12 Great Places to Shop and Eat in the Glebe

It's time to shake things up a bit this weekend. Try spending a day exploring all the treats and treasures available in the Glebe, right in the heart of the city. Here are our picks for a fun-filled day in the Glebe.

Flapjack's is a secret gem of a food truck that hides in the back alley behind Mrs. Tiggy Winkles. They serve unbelievably good stacks stuffed with fruit and topped with sweet or savory sauces. Our pick? A tall stack with raspberries with caramel sauce—and don't forget the sprinkles!

Just barely miss out on snapping up a garage sale bargain? Soothe hurt feelings with a quick stop at toy shop legend Mrs. Tiggy Winkles. Maybe a Jellybean stuffie, a new LEGO set, or a Thomas the Tank Engine will save the day. We're going with an adorable, brightly coloured Crocodile Creek ball, perfect to chase the blues away.

The perfect place to stop in for an indulgent recharge, Second Avenue Sweets—on, you guessed it, Second Avenue—is sure to have something for everyone. Enormous chocolate cupcakes for the kids should hit the spot (and if you have to help them with the last few bites, so be it), while you'll have a hard time choosing between individually sized portions of flourless chocolate cake, crème caramel, or their delicious lemon tarts. Grab a handful of their trademark fleur de sel caramels and a few fresh croissants to take home, too.

The Papery is an elegant store full of delightful finds, the kind of place where you'll want to buy everything. There are gorgeous handmade cards for your friends, rich and unusual papers for your next party invitations, and beautiful notebooks for your most important thoughts. The kids will love it there too—pick up pirate plates, make-your-own-mask kits, or ‘train in a tin' pre-made loot bags for your next birthday party. They have a great selection of origami paper for your little artist, and the absolute best array of (rare!) Tintin-themed items in town.

Nothing gives little feet the encouragement to continue on a long shopping trip than a big scoop of ice cream. At the Marble Slab Creamery, located on Bank Street in the Glebe, all treats—from dozens of ice cream flavours to sauces and toppings to dipped waffle cones—are made right on site. Choose a flavour like birthday cake, cotton candy, or strawberry banana; have it blended with any number of sprinkles, candies, and add-ins; and then serve it up in a cup or cone. Heaven.

Whether you're travelling across the country, across town, or just down the street to the park, Readi Set Go has all the gear you need. We love their GoToobs—flip-top squeeze tubes perfect for one-handed baths and diaper changes. You'll want to pick up an Easy Squeezy sponge-topped lotion tube that makes rubbing on sunscreen a breeze, and be sure to grab some eco-friendly Kleen Kanteens, Innobaby stainless steel snap-lidded food containers, and a Sling Sisters ‘wet bag' for on-the-go messes, too.

Kaleidoscope Kids' Books has earned a reputation as a great supporter of its community, generously donating book baskets and gift certificates to local events. They regularly have interesting speakers and literacy-related events, and free weekly story time that children love. Search through quality books for children in English, French and Spanish with a parenting section and select gift items chosen by the Kaleidoscope moms.

From their super cute toys (we were looking for any excuse to take a Frank Fischer stuffed monkey home with us), to their made-in-Canada, sleek and modern, Tulip Piccolo kids' furniture—there's something to crave every time you turn around at Fab Baby Gear.

Why make the trip to Montreal when you can get delish bagels right here in town? There's no better bagel than the chewy, sweet version served up by Kettleman's. Stop in for a sandwich if you have time, or grab a dozen to take home and pop in the freezer (actually, you'll probably want to do both). Don't forget the cream cheese!

Expecting? Queen Mother is the best place in town to find belly-friendly work clothes—classy, lightweight outfits that go from day to night. No more hiding behind black, either—there's a wide selection of colours and patterns, and even a good range of fancier jean styles. Many dresses come with a belt, too, so can be used post-partum as your body shape is changing. We dare you to resist picking up a set of their jammies with matching baby sleeper (aw!).

ZaZaZa Pizza is not your average pizza joint—it's a fun food adventure perfecting for rounding out a Glebe shopping trip. Pick a crust, then choose from a range of unusual toppings like BBQ sauce, roast chicken, avocado, curry, grilled eggplant, or oyster mushrooms. Picky kids will be happy to hear that regular old tomato sauce and mozzarella are available as well, and that the meal can be finished off with a dessert pizza, made with toppings like Nutella, marshmallows, and chocolate chips.

Here's a pro tip: keep to the right. The left hand side of the Glebe Emporium has plenty of (lovely, but breakable) glasses, serving dishes, and pots. But the right hand side of the shop has the cutest little corner of kid-friendly goods—from the Curious Chef line of child-sized kitchen utensils to brightly-patterned Sugar Booger plate sets to adorable animal-shaped cold packs. Also awesome: their line of Jellybean indoor-outdoor mats, featuring bright patterns, flowers, or ladybugs, that are fully washable. You'll need one for each room in the house where spills happen – um, make that every room.