Old London, made personal.

The Wolfe is the Wortley Village destination — modern bistro plates, a smart wine list, the patio in summer and the brick-warm dining room in winter. The Old-South answer for date night without leaving the neighbourhood.

Garlic's is the long-running Richmond Row Italian — handmade pasta, a deep Italian wine list, and the heritage room that's hosted half the city's anniversaries. The grown-up dinner answer in Old North.

David's is the long-running downtown French bistro — fixed-price menu, classics done right, a wine list that knows what it's doing. The kind of London room that's been quietly excellent for decades.

The Early Bird is the brunch room that helped tip Old East Village's comeback — proper eggs Benny, real-deal Caesars, and the patio in summer. The Saturday morning answer if you're house-shopping in OEV.

Black Trumpet is the elegant downtown room in a restored heritage building — continental cuisine, a serious wine list, and the formal-dining feel without being stuffy. The anniversary answer for downtown locals.

Wortley Village is the most walkable few blocks in London — boutiques, cafes, the village green, restaurants. The reason houses in Old South sell to people who want to walk everywhere. Park once.

Richmond Row from Central Avenue up is London's restaurant-and-patio main street — independent restaurants, bars, cafes, the kind of strip that makes Old North feel like a real neighbourhood, not just a residential one.

The Western Fair Farmers' & Artisans' Market runs every Sunday year-round in the Western Fair district — produce, prepared food, baked goods, makers. The kind of market that helped Old East Village come back. Sunday morning anchor.

Old East Village's Dundas Street is the heritage-strip comeback — independent shops, the Aeolian Hall concerts, antique stores, the Western Fair Market anchor. Affordable London with character.

Western is the city's gravitational centre at the north end of Old North — Ivey Business School, Schulich Medicine, 35,000+ students. The reason Old North's rental market is what it is. Beautiful campus too.

Central is the downtown public IB high school — long-running flagship program, strong arts, and a regional pull. The IB destination for London families.

Catholic Central is the downtown London Catholic high school — long-established, strong sports, the Catholic answer in the city's old core.

The Old East Village elementaries are the walking-distance, neighbourhood-rooted schools — Lord Roberts FI, Aberdeen, Princess Anne. The schools that signal whether a comeback neighbourhood actually has families with kids.

Victoria Park is downtown London's heritage park — the venue for Sunfest, the rib fest, the home stage for half the festivals, and an outdoor rink in winter. The downtown's living room.

Gibbons Park is the riverside Thames park in Old North — playground, splash pad, the path that connects to the Thames Valley Parkway. The everyday Old-North family walk. Sunset over the river is the postcard.

The Thames Valley Parkway is the 40 km riverside trail through London — flat, shaded, follows both branches of the Thames through every old-core neighbourhood. The spine of cycling in London. Park anywhere, start riding.

Springbank Park is London's biggest park — 350 acres on the Thames, Storybook Gardens kids' attraction, sports fields, picnic shelters and miles of trail. The Sunday-with-the-family answer for half the city.

Eldon House is London's oldest house — an 1834 heritage home and gardens, free to visit, right beside downtown. Worth the half-hour for anyone interested in the heritage Woodfield buys.

Harris Park is the downtown riverfront park between Woodfield and Old North — the venue for Rock the Park and a lot of summer concerts, sports fields, and the path connecting Gibbons to Eldon House.

Pottersburg/Reservoir Park is the quiet east-end park with the Pottersburg Creek trail — the easy weekend walk for Old East Village without crossing the city. Worth the stop.