Toronto, Canada

In Toronto, it is easy to get confused when looking for the city’s Chinatown. There used to be an old, original one, but the residents were relocated to Dundas West and Spadina in the 1950s when the area was cleared for a new City Hall. According to locals, there are six different Chinatowns, with Central Chinatown being the largest. With so many restaurants and shops standing shoulder-to-shoulder, it’s best to go on a local food walking tour to get the lay of the land. Visiting the area can be a fruitful and immersive way to experience Toronto’s rich multicultural landscape, but can also present itself as a dizzying array of sights, smells, and sensations.

Toronto's central Chinatown runs west along Dundas Street and north on Spadina as far as College Street. There are several Chinatowns in the city, but this is the largest and best known since it has loads of stores and restaurants here that remain open until late at night. Here, visitors will find overflowing fruit and vegetable stands, Chinese herbalists, and grocery stores. Definitely worth seeking out is Mother’s Dumplings, a little redoubt of foodie bliss from Shenyang in China’s northeast. This one of the best Chinatowns in the world is an energetic and unique commerce district, as well as a place where people connect with their families and culture.