This sister snack bar to Parkdale's Chantecler can be found on West Queen West serving up affordable alcohol and unpretentious, tasty snacks with a kitchen that stays open until last call. What makes this place particularly irresistible: The addictive $2-pieces of fried chicken and half-off oysters between 5pm and 7pm every day with the purchase of a tipple. The glowing neon tiger head in the alleyway marks the spot.
Read my profile of Bar Fancy in the restaurants section.
If the recent surge of rooftop photos have taught us anything it's that Toronto looks spectacular from the air. But where rooftoppers can't go, remote-controlled drones equipped with video cameras can, delivering stunning footage of the city from otherwise impossible angles: an aerial shot of the Rogers Centre on game night, High Park from above the trees, the Scarborough Bluffs as seen from the water, and a top-down tour Spadina Ave.
Here are my picks for the top 5 drone videos of Toronto.
Epic Drone Selfie at Scarborough Bluffs
This simple drone video shows off the spectacular majesty of the Scarborough Bluffs in the style of this earlier film taken at Lake Champlain taken near Burlington, New York. That man in sportswear at the end? A random jogger who decided to elbow in on the action.
CN Tower & Rogers Centre
Roundhouse Park is a perfect drone launch point for the CN Tower and the Rogers Centre as evidenced in this video that includes gratuitous shots of the ballpark and the Islands at sunset. It's also an impressive visualization of just how tall the CN Tower really is.
High Park Toronto
Centring on High Park, this video by the same team made the CN Tower film (above,) shows off the impressive tree canopy around High Park, Grenadier Pond, and the neighbourhoods east of Roncesvalles. An creative variety of shots keep the video interesting.
Spadina Ave. from above
This 13-minute trip down Spadina Ave. does a good job of showcasing the street's impressive streetcar infrastructure. The complex tangle of tracks at College, Dundas, and Queen streets look brilliant from the air, and there's even a cameo appearance by one of the new streetcars near the start of the video.
The Toronto Public Library
The Toronto Public Library just completed a $34 million renovation of its central downtown location and this drone video shows off many of the new or improved features, including the impressive Charles and Marilyn Baillie Special Collections Centre and TD Gallery, and study pods. It's also worth watching for an impressive view of the building's massive central atrium.
Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
The worst events in Toronto during 2014 were anomalies on an otherwise satisfying roster of concerts, food fests, and street festivals. Sure, lineups and high ticket prices are always a drag, but the events listed below are worthy of highlight for more than just a general annoyance factor. Be it bad weather, bad organization or the disappointment that comes when great hope is dashed, these events will remain in our memory for all the wrong reasons.
Here are the worst events in Toronto from 2014.
Grilled Cheese Fest
Massive lineups, electrical problems, food shortages, and hefty ticket prices all contributed to the ire of attendees at Grilled Cheese Fest. Claims that the event was oversold by 700 tickets left a bad taste in the mouth of everyone who had the misfortune of heading to Roy Thomson Hall (the first sign of trouble), and even though organizer Joylister eventually took responsibility for the mess and vowed to continue with more "foodie events," the company has since disappeared.
Toronto Men's Fashion Week (TOM*FW)
A few first-time hiccups were to be expected at this brand-new event, including some late starts to runway shows. But the PR sideshow around the ouster of a "too androgynous" designer and, later, allegations of mishandled funds took the shine completely off a much-needed spotlight for menswear designers.
TIME Festival
It seemed like there was a curse on this music festival's less than triumphant return - Death Grips broke up - not their fault, but a replacement would have been nice - then Charli XCX dropped off, and finally (blameless - unless you believe in curses) it rained all day. We had an pretty good time at Fort York regardless watching Grimes, Flume, Action Bronson, St. Lucia, Majical Cloudz, Kaytranada and more, and it was miles better than Grove, but the fest would could have gone further for fans, and it remains to be seen if music-festival-city would support another go in 2015, if TIME decides to try.
