My Neighbourhood

My Neighbourhood: The Beaches

Matt Foster and his young family have called the Beaches home for ten years. With weekends often revolving around his two daughters, Noa and Grace, here’s how Matt would spend his dream day in the Beaches.

8:00am:

My daughters are 5 and 7, which means our dream day starts at one of the many parks close to our home. When the weather's nice, my wife, Becky, and I will often grab a half-dozen fresh bagels and cream cheese from Bagels on Fire and two large coffees from Remarkable Bean and have a picnic at Purple Park while the kids play. Because there’s a leashfree area nearby, we'll bring our dog, Maggie, so that she can play with the other dogs in the water.

10:00am:

After breakfast, we’ll often do a few errands since we’re out. That’s a great thing about the Beaches — everything is so convenient and accessible. We’ll usually grab our fruits and veggies from Carload since they’re well priced, and their stuff is always the freshest. We’ll also join the line at Cobs and get some bread. My kids love the scones, especially berry and white chocolate.

12:00pm:

For lunch, we love to stop at Delina — their food is so good! It's Mediterranean, so its different proteins and salads are great when you’re keeping it healthy. I love the tabbouleh, and the garlic sauce is downright addictive. They just opened a second location on Kingston Road, which is conveniently close to our house. If we’re craving something more carby, we’ll go to Soman Superstar, which in my opinion, makes the best sandwiches in the city. They make their own Soman — a Bosnian flatbread — and it is incredible. Try the Loaded Sandwich with hot peppers and pickles. It’s my favourite.

1:30pm:

I love trying different craft beers. So if we're seeing friends, I’ll swing by one of the fantastic microbreweries in the area to grab some to share. In particular, I’m loving Beaches Brewing Co. on Queen Street.

4:00pm:

My wife and I haven't had the opportunity to go on many dates during the pandemic. But now that places are opening up, we're trying to take advantage. But first, we always grab dinner for the kids at

Tony and Claudia’s on Fallingbrook.

It's a real treat for them. My daughter Grace says they have the best meatballs. (I’ve tried them, and I have to agree with her!).

7:00pm:

Once the kids are settled, and our nanny has arrived to babysit, we’ll sneak out for dinner. We always like to try something new, and there are so many great options in the area. We’ve recently enjoyed going to The Beech Tree on Kingston Road. That’s what makes living in East Toronto so wonderful — there’s so much to do right outside your door, and the rest of the city is easily accessible.