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Reel Toronto: Suits—Season 4 (Part Two)
In this edition of Reel Toronto, we slow down the fast-paced world of Suits to notice all those locations in the second half of season four.
Toronto’s extensive work on the silver screen reveals that, while we have the chameleonic ability to look like anywhere from New York City to Moscow, the disguise doesn’t always hold up to scrutiny. Reel Toronto revels in digging up and displaying the films that attempt to mask, hide, or—in rare cases—proudly display our city.
Last time out we were back looking at the latest season of our favourite not-quite-New-York show, Suits, so let’s hit the ground running with part two.
In replicating Manhattan, it’s not surprising that the city’s financial district is home base, but it turns out other parts of the city can also pretty well pass for New York.
This bit is actually filmed up on Yonge Street, in the North York Centre area.
Similarly, this is supposed to be Central Park…
…but it’s actually right across the street from the above shots, in glorious Mel Lastman Square.
Episode 11 starts with some cruisin’ through the financial district, complete with a Canadian flag subtly on display.
We saw this restaurant’s bar in the first half of the season but here we are, back at Hy’s Steakhouse.
We’ve mentioned before that this show seems determined to visit every restaurant in the city before it’s done and we can’t identify all of them but…
..this one is Buonanotte on Mercer Street.
This handsome café…
…is Mercatto’s Bay Street outlet.
And this one is Blowfish on Bay, which is located in the show’s home base, the Bay Adelaide Centre.
Somewhat oddly (and it’s not entirely clear it’s supposed to be the same location each time)…
…but we pay a few visits to the handsome…
…Mofofuko Daisho, across from the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
At the more relatively affordable end of the scale…
…are the Dark Horse Espresso Bar on Spadina…
…and this Paramount Food Truck on Toronto Street.
A brief break from food, if you don’t mind? Here we are hanging out in the King Eddie’s lobby, just a short stroll from that truck.
And we don’t know if real lawyers ever hang out on top of their towers…
…but these guys do, and it’s quite photogenic.
It looks like they’re probably on top of the TD Tower, but we are not sure. But hey, they did go to the trouble of slipping a stars n’ stripes in there!
Oh good, more eating.
Yes, in Episode 13 we visit the old school Patrician Grill by King and Sherbourne…
…and for something a bit more modern…
…we check out King West’s WVRST.
We also venture out of downtown up to Markham, where this office is located.
It’s hard to tell for sure if that’s where they shot the interiors but that’s definitely the awesome Toronto actor Peter Keleghan working there.
On the road trip they also stop at this gas station in Pickering. It’s got a bit of cinematic history, having also appeared in Urban Legend.
Late in the season we meet Tricia Helfer, who’s got a law firm of her own.
Based on some triangulation, it looks like her office is in the Festival Tower atop the TIFF Bell Lightbox.
This stroll outside that office is a slight geographic incongruity: it’s actually down King Street in front of the Scotia Tower.
It’s hard to tell but this restaurant might be the Trump Hotel’s Stock, back when it was called America. It’s a humbling reminder that our restaurant identification skills are not infallible.
We weren’t sure about this nice joint…
…this more humble beanery…
…or this sports bar…
…with an oar on the wall, for example.
We also couldn’t nail down this condo which is in a building with number 80, but it’s pretty.
But we do know this one!
It’s The Gabardine, which you can find at Bay and Richmond.
Back on the mean streets is this apartment…
…which is actually on Duncan Street.
This little meeting takes place…
…in the Local Hero video store on Roncy.
And we’ll wrap things with a typical Suits shot: strolling with a street coffee at King and York.
Phew. That’s it for now, but they’re already filming Season 5 and even 6 looks like it’s coming down the pipe. So if there’s a restaurant you haven’t seen here yet, they could be filming at it any day now.