What It’s Really Like Living in Leslieville
Leslieville has changed a lot in the last decade. People who grew up in Toronto remember it as a kind of sleepy, rough-around-the-edges area. Now, it’s one of those neighbourhoods where you can grab a flat white at a local café, walk past renovated Victorian homes, and then hit a brewery patio by the afternoon. It’s definitely gone through a glow-up — but it still feels like a neighbourhood, not just another extension of downtown.
What It Feels Like Day to Day
Leslieville is pretty laid-back. You’ll see families with strollers, young professionals walking their dogs, and plenty of people working on laptops in cafés. The streets are lined with trees and old houses, and on weekends, patios fill up fast. It’s quieter than downtown, but you never feel too far away from the action.
One funny thing: if you’ve lived here long enough, you know brunch is basically a sport. Lady Marmalade always has a lineup, and locals will argue about which café has the best coffee — Mercury Espresso or Pilot.
Getting Around
Queen Street East runs right through the neighbourhood, and the streetcar takes you downtown in about 20 minutes (when it’s on time, anyway). Driving is doable, but like the rest of Toronto, traffic can be a headache, especially during rush hour. A lot of locals stick to biking or just walking — you can get most errands done without a car.
Housing & Rent
Here’s the tough part: Leslieville is not cheap anymore. The older houses are gorgeous but pricey, and condos are climbing too. Renting a basement apartment or sharing a place is still possible without breaking the bank, but if you’re buying, be ready for bidding wars. That said, people do pay for the lifestyle — it’s safe, walkable, and genuinely pleasant to live in.
Who Fits In Here
- Families who want good schools and parks but still want to be close to downtown
- Young professionals who like the “indie café and brewery” lifestyle
- Creative types who prefer local shops over big-box stores
If you’re into nightlife or want the loud energy of downtown, you might find it too quiet. But if you like a neighbourhood that feels like its own little village, Leslieville checks the box.
Final Thoughts
Living in Leslieville feels comfortable and community-driven, but with enough buzz to keep it interesting. It’s the kind of place where you run into the same people at your local coffee shop, but you can also hop on the streetcar and be downtown in no time.
It’s not the cheapest neighbourhood, but it’s one of those spots where people move in and tend to stay put — which kind of says it all.