Food Truck Ontario Festival
With food trucks having become a fixture at summer festivals throughout the city, you better pull out all the stops when hosting an event dedicated solely to these mobile food purveyors. Instead, attendees were greeted with food shortages, 45 minute-long lineups, and an absence of other entertainment. Where's the festivity in lining up for food, eating, and going home? That's the drill at any fast food joint -- and you don't have to pay 15 bucks to get in.
Prince at Massey Hall
Quite possibly the non-event of the year, the not-so-secret Prince show that never happened still makes the list because we're sure that it was meant to take place before the star of the show had a last minute change of heart and pulled the plug. Why, after all, did Massey Hall have security and barricades on hand? You might ask the same questions about the photo of the equipment on stage and the purple orchid delivery we spotted. Talk about dashed hopes! This one felt like a citywide insult.
What did we miss? Add your nominations for the worst events from last year in the comments.
Photo from a very rainy TIME Festival
Today in Toronto you can catch Ain't No Love at Red Bull Sound Select's What's in the Box night at the Drake Hotel. Or, head to Kensington to for a psych night: minimalist krautrock-inspired Zacht Automaat is releasing a new album, and the always divine Meg Remy aka U.S. Girls will perform solo. If you'd rather work on your own vocal stylings, it's a good day for karaoke in the city. Then the AGO, usually closed on Mondays, is open. For more events, click on over to our events section.
Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.
Photo of U.S. Girls by Jeff Karpala
The best kitchen supply stores in Toronto help you outfit your cooking area with all the latest gadgets, alongside those classic utensils you'd be lost without. Dying to make a comforting stew or to poach a whole salmon or bake madeleines? You can find turkey fryers, giant stockpots, knives, cherry pitters, pie plates, pressure cookers, cast iron cookware, and more. Anything your mouth desires, you can achieve with a recipe, a little patience and the necessary equipment from one of these places.
These are the best kitchen supply stores in Toronto.
See also:
The Best Cooking Classes in Toronto
The Best Gourmet Food Stores in Toronto
The top 10 cookbooks in Toronto
Photo via Nella Cucina.
It looks like we jumped the gun with our top drone videos of Toronto roundup because we surely would have added this new aerial survey of the city and surrounding attractions. I'll admit it seems a bit strange when the video jumps from Guildwood Park to the Big Apple in Percy back to the Toronto skyline, but as a haphazard collection of drone footage assembled over the last month or so, it's a pretty impressive effort.
One can expect to see a lot more drone-based video to flood YouTube this year, but for now these bird's eye views of the city remain novel. It's particularly intriguing to pick out locations, though I'll spare you the suspense when it comes to that narrow bridge -- it's not in Toronto (you'll have to go to Prince Edward County for that).
Is Leslieville about to be the most hairless neighbourhood in the city? It seems odd that a hotbed for young families would see an explosion of wax bars, but thanks to aggressive expansion by three local hair-removal chains, that's exactly what's happening.
First was the Leslieville location of the Ten Spot, which moved from its former location at Greenwood to a new spot at 916 Queen St. East this fall. In mid-December, Waxon Wax Bar opened on Queen East - one of three new locations in the Summerhill wax bar's portfolio. Bringing up the rear is Fuzz Wax Bar, which is set to add a Leslieville shop, their third, sometime this winter.
It seems like an awful lot of waxing shops for one neck of the woods. Is Leslieville just really into pro hair removal (I guess it is a time-saver)? Or might it just be a handy way to get a Queen St. address without paying Queen West rent?
Either way, these spots may be different enough to live in smooth, smooth harmony. The Ten Spot has a menu that spans facials, brow tinting and threading, manicures and pedicures; Fuzz does waxing services almost exclusively, with the notable exception of, and I can't believe I'm about to type this, a brand-new "vajacial" procedure. Their pricing (particularly their "member" pricing for frequent visitors) is a bit lower than Waxon's, which prides itself on a "high-end" atmosphere.
