290 Gerrard Street E

Cabbagetown-South St. James Town, Toronto, M5A 2G4

$98,000

Reduced $14,000 from $112,000

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Listed 70 days ago · MLS® C13662250

About this home

Remarkable opportunity to own a beautiful and charming café in the heart of downtown! Ideally situated in a vibrant neighbourhood on a busy street with excellent exposure and steady foot traffic. Offering a delicious selection of breakfast favourites, fresh sandwiches, soups and paninis, quality coffee, and refreshing smoothies, pastries and cakes. Operating as both a takeout and sit-down café, it's the perfect spot for a quick bite or coffee on the go, as well as a relaxed business lunch or friendly get-together. Enjoy generous indoor and outdoor seating, with approximately 10 seats in the welcoming front area, seating for up to 24 guests in the spacious main room at the back, plus an outdoor patio accommodating approximately 18 guests. A full basement provides valuable additional space for storage, an office, or other business needs. A fantastic opportunity for an owner-operator or entrepreneur looking to step into a well-positioned cafe business in a prime downtown location!

Details

Type
Sale Of Business
Lot
17.25 × 132 ft
Garage
None
Neighbourhood
Cabbagetown-South St. James Town
Municipality
Toronto C08

Heating, cooling and services

Heating
Electric Forced Air
Air conditioning
Yes
Utilities
Yes

Building and exterior

Building area
900 Square Feet

More

Possession
60-120 Days
Cross street
Gerrard St. / Parliament St.
Business type
Cafe

History of this address

2 earlier listings at this address, with sold and leased prices. Create a free account or sign in to see them.

Location

Location is approximate. See nearby homes on the map

Recent sales nearby

See what similar homes within 1 km sold for in the last year. Create a free account or sign in to see them.

The neighbourhood

Getting around Very walkable

  • 🚇 College Subway18 min walk
  • 🚇 TMU Subway1.2 km
  • 🚆 Toronto Union Station GO2.2 km

Within a 10-minute walk: 17 grocery stores, 122 cafés and restaurants, 21 parks, 20 pharmacies. Nearest grocery: No Frills (150 m). Nearest park: Anniversary Park (50 m).

Schools nearby

Elementary

  • Lord Dufferin Junior and Senior Public School
    EQAO: Gr 6 reading 80%, math 30%
    3 min walk
  • Winchester Junior and Senior Public School
    EQAO: Gr 6 reading 89%, math 57%
    7 min walk
  • Sprucecourt Junior Public School
    EQAO: Gr 6 reading 85%, math 25%
    8 min walk
  • Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School Catholic
    EQAO: Gr 6 reading 80%, math 43%
    11 min walk

Secondary

  • Collège français French12 min walk
  • Jarvis Collegiate Institute
    EQAO: Gr 9 math 34%, literacy test 80%
    13 min walk
  • Native Learning Centre14 min walk

EQAO: share of students meeting the provincial standard (2024–25). Ontario average: Gr 6 reading 86%, math 51%; Gr 9 math 55%; literacy test 83%.

Closest schools, not school zones. Check which school serves this address with the school board before relying on it.

Who lives here postal area M5A

Owners / renters
35% / 65%
Median household income
$71,000
Average age
40
Children under 15
9%
Homes
0% detached, 78% high-rise
Commute by transit
28%
Population
48,978

Languages spoken most at home besides English: Bengali 1.8%, Mandarin 1.7%, Yue (Cantonese) 1.5%, Spanish 1.3%.

Flood and conservation No mapped hazard

Not inside a mapped flood plain or regulated area.

Screening maps only. Ask the conservation authority for a property inquiry before relying on this.

Safety

Major crime per resident in Moss Park (2025): 119% above the Toronto average, about the same from the year before.

  • Assault190% above average
  • Break and enter85% above average
  • Auto theft64% below average
  • Robbery112% above average
  • Theft from vehicles30% above average
  • Shootings58% below average

Crime Severity Index for Toronto police: 60 vs 57 for Ontario (2025).

Police-reported figures for the whole neighbourhood, not this street. Rates use the area’s resident population.

