Greektown is a place in Toronto full of life, flavour, music, and culture. Known for its traditional Greek restaurants, bakeries, butchers, and shops, the community continuously grows along with its businesses and establishments. 

Toronto's Greektown can be found along Danforth Ave starting from Greenwood Ave all the way  - heading west - just passed Broadview Ave. That is why Greektown is also known as 'Greektown on the Danforth.' It is a long strip that stretches over many blocks, with businesses from almost every walk of life available to the city of Toronto.

History 

The history of Greektown is fairly basic. Some of the buildings on Danforth  originate from the 1910's and 1920's. Slowly through the years, more and more Greek immigrants came over to Toronto and found themselves living on the Danforth. 

And by the 1970's, Greektown in Toronto held one of the largest Greek populations in North America. Since then, the businesses have boomed in the area creating what we see today!

Culture in Greektown is decidedly European. The people who live in this Toronto neighbourhood were majority European but recently this has widened up quite a bit! 

As you walk down the streets of Greektown, you are blasted into Greece with fresh markets, bakeries, restaurants, and patios fully stoked with authentic Greek cuisine. It is a community built on unity and an underlying passion for thriving businesses. 

If someone in Toronto is hungry, the best place for a well made meal is Greektown. The area has traditional restaurants selling all the Greek and mediterranean favourites like Gyro, souvlaki, dolmades, Greek salad, and Greek-style potatoes. 

Most places serve both dinner and lunch, while other might just serve dinner. The bars and pubs in the area also service Mediterranean style cuisine in Greektown. But the thing that most feels like home for them are the little bakeries with the patios, the perfect place to sit with a coffee or cappuccino and watch people stroll on by.

But good food isn't all that draws people to Greektown. Every year there is the annual Taste of Danforth street festival! This is a festival that brings all the musicians, restaurants, and shops out onto the street, with lots of live music, delicious Greek food, and cool knick knacks. 

Over the past few years, the festival has opened up to not just Greek cuisine, but all kind of food so long as the restaurant sit along Danforth. People in Toronto count down to the street festival and it is easily one of the largest festivals in the Province. Find out more about the next Taste of Danforth at www.tasteofthedanforth.com.

Another thing people look forward to is the Cascade of Lights held every winter in Toronto; Greektown does beautiful light pieces all along Danforth. There is nothing quite as romantic as walking down a nearly deserted winter street beside a beautiful display of lights.

Shops and businesses in Greektown are plentiful, what ever you might need will be available somewhere along Danforth. The kind of stores typical in Greektown are bridal stores, fashion stores, electronic stores, local markets and grocery stores, bookstores, tattoo shops, jewellery stores, and convenience stores! 

The neighbourhood is addicted to bargain hunting and good deals, not to mention some of the best window shopping can be done here.

The businesses that have done really well are the Toronto travel agencies located within Greektown. There is a huge number of agencies with competitive prices and impeccable skill when it comes to finding the best deals. 

 

One thing that really helped all these businesses, from restuarnats to stores, has been the creation of the Danforth Village Business Improvement Area (BIA). 

They were formed in 1993 and are made up of local Greektown businesses. Its main purpose as an organization is to help, promote, and maintain the new and old businesses throughout the area. Learn more about this organization at their website, www.greektowntoronto.com.

Other associations in Greektown that were designed to help the community with education, jobs, immigration, and any other service the Greek population and surrounding community might need. 

You can also find the Greek Embassy near by, although not within Greektown (the Greek Embassy is located more towards downtown Toronto, but on the same line).

One of the many reasons Greek immigrants flocked to this Toronto neighbourhood was because of the churches available. There are a good number of Orthodox churches along the Danforth, as well as other religious places of worship. Related religious services can also be found through these churches.  

Greektown in Toronto is about culture, good food, great deals, and even better merchandise. You feel as though you belong there if you walk down Danforth, the people are friendly, the community is solid, and the businesses are thriving. The neighbourhood is full of life even before the Taste of Danforth festival! 

Find everything you need about Greektown within Totally Toronto and explore the neighbourhood on your own.