EXPLORE
HARBORD VILLAGE
Eclectic Harbord Street is
the main thoroughfare of
Harbord Village, a quiet
area that’s full of restaurants,
bookshops and local charm.
Sam James Coffee Bar
Since 2009, Sam James
has run his eponymous
coffee shop on Harbord.
“I love the neighbour-
hood,” he explains.
“It’s central to every-
thing, but it somehow
feels out of the city.”
As for what to do, “I like
to go down a block to
Bitondo’s (11 Clinton St.)
to get pizza,” he says.
“I sit outside on the
bench no matter the
weather and enjoy a
fresh slice.” He also
recommends stopping
by Bickford Park
(400 Grace St.), a perfect
spot to hang out, play
sports or go skating.
28 WHERE
FEBRUARY-APRIL 2018
bakkaphoenixbooks.com
COFFEE BREAK
Sam James Coff ee Bar helped
bring new life to a once-derelict
strip of Harbord Street, giving the
surrounding area a community
hub to call home. Th e shop off ers
espresso and fi ltered coff ees (ask
for a hand-ground siphon brew),
as well as pastries from local
favourites Glory Hole Doughnuts
and the Tempered Room. Seating
is limited, but the laid-back view
makes it worth waiting for a
window seat. 297 Harbord St.,
samjamescoffeebar.com
FRIED DELIGHTS
Harbord Fish and Chips is a
Toronto institution, deep-frying
battered goodness years before
the many fancy seafood joints
that came in its wake. You won’t
get any homemade sauces or
curries here, but Harbord focuses
on what it does best: freshly
battered fi sh and crispy chips.
It even wraps its orders in
newspaper. 147 Harbord St.
CLOTHES SHOP
If you’re looking for women’s
fashions with a tropical fl air that
are still practical for day-to-day
wear, visit this storefront of
private Canadian label Zade
Jones. Th e shop off ers ready-to-
wear lines that are both stylish
and adventurous. 295 Harbord St.,
zadejones.com
ART HOP
Rebecca Gallery is hidden in a
renovated one-time residential
home covered in leafy green
ivy. Owner Kerry Fitzmaurice
Local Insider
BOOK SHOP
Bakka-Phoenix is Canada’s
oldest science-fi ction and
fantasy bookstore, serving
lovers of the genres for more
than 45 years. Here you’ll fi nd
everything from classics like
Frank Herbert’s Dune to George
R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and
Fire, plus graphic novels and a
section for sci-fi -loving kids that
includes a Doctor Who–themed
Mr. Men series. 84 Harbord St.,