Bridle Path, North York Neighbourhood Guide: Luxurious Living

The Bridle Path is the home to celebrities, CEOs, lawyers, and doctors, and some of the residents of this illustrious neighbourhood have included Celine Dion, Drake, and Conrad Black. This neighbourhood lives up to its “Millionaire’s Row” label with its estates and mansions worth well over $2 million. The prestigious Toronto Granite Club and private Crescent School for Boys are high-end iconic landmarks here, and the scenic backdrop of the Don River Valley adds to the lush and private greenbelt that surrounds these estates.

The Bridle Path was a vast terrain of farmland until 1929 when the construction of the Bayview Bridge over the Don River Valley inspired Toronto developer Hubert Daniel Bull to aspire to build a private enclave of estate homes.

In 1929, Bull built a Cape Cod colonial-style home in the area, hoping it would ignite interest in his subdivision development. Bull had envisioned building intertwining bridlepaths winding through the subdivision and hence, this is where The Bridle Path got its namesake.

Today, Bull’s vision of an exclusive pocket of stately homes lives on in this neighbourhood, and few streets traverse this community, adding to the exclusivity of the surroundings.

The homes in The Bridle Path are large and luxurious and feature private pools, tennis courts, greenhouses, and waterfalls. Inside, you’ll find gold fixtures, dance floors with marble finishes, home theatres, and personal gyms. These homes are built in a variety of styles, including Georgian, Colonial, Greek and Tudor Revival, Italianate, neo-Gothic, California bungalows, and futuristic, modernist mansions.

Adding to this community of elegant homes are several upscale condominium buildings, including the Chedington Place Condominiums, located at Bayview and Lawrence Avenue, which feature breathtaking views of the ravine.

North York is a cultural hub for arts and creativity, festivals, and special events. Festivals and events take place year-round at Mel Lastman Square and fabulous theatre and musical performances can be seen at the Toronto Center for the Arts. 

Located just off Yonge Street, the Gibson House Museum is an educational exploration of Toronto’s early pioneer history and the Aga Khan Museum, the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, and the Ontario Science Centre draw locals and international visitors for cultural and educational enlightenment.

Shopping abounds in The Bridle Path and some of the noteworthy shopping districts here include CF Shops at Don Mills, located at Don Mills Road and Lawrence Avenue East. This mall features 72 retail stores offering high-end clothing, shoes, accessories, and home decor, as well as fine-dining and casual restaurants. The Shops on Steeles and 404 is a compact shopping mall with a supermarket. There are also various restaurants, retail shops, and services located along Lawrence Avenue and Bayview Avenue.

Other high-end shopping malls situated in the vicinity include Bayview Village Shopping Centre and York Mills Centre. Bayview Village Shopping Centre is a hub in this community and has been a local landmark for 59 years. A large indoor mall containing over 110 stores, Bayview Village caters to the more affluent shoppers from The Bridle Path, Willowdale, and York Mills neighbourhoods.

What was referred to by a Toronto mayor as “the Tiffany’s of shopping centres,” York Mills Centre is nearby at Yonge Street and York Mills Road. This shopping centre offers a wide array of high-end designer shops and many restaurants and cafes.

Restaurants are scattered throughout this neighbourhood. On York Mills Road, you’ll find Babel Restaurant serving delicious Mediterranean cuisine. Baretto Caffe on Don Mills Road is a modern Italian spot and Gilaneh Restaurant on York Mills Road is an upscale Persian hotel restaurant.

If you’re searching for creative Italian cooking, Parcheggio’s won’t disappoint. Located in the Bayview Village Shopping Centre, the restaurant caters to all tastes. Inside, you’ll find young professionals, 20-something groups of friends, couples, and families enjoying fine cuisine in a welcoming environment.

This neighbourhood offers plenty of green space including Windfields Park, located on the former site of E.P. Taylor’s Windfields Farm. The Wilket Creek Recreational Trail is in Edwards Gardens and several trails will take you to Sunnybrook Park and the botanical gardens.

This neighbourhood offers plenty of green space including Windfields Park, located on the former site of E.P. Taylor’s Windfields Farm. The Wilket Creek Recreational Trail is in Edwards Gardens and several trails will take you to Sunnybrook Park and the botanical gardens.

An exquisite and preserved sanctuary, Edward Gardens, situated on Lawrence Avenue East, is a former estate. Beautiful flowers blossom on the grounds, including wildflowers and rhododendrons. The Toronto Botanical Gardens is located here and entertains visitors and locals with garden tours and nature day camps.

The two greenhouses offer a peaceful way to spend the day, surrounded by unique and flowering perennials and plants. You can get lost for the day exploring the multitude of paths and trails that wind through the greenery of Edward Gardens.

The Bloom Cafe, nestled within the park, offers cold beverages for hot summer days. A visit to The Bridle Path would not be complete without exploring Edward Gardens.

The Bridle Path is conveniently close to the Bayview Avenue on-ramp to Highway 401 and the Don Valley Parkway is close to Lawrence Avenue. You can also consider making the 20-minute drive downtown using Mount Pleasant Road or Yonge Street. Transit riders can conveniently catch the bus on Bayview Avenue to the Davisville station, which will take you downtown.

Although you may never live in The Bridle Path, just taking a walk through the neighbourhood is something else. Behold the magnificent mansions located on quiet and peaceful streets framed by the Don Valley ravine greenbelt. This neighbourhood is a private world nestled within a busy city.

From one developer’s dream and construction of an estate in 1929 to the present day, The Bridle Path is a coveted neighbourhood and remains the most affluent in all of Canada.