Bonus: All of them cater to everybody looking to get de-fuzzed, regardless of gender. Prepare for an Aleve shortage to happen in Leslieville real, real soon.
Photo via Ten Spot Leslieville on Facebook.
The top ways to warm up this winter in Toronto will provide temporary reprieve when your frost-numbed mind tells you to repeat the phrase "baby, it's cold outside" ad nauseam. Sometimes winter gives you the blues, sometimes it gives you the chills -- whatever the case, I've got some suggestions for how to survive another Canadian winter.
Here are 10 great ways to warm up this winter.
Drink Turkish coffee by the fire at Toronto's new Turkish cafe
If the ambiance and fireplace weren't enough to convince you to spend some time at Istanbul Café, the cups of hot Turkish coffee certainly will.
Line up cheap shots at Toronto's new tiki rock bar
It's Hawaiian/teen dream/rocknroller theme will set your mind drifting to warmer clime and blistering guitar solos while your slam down a belly full of fire.
Fill your belly with seafood noodle soup and cheese fondu at Yonge and Sheppard
Hot soup, spicy tacos, spoon pizza, cheese fondue- this winter head to Han Ba Tang for grub designed to stick to your ribs and warm you all over.
Go for a sauna and kombucha at Toronto's massive new yoga studio
Yoga Tree, Toronto's latest massive yoga studio on Dundas and Bay has a whole kombucha bar and sauna for added warmth after a particularly vigorous ashtanga or hot yoga class.
Do it British style with some scones and tea
Make like the Queen (we are still a monarchy after all) and quell your chill with some tea and scones at Kitten and Bear in Parkdale, or Baker and Scone on St.Calir. Pass the clotted cream!
Bust a move at a Dance party
Nothing brings the heat like working up a sweat (and potentially meeting someone new) on the dance floor so check out this list of top 10 dance parties and bars in Toronto and get ready to bust a move.
Go for a float
Get yourself in one of the sensory deprivation chambers/ float tanks at H2O float Spa and you can cancel out the notion of cold altogether.
Try a YuanYang
Besides coffee, tea and alcohol's known warming properties, let Bevlab's brilliant scientific take on drinks heat up your mind and your mouth. The YuanYang is a milky tea coffee combination, with your choice or de Mello Palheta beans and Detour teas.
Update your winter wardrobe
Why not just actually bundle up this winter to stay warm? You can be well-clothed and fashionable, proving (as Dsquared does every season) that the ski-bunny or North Ontario hoser look never goes out of style.
Take a tea class
A tea class, with elements like the Chinese tea ceremony let you fuse knowledge, ritual and piping hot liquid into one heart warming experience. Plus, once you know how, you can radiate the warm vibes when you serve tea to others.
What did I miss? Add your tips for ways to escape the Toronto cold in the comments below.
Photo of Istanbul Cafe
You know that thing where you walk onto the subway, and some dude is slouched down into the seat with his knees two and a half feet apart, hogging all the space? It's got a name - the wonderfully descriptive "manspreading" - and people across the continent are sick of it, with multiple awareness campaigns urging riders to quit riding public transit crotch-first.
In New York, for example, the MTA has called out man-spreaders (among subway diners, backpack-wearers, and other undesirables) in a series of awareness posters; in Philadelphia, they're posting signs reading "Dude, it's rude ... Two seats - really?" The debate has spread (har) to Toronto, with calls for the TTC to follow suit mounting on Twitter and Reddit.
Local men's rights group CAFE has now, naturally, argued that the request is unfairly biased toward men, launching a petition to stop the TTC from targeting the practice. "This sets a very bad precedent as men opening their legs is something we have to do due to our biology. It sometimes can be physically painful for to close our legs and we can't be expected to do so," the group argues. (It's science.)
