Top Toronto Cocktail Places

[ricain]

Hi Everyone - in Toronto spending a few days on vacation... which means for me the need for excellently mixed libations...

Any recommendations from the locals?

Establishments mentioned to me to date:

- Ki

- Bymark

- Resevroir Lounge (not sure this is exactly right)

- Pravda

- One

- Canoe

- Nyood

- Kulturs

- Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar

Anyway, would love your suggestions as I am sure there are excellent places here...

[GordonCooks]

Places I've had great cocktails?

ByMark

Rain

Canoe

The Fifth

Ultra Supper Club

The Bar on the roof of the Park Hyatt

[phoenikia]

Hi Everyone - in Toronto spending a few days on vacation... which means for me the need for excellently mixed libations...

Any recommendations from the locals?

Establishments mentioned to me to date:

- Ki

- Bymark

- Resevroir Lounge (not sure this is exactly right)

- Pravda

- One

- Canoe

- Nyood

- Kulturs

- Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar

Anyway, would love your suggestions as I am sure there are excellent places here...

←

If I was looking for interesting, inventive cocktails, I'd head to Nyood or the Drake (which happen to be located in the same neighbourhood).

The Drake has some interesting concoctions. I like the Dorothy Parker cocktail they serve. I didn't see it on the most recent drinks menu, but I'm sure they would still make it.

I didn't try any of the cocktails at Nyood (stuck with wine), but the ones mentioned on their drinks menu did look interesting. They also have 4 different sangrias IIRC. My friend really enjoyed the white wine and berry sangria. Nyood mentions the name of their mixologist on their drinks menu, which is unusual in Toronto (but I can't remember his name right now).

Also, in the past I've had interesting cocktails at Czehoski on W Queen W. They used to serve a mixed berry julep that was really delicious.

I also love the raspberry mojito at Trapezzi. That's the only cocktail that has wowed me at Trapezzi, though. I wouldn't consider Trapezzi a destination spot, but it's great if you already are on the Danforth.

Caren's Wine Bar in Yorkville also has an extensive cocktail list, including some champagne cocktails, but I haven't tried any yet.

Spice Route on King West is a bit of a hot spot right now, but I've found their cocktails are hit or miss, depending on which bartender you approach. In fact, I have had one bartender say they are all out of mojitos (?) to find out an hour later that the bartender 10 metres away was still making them. I guest bartender No. 1 was too busy to muddle any mint.

Pravda has a great selection of vodkas and vodka cocktails.

Also, there's Reposado, (a tequila bar) on Ossington that I haven't tried, but might be worth a visit.

I don't think the Reservoir Lounge is a drinks destination- just a bar with live music.

Edited September 7, 2008 by phoenikia (log)

[phoenikia]

Hi Everyone - in Toronto spending a few days on vacation... which means for me the need for excellently mixed libations...

Any recommendations from the locals?

Establishments mentioned to me to date:

- Ki

- Bymark

- Resevroir Lounge (not sure this is exactly right)

- Pravda

- One

- Canoe

- Nyood

- Kulturs

- Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar

Anyway, would love your suggestions as I am sure there are excellent places here...

←

If I was looking for interesting, inventive cocktails, I'd head to Nyood or the Drake (which happen to be located in the same neighbourhood).

The Drake has some interesting concoctions. I like the Dorothy Parker cocktail they serve. I didn't see it on the most recent drinks menu, but I'm sure they would still make it.

I didn't try any of the cocktails at Nyood (stuck with wine), but the ones mentioned on their drinks menu did look interesting. They also have 4 different sangrias IIRC. My friend really enjoyed the white wine and berry sangria. Nyood mentions the name of their mixologist on their drinks menu, which is unusual in Toronto (but I can't remember his name right now).

Also, in the past I've had interesting cocktails at Czehoski on W Queen W. They used to serve a mixed berry julep that was really delicious.

I also love the raspberry mojito at Trapezzi. That's the only cocktail that has wowed me at Trapezzi, though. I wouldn't consider Trapezzi a destination spot, but it's great if you already are on the Danforth.

Caren's Wine Bar in Yorkville also has an extensive cocktail list, including some champagne cocktails, but I haven't tried any yet.

Spice Route on King West is a bit of a hot spot right now, but I've found their cocktails are hit or miss, depending on which bartender you approach. In fact, I have had one bartender say they are all out of mojitos (?) to find out an hour later that the bartender 10 metres away was still making them. I guest bartender No. 1 was too busy to muddle any mint.

Pravda has a great selection of vodkas and vodka cocktails.

Also, there's Reposado, (a tequila bar) on Ossington that I haven't tried, but might be worth a visit.

I don't think the Reservoir Lounge is a drinks destination- just a bar with live music.

←

Recently discovered that the Harbord Room has some innovative cocktails on their menu.

Enjoyed the Kaffir Collins.

Edited February 15, 2009 by phoenikia (log)

[AlexForbes]

Two places that are serving very interesting cocktails in Toronto are Barchef and Black Hoof.

Barchef, Toronto

Great care is taken to make many of the bitters and syrups in-house, as you can tell by fthe rows of medicinal-looking jars on the counter (two examples? Grapefruit bitters and cola bitters). Some of the drinks served:

- Malpeque oyster submerged in a stellar Caesar

- martini served three ways: dry, dirty and steeped in rosemary.

- Sake and fresh orange juice with soy, a strip of honeyed duck, bridged over the glass, and sesame seeds on the rim

- Caramelized Banana, salted butter, coconut puree, banana and spiced rum

- Van Gogh's Downfall: absinthe, bitters, orange blossom water, lemon, cloves, and star anise

- Mojito Raviolis mint, lime, sugar and rum contained in a tiny gelationous bubble that burst in the mouth with a pop.

472 Queen St. W., 416-868-4800

Black Hoof, Toronto

Minimal décor, small, unpretentious, rustic, with the meat-centric menu scribbled on a blackboard. The kitchen is a tiny galley.

Bartender and co-owner Jen Agg serves a drink called Delilah, blending vodka, icewine and muddled grapes. There's A monthly rotation of one of a kind cocktails, and she makes her own syrups, reductions and bitters for use in the bar. The Basil Fawlty is a mix of gin, basil, lemon/lime juice and orange blossom.

I can't seem to find their website, though - would like to see the full cocktail list!

928 Dundas St. W.

tel. 416-551-8854