Looking for a meal or drinks before the big game or show? Here are the best places to eat near BMO Field and bustling Liberty Village.
The west-end neighbourhood of Liberty Village has a dynamic vibe and a great location right by the Canadian National Exhibition and BMO Field, home to professional sports teams, Toronto FC and Toronto Argonauts.
From pre-game brunch to post-matchup beer and burgers, you’ve got plenty to choose from in this exciting pocket of the city.
Best brunch in Liberty Village
Get to OEB Breakfast Co. early (or join their Yelp waitlist) so you can skip the line and dive into one of their breakfast poutines, eggs Benedict options or French toast.
The vast menu features classic flavours and inventive signature options (pierogies and duck confit, anyone?), so everyone, from the littles to grandparents, will surely find something they love.
Best burgers in Liberty Village
Popup-turned-bricks-and-mortar joint Burger Drops serves juicy smash burgers (made with premium AAA beef) and top-notch crinkle fries, onion rings and curly fries.
Get the cheese fries (crinkle fries topped with cheese sauce and pickled jalapeno relish) for an incredibly decadent side. Not into red meat? Their chicken nuggets and sandwich hold their own, too.
If you’re craving something fancier than American cheese on your burger, pop over to Aloette Go in the Liberty Market Building instead.
Their Aloette Burger features a quarter-pound beef patty, griddled Emmental, dijonaise, shredded lettuce and pickled onions.
Best café in Liberty Village
Find a table amongst the locals working out of Arvo’s natural light-filled space and get your caffeine fix alongside stellar food.
The cured trout toast and braised brisket brekkie rosti bowl are especially satisfying. After 3 p.m., indulge in their appy hour with specials on wine and nibbles such as honey feta dip.
Best gluten-free in Liberty Village
Focusing on minimally processed, nutrient-dense ingredients, Impact Kitchen will have you feeling pretty virtuous about your healthy life choices.
Everything from their power bowls to their sandwiches is packed with a rainbow of ingredients, and you can add healthy proteins to the bowls, such as grass-fed steak or organic, non-GMO tempeh.
Sip on wholesome smoothies, bone or mushroom broths and cold-pressed juices.
Best Italian in Liberty Village
Head upstairs to NODO Liberty, where a breezy, Mediterranean-inspired dining room and patio await.
You can’t go wrong by starting with the arancini Siciliani (Crispy rice balls filled with mozzarella, peas and meat ragu) and continuing with a salad, pizza and/or pasta. (The orecchiette with homemade Italian sausage, rapini, chilis, and mascarpone ticks off all the creamy/carby/spicy/meaty boxes.)
Unless you opt for a meat or seafood entree instead: the half chicken is pan-roasted to perfection!
Best brewery in Liberty Village
Something in the Water Brewing Co.’s flagship and taproom in the Liberty Market Building serves up nearly a dozen bevvies on tap (from their Pancake Bay Sweet Brunch Stout to an Espresso Sunrise Pale Ale), and a few can pours.
To fill your belly, their Something Sandwiches menu is fleshed out with seven sandwiches, all on fresh Turkish bread filled with deliciousness, such as their Amalfi sandwich (Mortadella, burrata, tomato, arugula, pesto, sundried tomato).
Best noodles in Liberty Village
The Liberty Village outpost of the Kinton Ramen chain delivers the comfort-food fix that locals count on them for.
Start with gyoza paired with an addictive sweet chilli sauce, then order juicy karaage chicken and a satisfying bowl of wheat noodles with your choice of noodle thickness.
Choose between pork, chicken or vegetarian broth: all are bursting with robust, deep flavours.
Best bar snacks in Liberty Village
Snag a table at the always-busy Liberty Soho for great people-watching with a side of creative bar snacks.
Alongside poutine, wings and burgers, you’ll find signature dishes such as shishito nachos supreme, pork belly sliders and a three-cheese kale dip served with naan. From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., dig into happy-hour drink specials and $10 food options.