"We can't force woman to stop breast feeding on buses or trains and we can't force them to stop bringing strollers on," the petition continues. "Why should we force men to close their legs? This is sexism plain and simple and it cannot be passed." The petition is just shy of 1,000 signatures.
As for the TTC, they're being very hands-off about the whole thing: "Everybody that is riding the TTC is paying a fare, and if there's an empty seat, they should have the opportunity to occupy it," TTC spokesperson Milly Bernal told the Toronto Star. "Transit is public space. We're all sharing it. Just be kind."
Photo by Jeff Smith
Winter flea markets in Toronto are growing in number and popularity - after all, you didn't ask for that that foot and a half of snow on the ground, so it shouldn't have to slow down your search for deals. Next month, it looks like there'll be a new Dundas West flea market to add to your treasure-hunting map.
The first Bellwoods Flea (not to be confused with the Trinity Bellwoods Farmers' Market) will take over the Magpie (831 Dundas St. West) on Saturday, January 17 in what will become a monthly event. They'll be hosting 15 vendors focusing on vintage and locally-made goods, including skincare from WildCraft, local and imported clothing and accessories from Shop Wanderlust, and ties and pocket squares by The Common-Folk. The organizers are also promising music, drinks and classic movies. Extra bonuses: admission will be free, and dogs are welcome.
Photo by The Common Folk
Mississauga is far more compelling then the bland expanse of subdivisions and mini-mansions that most people imagine when they think of the suburbs. It's a city not defined by its centre, but by the composite of its townships. See those towers in the distance, the ones that kinda look like tornadoes? That's Mississauga.
Here are 10 signs you grew up in Mississauga.
1. You appreciate that all buses eventually end up at Square One, and you refer to the City Centre neighbourhood as downtown, without irony.
2. You will decry anyone for not knowing that Pearson Airport is actually in Mississauga, not Toronto.
3. You are the only true 905 but when you first got a cellphone, you did your best to get a 416 number.
4. You've probably spent more time in Tim Horton's parking lots then inside of one. You've also probably spent more time under bridges than you'd care to admit.
5. Despite living in a white-washed suburb, you probably have friends from almost every region of the world, and know how to cus in at least Polish and Tagalog.
6. You didn't appreciate the mega-screens and mini-put at Erin Mills Town Centre until they were gone.
7. You don't know where Oakville/Brampton begins, but you know where Etobicoke begins. You don't know where Lorne Park is. You know where 5 and 10 is.
8. The Train Derailment of 1979 is a thing of legend.
9. When you say you went to UofT, you don't voluntarily mention it was the Erindale Campus.
10. You know it as Sauga.
What signs did I miss? Add your suggestions to the comments.
Writing by Ramen Benyamin
Today in Toronto Cinecycle will host an indie record show and a huge line up of bands to celebrate the newest compilation from free Offerings Magazine, Toronto's own version of Show Paper. Zacht Automaat, Zones, Doom Tickler, New Chance, Nick Storring and more will perform, and labels selling their wares will include Arachnidiscs, Healing Power, Heretical Objects, Inyrdisk, Pleasence, and Reel Cod.
TIFF is showing Ishirô Honda's Gojira, aka the original Godzilla, as part of their new Restored! series. Then Jason Collett's Basement Revue has one last show, and this one's back at the good old Dakota Tavern. For more events, click on over to our events section.
Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.
Chic storefronts, designer boutiques and trendy bars are the telltale signs of gentrification, but Kensington doesn't care. The Market is where culture comes to be recycled, reimagined and repurposed - the abandoned car-turned-flower-garden that used to sit on Augusta, the lawnmower-robot-insects outside the house on Wales Ave, the endless 'sketch-comedy-and-tragedy' of Bellevue Square. Kensington is in a constant fluid state between trash and treasure; Toronto's cultural basin where the city's artistic run-off settles, stews and brews something anew.
