For most of the last decade, I have lived within a short walk of Hillcrest Village. It feels like home, almost old hat. And yet the restaurants on this strip of St. Clair, which stretches from top-flight caterer Urban Fare to the neighbourhood’s best Mexican at Asada, still continue to blow me away with their quality, diversity and value for a buck.

A lot has changed since 2009 when the Stockyards opened and Corey Mintz, the Toronto Star’s restaurant critic, gave over the first 100-odd words of his review of that superlative smokehouse to complain about the effort it took to get to St. Clair's “heart of darkness.” We now have a functioning streetcar and the transfers on the 512 are good for two hours, so crawl to your heart's content on one fare.



Scone Eggy’s at Baker and Scone come with a gently baked egg in the centre. (IMAGE: DAVID ORT)

Baker and Scone

The recently opened Mabel’s has an excellent croissant, Leah’s does very good sweets, but Baker and Scone is brunch base camp in Hillcrest Village. Steamy windows, friendly conversation and the aroma of butter-laden baking are an unmatchable combination on a cold December day. Scones are the main attraction for good reason, and the savoury (like Cheddar, dill and chive) are just as delicious as the sweet (such as triple berry vanilla). Scone Eggy’s — think a bacon and cheese scone with an egg baked to perfect soft-boiled consistency in the centre — are knee-weakening. 693 St. Clair Ave. W., 416-657-2663



Bright flavours and a focus on veg are threads that run through the menu at El Fogon (IMAGE: CJ BAEK)

El Fogon

Despite the proximity to staid affluence (Wychwood Park to the left, Forest Hill to the right), this strip is still a magnet for culinary diversity. El Fogon is easily in the top tier of T.O.’s Peruvian restaurants. (A few of the others are also on St. Clair, further west between Atlas and Glenholme.) A menu of classics includes the sierra y selva all-veg trio of fried plantain, avocado salad and fried yucca. It’s a light dish that’s well-suited to a tour. Drizzly, chilly days call for the richly flavoured chicken aguadito soup. 543 St. Clair Ave. W., 416-850-8041

Sea Witch

This is the Toronto’s best fish ’n’ chips joint by a clear margin. The fish is fried the old school way in beef drippings and served with house-made tartar sauce or coleslaw. They’ve recently upped their game by getting a liquor license and offering a short list of good beer options. If a whole order doesn’t fit your crawling plans, opt for the fish cakes or onion rings — a tower of deliciousness in their own right. 636 St. Clair Ave. W., 647-349-4824

Albert’s Real Jamaican

Albert’s is from a different era: a time before Dutch Dreams moved south on Vaughan and Chabad of Midtown replaced the adult video store. They’ve kept up with the incremental gentrification by renovating the interior, but the menu still leans heavily on staples like curry goat, oxtail and a good jerk chicken. 542 St. Clair Ave. W., 416-658-9445



The Chinese Dumplings version of General Tao’s chicken is crispy, not too saucy and packs a noticeable kick. (IMAGE: DAVID ORT)

Chinese Dumplings

This is the hidden gem of St. Clair, friends. All of the dumplings are made to order in a variety of flavours and then either steamed or fried. Pork and celery; mixed vegetable; and pork, chive and shrimp are the best bets.

The rest of the menu is a collection of well-done items to please aficionados (ma po bean curd, Peking spicy soup noodles) and truly delicious items from the North-Americanized canon (beef with black bean sauce, General Tao’s chicken). 645 St. Clair Ave. W., 416-651-6363



The pickled veg bring a flash of colour to the otherwise fairly trad steak tartare at Concession Road (IMAGE: CJ BAEK)

Concession Road

Derek Valleau and Harsh Chawla of Pukka, the ’hood’s elevated Indian spot, doubled their luck when they opened a bistro earlier this year.

Concession Road’s minimalist interior is filled mainly with those tucking into a full meal but, for our purposes, highlights from the appetizer section of the menu will do just fine. The steak tartare paired with a glass from their curated wine list makes for a spot-on snack that will bring a day’s worth of eating to a refined end. 760 St. Clair. Ave. W., 416-658-0460