TIFF is back in town again and so is your chance to rub elbows with your favourite stars. Snagging an invite to an exclusive TIFF party or a table at a swanky hotspot restaurant probably isn’t in the cards for most of us, so we’ve put together a list of some more accessible places where you’ll have a chance of eating and drinking alongside the stars this week.
The Ossington Strip
The stretch of Ossington between Dundas and Queen is home to some of Toronto’s hippest bars and restaurants, making it a logical mecca for equally hip stars. Mark Ruffalo and Adrian Brody were seen at the Dakota Tavern back in 2009, and Drew Barrymore notoriously left the premiere of her film Whip It! the same year to hang out at Sweaty Betty’s with Justin Long and Ellen Page. Brandon Olsen’s new Ossington restaurant, La Banane, is generating plenty of hype, and we can definitely see some stars heading here for classy, French-inspired fare. It doesn’t hurt that the Bellwoods Brewery patio has a great view of the strip, so grab a spot and keep your eyes peeled for passing entourages.
Celine Kim
Calii Love
You don’t need to fork over big bucks at a pricey Yorkville restaurant to dine nearby a celeb. Calii Love hosted dozens of stars during TIFF 2016, and seems poised to do so again this year. Last year, Gerard Butler reportedly sipped a Satisfied Smoothie and Rachel Weisz grabbed a Loved Acai Bowl, while Jennifer Connelly, Anne Hathaway and Amy Adams stuck with coffee. Calii Love will be closed for certain events, but you can always grab a spot outside and watch for arriving celebrities. Or, head over during the restaurant’s opening hours in the hopes that Amy Adams comes back for another cup of joe.
The Drake
The Drake may be a well-established spot for Torontonians to chill out, but its Queen West location is off-the-beaten path from the TIFF nucleus. This Toronto landmark has lured plenty of celebs away from the regular King West and Yorkville hot spots in the past, with Margot Robbie and Claire Danes all said to have been sighted here. The Drake typically hosts several TIFF parties every year, but its multiple restaurants and bars mean you can pretty much always get access one way or another, even if that means chilling out in the Lounge with a beer, hoping to catch a glimpse of a celeb en route to a private event in the Sky Yard.
The Drake
Sweet Jesus
While the rumours that Jake Gyllenhal stopped by Sweet Jesus in 2015 don’t seem entirely reliable, Kim Kardashian’s visit last year with Kanye West and friend Jonathan Cheban created a ton of buzz. Past celebrity patronage aside, the wildly popular ice cream spot’s downtown location is extremely close to the TIFF Bell Lightbox, which means it could be quite handy for stars with a sweet tooth looking for a break. Plus, what visitor to Toronto — star or not — could possibly resist the Instagrammable lure of those infamous pimped out cones?
Sweet Jesus
Rhum Corner
Olivia Wilde stopped by this well-loved Dundas West watering hole when she was in town for the NBA All-Star games in February 2016 (this sighting is 100% confirmed, with Wilde reporting on her Insta account that she had “one hell of a dance party” here). While we’re not aware of any other Rhum Corner star sightings, we can totally imagine other low-key celebs sneaking away from posh TIFF parties to enjoy a couple rum punches, island music and laid-back vibes. Rhum Corner also happens to be one of TIFF artistic director Cameron Bailey’s favourite Toronto bars.
Starbucks
Celebs need their regular caffeine fix as much as the rest of us, making TIFF-proximal Starbucks locations prime stargazing spots. The Yorkville branch at Bay and Cumberland is almost equidistant between three of the most popular celeb hotel choices: The Hazelton Hotel, the Four Seasons and the Windsor Arms, which means it’s the most likely location for spotting sleepy celebs fuelling up for the morning. Jennifer Garner, David Schwimmer and Sienna Miller have all been spotted at Yorkville Starbucks locations. The Starbucks at King and John is another good bet, set within spitting distance of the TIFF Bell Lightbox.
Feature image courtesy of TIFF
