Costco Downsview trip - nearby espresso? snack?

[peppermint pate]

Heading up to the Costco on Billy Bishop Way and also running an errand at Lawrence and Dufferin - anywhere in the general vicinity for a good espresso? A chowish snack? Thanks!

[missnomer]

There's an Italian bakery and restaurant on Keele just south of Finch called Nino D'Aversa.

I had lunch there a few weeks ago and it was really good. Great espresso, HUGE pastry/bakery section along with groceries.

[xiolablue]

Just had lunch at Trezzano Bakery today. I will say that the selection of foods was nice. There was penne and gnocchi in a simple tomato sauce, bruschetta, two different types of pizza, sausages, veal, meatballs, soup with pasta etc. I would put the quality on par with San Francisco's. For the price, the food was ok-I had a pizza slice with sausage. It was a big square slice for $2 and my friend had the gnocchi $4. But the food was COLD!! Not sure if there was an option to have it reheated ie. a microwave, but pizza does not translate well. I will never eat there again but if I worked close by, given the limited options in the area, I might consider it.

[TorontoJo]

Can't help you with the espresso, PP. But i'd stop at Yakamoz and get a chicken shawarma. :) Make sure you ask for the fried eggplant and lots of cole slaw on it.

It's on the south side of Wilson, a block west of Bathurst.

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Yakamoz
373 Wilson Ave, Toronto, ON M3H1T3, CA

[Flexitarian]

And while you are at it, drive south on Bathurst from Wilson, turn right on Ranee Ave (about 4 traffic lights down), park your car and then run over to Gryfe's on Bathurst, just north of Ranee on the east side and pick up a half-dozen of their just-baked scrumptious light and salty fresh bagels (or any other variant you like).

I am sure they'll be all eaten by the time you get home!

[peppermint pate]

Thanks guys - it's been a long time since I've been to Gryfe's as Bagel House has been my go-to bagel spot for years. Yakamoz is new to me, sounds good. Anything on Dufferin between Lawrence and Wilson, or generally in that 'hood?

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Yakamoz
373 Wilson Ave, Toronto, ON M3H1T3, CA

Bagel House
1548 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4G, CA

[TorontoJo]

If you go about a half a kilometer south of Lawrence, on the east side of Dufferin is Columbus bakery. Stop in for all sorts of sweet and savoury Columbian treats. For savoury, my favourite is the carimaniola -- a cassava dough fritter stuffed with ground beef. They have good empanadas as well, but they need some of the hot sauce (you have to ask for it) to spice them up.

For sweets, get an arequipe mojicon -- it's an egg bread will a ribbon of dulce de leche in it. Yum.

You'll also be very close to the Gelato Fresco office on Tycos Dr. Stop in and pick up a tub of blood orange gelato!

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Gelato Fresco
60 Tycos Dr, Toronto, ON M6B, CA

[robb]

Also very godd fish and chips at Fisherman' Wharf. Just south of Yorkdale in a strip mall on the East side of Dufferin.

[peppermint pate]

TorontoJo - I LOVE you today!! We stopped in at Columbus Bakery which was right near the store we were at. Okay, that carimaniola was scrumptious!! We also had one of the pork sausages (tasty) and an arepa (blah, tasted like one of those gluten-free Manna rice breads). Enjoyed an espresso alongside it with the football game on tv. GREAT spot. We also had a Columbian churro for dessert - the dough was fantastic, though I would have preferred it on its own instead of the chocolate filling but still really good. This spot will actually make me look forward to my Costco trips (which I kind of look forward to anyway but also dread). Thank you so much for the rec!!!

Oh, and by the way, we ended up driving home along Wilson and I took a quick look for Yakamoz. I didn't see it in the first block from Bathurst with the National Bank or in the plaza with the Aristocrat (sp?) filipino restaurant - was it further west?

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Yakamoz
373 Wilson Ave, Toronto, ON M3H1T3, CA

[TorontoJo]

Yay! So glad you liked Columbus bakery. I only discovered it a few months ago and I love it. You really do need to try the breads with arequipe. There's the one I described above, which is sort of a large danish size, then there is a big ass loaf version. Just look for the round loaf with the word "arequipe" (Columbian dulce de leche) in it. BTW, I don't like the arepas either.

I've never made note of the other stores in the plaza where Yakamoz is, though there is a Philipino bakery. Do you know where the 401 spits out onto Wilson? Coming from Costco, it's the last light before you hit Bathurst. Yakamoz is literally the first driveway just past the light, on the South side of Wilson. It's on the far West end of the plaza and has a big yellow sign.

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Yakamoz
373 Wilson Ave, Toronto, ON M3H1T3, CA

[TorontoJo]

Oh, and I don't know if you noticed, but City Fish Market is right next door to Columbus bakery. I've never been, but I seem to recall some pretty good recs for it on this board in the past.

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City Fish Market
2929 Dufferin St, Toronto, ON M6B, CA

[peppermint pate]

I will definitely try more things on my next visit. For Yakamoz, I started looking when I was a couple of blocks west of Bathurst so I must have already past it at that point. Thanks again.

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Yakamoz
373 Wilson Ave, Toronto, ON M3H1T3, CA

[Davwud]

I love Columbus too. For desert you need to try the guava stuffed pastry. I don't remember the name but it's just like the arequipe stuffed pastry but different filling. I like it better.

DT

[Yongeman]

I've got 2 Dufferin recs for you pp. The best is Trezzano Bakery, a modest Italian Bakery/Hot Table at the corner of Dufferin and Wilson. The BEST sausage sandwiches (I have it with hot and sweet peppers and sauce on a delicious, crusty panini), and great veal, meatball etc.
Also, Mary Brown's Fried Chicken is just opposite Orfus Rd., if you're in a fried chicken and taters mood. You could also pick up some goodies at Grande Cheese on Orfus or Lady York Food, just south of Lawrence.
Oh yeah, almost forgot the delicious Arepas you can get at Arepiando, 2892 Dufferin at Glencairn, I think.

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Lady York Foods
2939 Dufferin Street, Toronto, ON , CA

Mary Brown's
1920 Dundas St, London, ON N5V3P1, CA

[peppermint pate]

Oh, oh, oh - shwarma, fish and chips, shwarma, bagels - eeps - my head is spinning with tempting choices. I knew there had to be some good food in that neighbourhood. But Yongeman, your sausage sandwich may have to be next - do they also serve espresso?

[chuang]

Yummm. Went to Yakamoz today and had a great shawarma pita. You were right about the fried eggplant - I could have eaten a pita just full of that! The service was very friendly too.

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Yakamoz
373 Wilson Ave, Toronto, ON M3H1T3, CA