The steamy drama series that took Netflix by storm last summer has revealed its filming locations and some of them might be in your very own neighbourhood. Season one of Sex/Life, which came out in July 2021, was set in New York but filmed entirely in Toronto and the GTA.
In the show, local landmarks, streets, and storefronts were completely transformed into a slice of Manhattan and Connecticut. But if you look closely, you might be able to spot a few clues that these New York City streets are actually Toronto in disguise.
Netflix in Your Neighbourhood, a website launched by Netflix to help you discover local filming locations in your city, has released a list of all the spots featured in Sex/Life and what they were used for in the show.
The Rhino Bar + Grill
This Parkdale bar was transformed into a SoHo tattoo parlour where Billie and Brad got their matching tattoos.
The Opera House
This iconic Riverside-area venue is featured in episode two of Sex/Life, when Cooper takes Billie to a Broken Social Scene concert. It’s one of Toronto’s most historic venues, first opened in 1909.
The Comrade
Also in Riverside and just down the street from the Broadview Hotel, this bar was the setting of Billie and Cooper’s first date after their initial encounter on the Columbia University campus.
TA2 Sound + Music
This Leslieville recording studio appeared in the episode where Brad works with a new artist named Kyle. This part of town is known as the “studio district,” according to Netflix in Your Neighbourhood.
Roy Thompson Hall
Toronto’s famous Roy Thompson Hall is the backdrop in episode eight, Billie and Cooper sit in the audience while Sasha reads a passage from her new book The Third Way.
Leña Restaurante
This South American restaurant in the heart of the downtown core is where Cooper and his boss meet an important client in episode five.
Jade Dim Sum
Located in Mississauga near Marie Curtis Park, Jade Dim Sum got a total makeover in the series. The Chinese restaurant was used as the ice cream parlour where Billie and Cooper took their son in episode eight.
Auberge du Pommier
This dreamy spot is where Brad, Sasha, Cooper and Billie went on a double date. Auberge du Pommier appeared as a high-end Greenwich steakhouse in the show, but is actually a French restaurant in the York Mills area of North York.
“The restaurant is constructed around the vestiges of two 1860’s woodcutters’ cottages, exuding country charm combined with contemporary sophistication,” says Netflix in Your Neighbourhood.
According to a behind-the-scenes photo shared by star Adam Demos on Instagram earlier this week, the show is back in production for a new season. Hopefully, this means we’ll start spotting the cast and crew at some of these locations in the coming months!
