Q: Whats the main intersection for shopping in downtown Toronto? And what kind of stores are there? I need a whole new wardrobe.
A: Queen Street east [from Spadina onward] for more mainstream clothing shopping, big brands (Gap, Puma, Club Monaco, H&M, Zara, MAC, etc) and some smaller shops that cater to the same demographic. Queen st. E also has a few shops intended for more mature dress (better quality materials, more expensive, meant for a slightly older audience). If you continue walking East you will get to the Eaton Center, which is a big mall with all major clothiers there as well as food courts, banks, pharmacies, salons, etc. Even though it is big it is still just a MALL, so if you are visiting i would recommend only spend a few hours there at most. Wouldn't you want to find something unique rather than just another boring top from H&M or something? [West of Spadina] Queen street west has more unique clothing and boutiques which specialize in certain dress. They have excellent shops that specialize in quality vintage, and the farther down west you go you there are shops belonging to smaller designers as well as shops that carry big-label designers.. There are also more high-range specialty shops and small art exhibits. Like Queen St. East there are lots book stores, pubs, pharmacies, cafes, etc. North of all of this is Chinatown [Spadina and Dundas is a general intersection. Further up Spadina is more of China Town and as you go south you get toward Queen] and Kensington market. You may have a Chinatown where you live, but Toronto's China Town has a good size/ There are plenty of clothing and shoe stores, and you can pretty much find anything you'd want in the many many variety stores. More west is Kensington market which spans a few blocks. The atmosphere in this area is really great; you can find all sorts of amazing new or vintage clothing (including shoes and accessories) for amazing deals. This area is known to be really unique and multicultural (I believe it has become a historic landmark?). There are lots of food markets and speciality shops (for vegans, etc) and many places to have a good meal (if you want McDonalds, you probably don't belong in Kensington). Still north is college street, one of those streets you can walk for hours. There are lots of private clothing stores, many cafes and restaurants. Check out dolche for AMAZING gelato ice cream!