Welcome To Riverside
Riverside is the ten or so blocks of Queen Street East between the Don River and Leslieville, the stretch from the Riverside Bridge east past De Grassi. It is Leslieville’s slightly rougher, more urban older sibling: heritage storefronts, independent shops and restaurants, Victorian and Edwardian houses behind, and the Broadview Hotel anchoring the western gateway. It rewards people who want east-end character and a short hop to downtown.
The area cleaned up considerably over the last two decades, led by the Riverside BIA, without losing the raw industrial edge that gives Queen East its look. Part of the appeal is that it still feels a little lived-in rather than polished.
Properties For Sale
Riverside FAQs
East of the Don River along Queen Street East, running roughly from the Don Valley to Logan, between Gerrard and Eastern. It sits between Corktown across the river and Leslieville to the east.
As a rough guide: the narrow Victorian semis and row houses that make up most of the area generally run from about $1M to $1.5M, often without parking; the rare detached house is scarce and priced for it, usually $1.5M and up; and lofts and condos, including conversions like the Broadview Lofts, tend to start in the high $500Ks. See the live statistics block below for the current quarter’s exact figures, or browse current Riverside listings.
For young professionals, creative types and small families who want walkable east-end character minutes from the core, yes. If you need a driveway and a big lot, the older housing stock will frustrate you.
Short. The 504 King and 501 Queen streetcars run right through, and drivers reach the DVP and Gardiner in minutes. Downtown is about fifteen minutes off-peak.
Very. The Queen East strip puts shops, restaurants and groceries at the door, and the Don trails are close by for the longer walks.
Often, yes. Many of the semis and row houses have no off-street parking, so factor that in before you buy. Some buyers happily trade the parking spot for the location and the lower price.
Around the Neighbourhood
Cultural landmarks: the Broadview Hotel at Queen and Broadview, the restored 1891 building that became the neighbourhood’s social anchor, the Opera House concert venue on Queen East, and the Ralph Thornton Community Centre in the old post office.
Hot local spots: La Carnita at 780 Queen East for tacos, Lady Marmalade for brunch, and the run of independent shops and restaurants along the Queen East strip, with East Chinatown at Broadview and Gerrard just to the north.
Parks & green space: Jimmy Simpson Park and its recreation centre is the local green, with Riverdale Park and the Don River trails a short walk west.
Your Typical Neighbour
Riverside leans bohemian and creative, the cool factor coming from young professionals and artists mixing with longtime immigrant families across a real range of incomes. It is more income-diverse than the polished parts of Leslieville, and the housing tenure reflects that, splitting close to evenly between owners and renters across the broader South Riverdale area, which is home to roughly 28,000 people and has grown steadily over the past decade. You get students and renters in the lofts and apartments alongside families who bought a semi years ago and stayed.
Source: City of Toronto Neighbourhood Profile, South Riverdale, 2021 Census
What We Love
Amazing food, retail and culture right outside your door, and a short commute to the core. The arrival of the Broadview Hotel at Queen and Broadview changed the whole western gateway, giving the neighbourhood a proper social anchor. Add La Carnita, the independent storefronts and East Chinatown a few blocks north, and you rarely need to leave the east end for a good night out.
What We Don’t Love
The Don River and the DVP can be a mental barrier for west-enders who really should give Riverside a look, which keeps some buyers away for no good reason. Closer to home, many of the houses lack parking, and prices have climbed hard as the gentrification has taken hold, so the bargains that drew the first wave of buyers are mostly gone.
Real Estate
Most of the homes here are Victorian or Edwardian, with very few fully detached options; when one comes up, its scarcity shows in the price. The more common semis and row houses can be quite narrow. Drive a few minutes north of Queen along De Grassi for the classic Victorian row-house streetscape. These homes commonly lack off-street parking, but the location is close enough to downtown that skipping a parking spot can pay off. Loft conversions like the Broadview Lofts, one of the earliest in the area, sit alongside new builds and renovated classics. The neighbourhood remains a solid option for first-time buyers and young professionals who value the feel of the place minutes from work. New to the market? Start with our First-Time Buyer guide.
(Current prices and days on market appear in the live statistics block below, updated quarterly.)
Schools
Some great schools live here, including an aboriginal focused First Nations institution, and the SEED alternative school aimed at underperforming students who require an ‘outside the box’ learning environment.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Dundas Junior Public School
Queen Alexandra Middle School
Morse Street Junior Public School
SENIOR SCHOOLS
Eastdale Collegiate Institute
SEED Alternative School
For school rankings and Fraser Institute scores, see our interactive Toronto school map.
Transit
Streetcars on Queen and Broadview anchor the transit options, the 504 King and 501 Queen lines doing most of the work, alongside strong walkability. Drivers have very easy access to both the DVP and the Gardiner, which is part of why the area draws downtown commuters who still want a neighbourhood feel.
Want To Learn More About Riverside?
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