Excursions: Leslieville - Rorschach Brewing Co.

June 03, 2022

Excursions: Leslieville - Rorschach Brewing Co.

Excursions is a series of fun and cheap “date” ideas built around different breweries in and around Toronto.

Don’t get me wrong, though. You definitely don’t have to be on a date to enjoy these; they're just as fun with a group of friends. Whether you’re walking, biking, or driving, there's a brewery excursion for you to check out. 

Neighborhood: Leslieville
Itinerary: Blondie's Pizza, Rorschach Brewing Co., Beach Skateboard Park, Woodbine Beach
Transportation: Walk or Bike

Blondie's Pizza > 1.3 km 16min walk > Rorschach Brewing Co. > 750m 9min walk > Beach Skateboard Park > 600m 8min walk > Woodbine Beach

K here's what you do. On your way down to Blondie's, call and put in your order. By the time you get there, the pie is ready and you can just grab it and head over to Rorschach. Pick up a few beers and boot it down to the skatepark. Find a bench or patch of grass with a good view of the action and settle in to dinner and a show. And if there isn't much going on at the park? Just head across the street to the beach! 

 

Blondie's Pizza

I'm a sucker for good branding, and Blondie’s Pizza taps into this with a simple, pink storefront and it's eye catching neon sign. It’s located on Dundas Street just off of Greenwood and across the street from a park where you can grab a picnic table and eat outside when the weather's nice. On a busy night, this east end gem can crank out enough pizzas to cater the Pope’s birthday party, so make sure you order ahead to save time.

If you’re looking for a great starting point, try the Cold Drink / Hot Girl. It's a red pizza with pepperoni, oregano, jalapeno and honey. If you're feeling a white pizza, try Regina, The Mean One. It has chicken sausage, green zucchini, asiago, and arugula. Plus, the name is a Mean Girls reference. (sucker for branding, guys.)

Rorschach Brewing Co.

Rorschach Brewery is located right near the beach. Look for their sign; it says “Rorschach” on it with an ink blot of my parents fighting. They've got indoor and outdoor seating as well as a rooftop patio on weekends. They also have a food menu which makes it a great neighborhood spot for beer and bites with friends.

As for you, take a look at what's available in the bottle fridge. Their Reminiscence lager is made with a little corn in the mash bill so its super crisp and approachable. If you want something with a little more punch, go for their Truth Serum Double Dry Hopped IPA. It's their flagship beer with Citra, Simcoe, and Mosaic hops which basically means its super aromatic and tropical. Grab a few cans and head down the street to your final stop.

Beach Skateboard Park

Now, if you're not a skateboarder, you've probably never considered hanging out at a skatepark, but hear me out. Like many of the skateparks in the city, Beach Skateboard Park, aka Ashbridges skatepark, is adorned with some of the finest graffiti in the city. The bowl alone warrants its own visit.

It's also where some of the best skateboarders in the country come to sharpen their teeth, including Fay DeFazio Ebert, the 11-year-old phenom who got famous for being the youngest member of team Canada's national skateboard team. The case I'm making is that, for free, you can watch extremely talented people do extremely difficult stunts without having to fly halfway around the world. 

Woodbine Beach

But maybe you showed up and it's a slow skate day, or maybe the sight of someone faceplanting for the twelfth time in a row before finally landing their "360° reverse air fryer" doesn't get your appetite going. Just cross the street and head to Woodbine Beach. In lieu of skateboarders, you can set up at a picnic table and watch casual volleyball players faceplant in the hot sand instead. This city has something for everyone!

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