Renovation and Commercial Design: 6 Magazine-Worthy Toronto Downtown Businesses

Often on the blog, we discuss decor and design trends but we usually focus on the home front. This allows our readers to find inspiration to create the perfect layout for their interiors and exteriors. But what about those looking for ideas for their business?

When it comes to businesses, truth be told the appearance of your retail space plays a very important role in attracting and enticing long-term customers. Whether it's a restaurant, a café or a store, having a look that stands out will get you a lot of attention on social media as well as on decor blogs.

In the larger Canadian cities, like the metropolis of Toronto, you’ll find a large selection of boutiques and cafes, each more original than the next. This is why we’ve put together a list of 6 shops that could be featured in magazines in Downtown Toronto.

Renovations and commercial design: 6 Toronto Downtown businesses worthy of magazines

1- COPS Donuts

With such a name, you might not think this would be the cutest little donut shop in all of the city of Toronto. For the Downtown district anyways, COPS is a must for the sweet tooth among us. This minimalist, stripped-down project is tucked away, serving only donuts and drip coffee. It’s clear that there’s careful attention to detail, the entire spot is painted a specific pastel pink that makes it both fun and placid. With exposed brick painted blush pink, custom-built benches and shelving units, the interior has a uniform feel that could live on almost any movie set. 

2- Mineral 

Mineral is a downtown restaurant with both lunch and dinner service, serving Asian-influenced cuisine with a carefully curated selection of both wine and coffee. The interior is complete with a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, and a gorgeous hand-painted mural by artist Tisha Myles. The mural cascades across overhead arches that make this an Instagram-worthy spot. We could imagine the most memorable of evenings spent there.

3- Coffee, Oysters, Champagne

Talk about style, COC is a Parisian-inspired cocktail bar with one of the city’s best-kept secrets. This tiny eatery has a hidden restaurant inside. Named A Toi, it has a strict no-picture policy and is simply a mystery until you alert your server that you’re ready for it.

But before you make your way to A Toi, we’d suggest enjoying the pristine interior of Coffee, Oysters, Champagne as it’s truly something to marvel over: with playful onyx pink details, bright white seating and a stunning champagne cellar. The elegant tile floors and gold accents make it possible to live out your European fantasies in the heart of Canada.

4- Chubby’s Jamaican Kitchen

With both its food and decor, Chubby’s Jamaican Kitchen is transportive. Reminiscent of a beach-side surf shack, the restaurant's bohemian vibes are soothing and spicy. Chubby’s is situated in a circa-1890 Toronto row house, and the upper level boasts exposed wood from the original structure. You can peek down into the kitchen where delicious Jamaican selections are carefully prepared. With its green accents and cabbage-patch aesthetic booths, the decor takes diners to an island far, far away.

5- Grey Gardens

Situated in the iconic Kensington Market area, from the outside it’s impossible to tell how beautiful Grey Gardens interior appears. This space used to be a scooter store, and is now transformed into a light and bright, crisp and clean wine bar. Tasteful palm wallpaper covers half the restaurant, while a white tile wall covers the other. With a variety of compelling seating options, including a perfectly placed yellow table at the front, tall turquoise bar stools, or the custom-designed seats around the open-concept kitchen, we’re certain no matter where you sit, you’ll have a lovely time.

6- Balzac’s Coffee

A long-time staple of Toronto’s Distillery District, and for good reason. Balzac’s Coffee is an excellent place to curl up with a good book and a delicious cup of joe. The interior is inspired by a Parisian cafe, complete with a giant chandelier, tiny round tables, and an iconic monochromatic floor. If you’re taking a trip to downtown Toronto, this should be on the list of places to visit.