C4, Canada
Phone: (416) 364-1177
Official Website: Distillery District
Distillery District Reviews
Rated out of 5
A fun and nostalgic space especially during Xmas time, although it can get quite busy. Summertime is also an enjoyable experience to sit on a patio and have a drink. It's nice to just walk around and enjoy the festivities and architecture. Some shops and restaurants can be overpriced but it's possible to find some reasonable places. To avoid the long lines, it's best to go during the week and arrive a bit earlier before evening.
Danny - a month ago
We walk from Union station through the Laurence market to Distillery District. Beautiful places with old buildings make a very special spirit of brewery industry where you can enjoy street music and tasty bakery, and pubs. Street decor is very impressive with old style elements.
Oksana Sivers - a week ago
What a unique & historic pit stop during our Toronto vacation! The Distillery district is an area of preserved historic buildings that are now shops, coffee shops, bars & places to eat! It was so beautiful to walk around & take in the historical beauty of the buildings while enjoying shopping. Very clean & easy to navigate! Easy street parking a couple blocks over & very easy to walk around. Some highlights of our Distillery visit includes Balazacs coffee shop, street vendors, reading about the buildings history & taking photos of the beautiful buildings! Loved the vibe here & was so happy we made time for this during our Toronto visit!
Heather Boswick - 2 weeks ago
We love coming down and spending the day here!
Several good options for lunch, dinner, and desserts, as well as for coffee, tea, or hot chocolate!
Relatively accessible by TTC, and there's a decent amount of parking available.
Note that Friday and Saturday evenings tend to get really crowded... but that's a bit of the charm down here...
EV Palisoc - a month ago
I really enjoyed my visit to the Distillery District in Toronto. It’s a fantastic place to wander around and soak up the charm of a Victorian-style neighborhood. If you're looking for a fun outing with friends or family, this is a great spot.
The district has a wonderful mix of unique shops and delicious food options, so there's always something interesting to discover. The blend of history, shopping, and dining makes the Distillery District a place I’d recommend to anyone looking to experience a bit of Toronto’s vibrant culture.
Honey Grace Leopando - 2 weeks ago
Directions
| TTC Subway Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Yonge-University-Spadina | King or St. Andrew Station | 1 Minute |
| Bloor-Danforth | Castle Frank Station | 3 Minutes |
How to get to Distillery District by TTC Subway
From King or St. Andrew Station on the Yonge-University-Spadina Line take the #514 Cherry streetcar east to Distillery Loop located next to the east entrance.
From Castle Frank Station on the Bloor-Danforth Line take the #65 Parliament bus south to Parliament at Front Street. The entrance is just over 1 block farther south on your left.
Map & Instant Route Finder
Click&Go Map and Route Finder with public transit, walking, driving or cycling directions. Get up-to-the-minute transit times for your route.
Accommodations near Distillery District:
Photo Gallery
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The Stonehouse Distillery at night cc licensed photo by 416style -
Photo Credit: vlitvinov - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: kasio69 - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Photographing Travis - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Can Pac Swire - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: daryl_mitchell - cc license via Flickr
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