My Kensington playlist consists of artists who frankly don't give a f*ck. They're loud, abrasive, and messy - Dilly Dally, Brutal Knights, Cellphone, S.H.I.T.; and they're relentless and eccentric - Zoo Owl, Yamantaka//Sonic Titan, Human Performance Lab. The title track for this mix could be Maylee Todd's "Successive Mutations" - the odd one out with its harps, and vibes and jazzy feels. But that's Kensington, where the odd one out feels at home.
Which 10 tracks would you use to celebrate Kensington Market? Make your own Spotify playlist and tweet us the link, or leave it in the comments below.
Image by Aldrin Taroy
The top songs from Toronto during 2014 are not all found on our list of top albums from the year, but that's not much of a surprise: it's the age of the single, and a song's ability to grip emotions and make memories doesn't always translate perfectly into long play power - though looking through these tracks, we had a lot of love for albums by nearly all these artists in 2014 as well.
Here are our picks for the top 10 songs that stuck with us from Toronto during 2014.
Black Walls - Communion
Ken Reaume takes you deep under water for the opener to his five-song 2014 album of the same name. Seven minutes of heavily-reverbed guitar and vocals concoct a slow motion dream bound to lull anyone into introspective meditation. With a writing experience described as a very personal journey of self-discovery, "Communion" washes over you like waves on a beach. The art is stunning to boot. AG
Century Palm - White Light
There's something incredibly vintage-feeling about this track. Not vintage in a patchouli-oil-kind-of-way, more like that stuff that came along and smashed every incense holder in Yorkville as the 60s gave way to 70s. That's not to say that Century Palm have copped the sound per se -- just that I'm reminded of the times I snuck in to Larry's Hideaway to see something my childhood brain interpreted as revolutionary. ESP
Dilly Dally - Candy Mountain
Dilly Dally may be Toronto's new purveyor's of late-80's alterna-worship, but while Katie Monks can yowl like both Frank Black and Kim Deal, some of their best hooks are found in lead guitarist Liz Ball's Santiago-esque melodies. A shining example is "Candy Mountain," an anthem of social alienation in which sparse verses dive headfirst into choruses soaked in fuzz. If its title is any indication, think less "Big Rock Candy Mountain," and more Psychocandy. CG
Trust - Capitol
Such fun for a pilot: almost a decade in the making, the second single released off Trust/TRST's 2014 sophomore album Joyland solidified Robert Alfons' newly solo, lost(in space)boy goth-pop sound as his voice bounces from baritone to nasal high ranges in a sky twinkling with synths. Europe is eating it up, naturally.
PARTYNEXTDOOR - Recognize ft. Drake
As if we'd cap the year without some Drake. In this track from 2014's PartyNextDoor Two, OVO's Mississauga cohort's effect-heavy vocals heat up alongside Drizzy's smooth crooning, steady flow, and 6IX hoodie. Of all Drake's Soundcloud drops and appearances this year, Recognize's hometown double hitter flies a hair above the rest.
