Little Portugal is a fantastic little area within an area - this Toronto neighbourhood is also known as Portugal Village. The residents are predominately Portuguese, with many shops, restaurants, and services dedicated towards the Portuguese culture.

Toronto's Little Portugal sits in the middle of Lansdowne Ave and Bathurst St along Dundas St West. It expands south towards the CPR/CNR Railway tracks. A major part of this whole area sits in the location of the 'Old Toronto'. The whole of Little Portugal is resting directly above Queen St West.

History

The history of how Little Portugal came to be started as far back as Old Toronto! The area was once known as Beaconsfield Village which was comprised of lots for the first settlers. Then throughout the years starting from the 1960s, Portuguese immigrants found their way to Little Portugal and made it their new home.

The culture of Toronto's Portugal Village is ethnically geared towards Portuguese, although the Brazilian community has grown over the years within this neighbourhood.  It has mid-century housing and is majority a residential area. But the shops and services that are available with Portugal Village are majority Portuguese.

Restaurants

While majority of the restaurants service Portuguese inspired cuisine, there are a few other kinds of cuisine one can find in Little Portugal. Eclectic, cafes, pizzas, bistros, Latin, Asian, Indian and Mediterranean are just some of the other styles serviced in the neighbourhood. The food itself is high quality - if you are in the area and hungry, you have a wide variety of choices.

Shopping

Shopping is also top rated in Toronto's Little Portugal, with some stores catering towards the Portuguese culture. But you can also find a huge selection of music stores, chocolate specialty stores, jewellery stores, clothing stores for men, women, and kids, and home hardware/home décor businesses. Little Portugal has everything the neighbourhood needs, especially since it is more residential. You know you will find whatever you are after.

Other kinds of stores available in Toronto's Portugal Village is Antiques, arts & crafts supplies, bridal wear and supplies, electronic stores, drugstores, hobby shops, flower shops, pawn shops, thrift stores, and wholesale stores. Come explore Portugal Village and shop till you drop.

All the businesses in the area are protected under the Little Portugal Business Improvement Area (BIA). This is an organization comprised of local business owners whose main goal is to support, maintain, and strengthen Little Portugal's community. For more information on businesses spaces available for renting, purchasing, or leasing the Little Portugal Business Improvement Area is the best group to contact first.

Entertainment

Entertainment is found through many different venues within the Little Portugal neighbourhood. There are some really nice art galleries available to the public. Little Portugal also has a couple museums, mainly the Canadian Broadcast Museum which is dedicated to the history of broadcasting in Canada.

Nightlife

Nightlife in Little Portugal is cozy within the neighbourhood boundaries; it is a fantastic place to hang out with friends in. There are a couple billiard clubs in Little Portugal as well as lounges, bars, and pubs. If you are looking to dance, you will also find a couple of dance clubs in the neighbourhood. 

Little Portugal knows how to party! The biggest event for this Toronto neighbourhood is the Portugal Week Celebration. It is a celebration of the Portuguese culture; the food, music, dancing, and the sense of community. It is a vibrant summer festival that is fun for the whole family.

Real Estate

Real estate in Toronto's Little Portugal is typically more expensive then some of the other Toronto neighbourhoods. The higher the price the better the quality - but keep in mind that the expensive homes still might have a restricted amount of space. The homes are semi detached, townhouses, and some separate homes. The lower side of the pricing is around $250,000 and the higher side can go up to $800,000. There are some schools in the vicinity and you want to make sure there is available parking or public transit (TTC).

You also have the option to rent rooms, homes, basement apartment, or above ground apartments. Depending on the size and number of rooms, the monthly rent can be as low as $475/month, yet can also be as high as $2000/month.

Religion

While majority of churches in the Little Portugal area are Catholic (because of the huge Portuguese population), there are other houses of prayer available such as Anglican churches, Buddhist Temple, and Ukrainian Catholic churches. You can connect with many religious organizations in the Little Portugal neighbourhood through any of these churches and temples. 

Little Portugal is a fantastic little neighbourhood with authentic bakeries, butchers, markets, shops, and businesses. Anything you need can be found here, and the people themselves are friendly. Browse through Totally Toronto and find more on this Toronto gem.