Development nearby 12 active

  • 306 GERRARD ST E · 150 m
    Site Plan · Under Review · applied 2026
    Site Plan Approval for an 11-storey mixed-use building containing 228 market and affordable residential units, plus office and community program space.
    Application details
  • 405 SHERBOURNE ST · 500 m
    Site Plan · Application Received · applied 2026
    Site Plan Control Application for a 35-storey (112.6) metre building (excluding mechanical penthouse) 25,069 square metres of residential gross floor area and…
    Application details
  • 500 DUNDAS ST E · 400 m
    Official Plan / Zoning By-law Amendment · Council Approved · applied 2026
    Proposed 35-storey mixed use building (122.2 metres, including mechanical penthouse), containing 413 dwelling units and a minimum of 200 square metres of…
    Application details
  • 219 GERRARD ST E · 250 m
    Site Plan · Under Review · applied 2025
    Site Plan Approval for a 10-storey mixed use building with 60 purpose-built rental units and commercial uses at grade.
    Application details
  • 325 GERRARD ST E · 200 m
    Site Plan · NOAC Issued · applied 2025
    Building 4A Proposal to construct a 26-storey tower, 10 storey mid-rise podium TCHC social housing building with 271 units, retail at grade along Gerrard…
    Application details
  • 383 SHERBOURNE ST · 450 m
    Site Plan · Appeal Received · applied 2023
    The proposal will introduce a 39 storey residential building representing an F.S.I. of 13.58 and lot coverage of 69%. The total GFA will be 20,328 sq. m.…
    Application details

17 more within 500 m.

Rezoning, site plan, subdivision and condominium applications filed with the city.

Distances are approximate. Places © OpenStreetMap contributors. Neighbourhood figures: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census. School results: EQAO via Ontario Data Catalogue (Open Government Licence – Ontario). Neighbourhood crime: Toronto Police Service Public Safety Data Portal (Open Government Licence – Toronto Police Service). Crime Severity Index: Statistics Canada. Planning applications: City of Toronto open data.

Living here

Commute

To Union Station (downtown Toronto): 2 km. Transit times · Driving times

Coming transit

  • 🚧 Moss Park 900 m
  • 🚧 Distillery District 1.2 km
  • 🚧 Queen 1.4 km

Stations under construction or approved. Opening dates are the latest public estimates and often move.

Noise Nothing major nearby

No highway within 500 m, rail line within 300 m, or airport flight path nearby.

Distances from the map, not noise measurements. Visit at rush hour to judge for yourself.

What can be built CR

Commercial Residential (with a site-specific exception).

From Toronto’s Zoning By-law 569-2013 map. Lot size, setbacks and trees decide what actually fits; check with a planner before you buy.

Full lot check · Run the numbers

Heritage Protected

This address is on Toronto’s Heritage Register: Heritage Conservation District (Part V) (2024). Changes to the outside (and sometimes inside) usually need a heritage permit, and demolition is restricted.

Heritage Register entry

Building permits

  • Other · 2021 · Closed
    New rear metal entry staircase and landing and new windows at 3rd floor rear facade.
  • Interior Alterations · 2020 · Closed
    Rev 1: Revision to Permit 20 102759 BLD 00 BA- Existing rear metal exit stair to remain. New Rear second storey deck no longer proposed-…
  • Interior Alterations · 2018 · Closed
    Proposal for interior alterations to existing 3 storey office building.

10 permits on this block of the street in the last 2 years, including 1 new home.

Permits filed with the City of Toronto. A permit doesn’t mean the work passed final inspection.

Trees

65 City street trees within 100 m. That’s more than the Toronto average of 42.

Trees on City boulevards only, not private yards or parks.

Internet High-speed

50/10 Mbps or faster available here by cable, fibre or DSL (the federal high-speed target).

From the federal broadband map. Check exact speeds and providers for the address.

Zoning, heritage, building permits and street trees: City of Toronto open data (Open Government Licence – Toronto). Roads, rail, airports and planned stations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Internet: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, National Broadband Data.

Listed by REMAX YOUR COMMUNITY REALTY.

Listing information provided by PropTx Innovations Inc. and TRREB; deemed reliable but not guaranteed accurate by PropTx.

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