Greys - Noise of Carpet
When Stereolab released the original track on 1996's Emperor Tomato Ketchup, it was not only an anomaly on that album, it was the rowdiest track in their entire catalog. Nearly 20 years on now it would be incredibly easy for upstarts Greys to plant tongue firmly in cheek and take the piss. Instead they pay homage, brilliantly capturing the inherent aggression within -- without loosing an ounce of the smouldering cool. ESP
Nadja - Dark Circles
A building post-metal opener from the new Nadja album, "Dark Circles" blurs through all phases essential to an epic nine minute rock jam. It begins with an eerie looping guitar riff and doesn't hold back on the distortion as it builds. The barely audible vocals moan in between heavy sessions where instruments swirl into one attack on your senses: drone rock cooked to perfection. Albumwise, some truly badass art accompanies white or black vinyl, making Queller a score for post-rock lovers, metalheads and vinyl nuts. It even comes with a folded poster. AG
Alvvays - Archie, Marry Me
Quite possibly the catchiest song to come out of Canada, let alone Toronto, this year, Alvvays' "Archie, Marry Me" is as much a blessing as it is a curse, as it will follow you through your day like the obsessive stalker they paint in the equally hooky "Adult Diversion." Like a pair of vintage wayfarers, Alvvays exercise just the right amount of polish to their blurred, lo-fi sound that their million-dollar melodies aren't obscured in the haze. If matrimony really does sound this sweet, Tinder's days are numbered. CG
Shawn William Clarke - I Blame the Loyalist Ghost
With verses such as, "I blame the loyalist ghost, for making me depressed. My heart it ached for my true love in Charlottetown," folk-songwriter Shawn William Clarke demonstrates his gift for lyrical storytelling. The song "I Blame the Loyalist Ghost" is a reference to falling ill and depressed on his east coast Canada tour (Clarke claims in one interview to have stolen the line from his GF). The track appears on Clarke's sophomore album William 2014. RA
Odonis Odonis - Are We Friends
Like the duplicity suggested in the title of their new record Hard Boiled/Soft Boiled, Odonis Odonis excellently blends equal parts Ministry and My Bloody Valentine into an irresistible noise. "Are We Friends" opens with a mutated "Blue Monday" stomp, and through a forest of squalling guitars and digital drum explosions, singer Dean Tzenos crafts undeniable hooks on the pitfalls of sexual camaraderie. Let me introduce you to your new best friends. CG
See also
The top 10 Toronto albums of 2014
The top 10 Toronto music videos of 2014
The top 10 breakout bands from Toronto in 2014
The top 10 concerts in Toronto during 2014
The top 10 dance parties in Toronto during 2014
What did we miss? Leave your favourite Toronto songs of 2014 in the comments.
Contributions by Evan Sue-Ping, Ryan Ayukawa, Adam Golfetto, Colin Gillespie
Trust photo by Denise McMullin.
Note: While Colin Gillespie is a member of Greys, he did not contribute to their appearance on this list.
It's difficult to imagine what Yonge and Eglinton will look like in five years time. Not only is the midtown intersection about to become a major transit hub with the impending arrival of the Eglinton-Crosstown LRT, but four other major building projects--the most recent of which was proposed just last Monday--are set to extensively alter the current streetscape.
Here are 5 reasons why Toronto's midtown hub is about to take off in a major way.
1 Eglinton Ave. East
The latest addition to the glut of development at Yonge and Eglinton arrived last week with a proposal for a 68 storey building at the southeast corner of the intersection. Details are still thin at this stage, but developers are planning a tower that will consist of 662 residential units, office and retail space, and several levels of underground parking. It's likely (though not certain) that the 8-storey, terracotta-coloured office building presently on the site would be demolished to make way for the tower, were it to be approved.
The Eglinton-Crosstown LRT
The completion of Eglinton Ave.'s $5.3 billion, 19-kilometre rapid transit line in some time early next decade will transform the street's intersection with Yonge St. into one of the Toronto's busiest transit hubs. Right now, tunnel boring machines are closing in on the site of the subway interchange from the west. It's expected that by 2031 the line will carry 5,400 passengers per hour in the busiest direction during peak periods.
E Condos
Currently under construction, this two-tower condominium project will dominate the northeast corner of the intersection when it's completed in 2017. At 196 and 123 metres respectively, the residential towers with ground floor retail will be slightly shorter than the development just proposed across the street. Right now, demolition work is underway on the buildings currently occupying the site.
Yonge Eglinton Centre expansion
Riocan's $100 million Yonge Eglinton Centre expansion will see the current towers, which were completed in 1974, re-clad in reflective glass and slightly boosted in height. The existing street level plaza will be replaced by a three-storey glass "cube" and retail space added inside the existing mall. Construction will be completed in stages starting next year.
The redevelopment of the Eglinton station bus bays
The shuttered site at the southwest corner of Yonge and Eglinton is slated to become one of the extraction sites for the LRT tunnel boring machines some time in the next few years. After that, it's expected that the property will be sold for development, likely paving the way for more construction some time after 2020. It's much too early to tell what will be built, but given the other nearby high-rise proposals, it could be something tall.
What do you think of all the changes coming to Yonge and Eglinton?
Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
Image: Metrolinx, Riocan, Sean Galbraith/blogTO Flickr pool.
Today we're opening up voting in our year-end Best Of poll. Now you can have your say on the year that was 2014 by weighing in on the best new cafes, bars, bakeries, restaurants and shops that opened during the past 12 months.
Voting in the poll ends at 11:45pm this Thursday January 1st.
The latest U.S. fitness fave to head north of the border can be found at this brand-new King West gym, where barre classes get blended with yoga and Pilates for a workout that boosts balance and flexibility and works for all fitness levels. Between the ballet barre and the Pilates ball, your muscles won't know what hit 'em.
Read my review of Barre3 in the fitness section.
The food trends that dominated in Toronto in 2014 weren't just fickle examples of one-off novelties (I'm looking at you cronuts). These prolific trends found wide-spread popularity, proved their staying power and were embraced and imitated city wide, even as diners, chefs and restaurateurs continued to seek out the next best thing.
Here are the top 10 Toronto food trends from 2014.
Juice bars
It was a banner year for juice bars and the buzzword du jour was "cold-pressed". Encompassing everything from nutrient-rich liquid lunches, cleanses and even almond milks, newly opened operations include Greenhouse Juice Co., Farmacia, The Good Press, Pulp & Press, Evolution Food Co., Fueled Fresh Bar, and the house-brand Au Jus at YamChops.
Middle Eastern food
Harissa and hummus were hot ticket items on menus this year with an influx of new restaurants drawing influence from culinary traditions across the Middle East. Byblos, Rose City Kitchen, Fat Pasha, District Oven, Kadbanu, and Maha's each specialize in various regions while traditional dishes from shakshuka to shawarma appeared on menus at Rasa, Hello Darling and The Beaver (to name just a few).
Licensed coffee shops
This wouldn't be news in Europe, but in Toronto it's about time we blurred the lines between cafe and bar. This year saw dinner destinations like Bar Buca, Portland Variety, and the County Cocktail open for business in the a.m., while indie coffee shops like Dundas & Carlaw, Boxcar Social and Bevlab are among a new crop of cafe operating from morning into the night.
Brewpubs
Newly opened Louis Cifer Brew Works and Duggan's Brewery joined Bellwoods Brewery and the Junction Craft Brewery this year, and that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes hyper-local craft brews. 2015 looks even more promising with the imminent openings of Left Field Brewery, Bellwoods Brewery's second location, Kensington Brewing Company and Lansdowne Brewery all in the works.
Indie sports bars
The popularity of this sub section of premium dive bars kicked off with the late-2013 opening of The Dock Ellis, but seemed to find its footing as 2014 saw openings of The Derby and The Contender crowding into the arena. Packed with screens and sports memorabilia, these new game day destinations are offering fun riffs of status quo sports bar foods with munchies like wonton nachos or meatball hoagies appearing on menus.
Restaurants within restaurants/bars
Not only did 2014 see new restaurants pop-up inside of already established bars (like say Luther's Chicken inside Churchill, Loka Snacks inside Hi-Lo Bar and Baju in the Monarch), but we also saw new restaurateurs launched multiple concepts per address. Visit Dailo and start with drinks and snacks upstairs at LoPan, or dine at Fat Pasha and hit Schmaltz on the way out, or stop in at Bebop pre-dinner at Pai.
Gourmet late night eats
No longer is late-night eating all about fast food chains and greasy slices, kitchens are staying open increasingly late with gourmet eats on offer until at least last call. Thouroughbred for instance is serving up buttermilk fried sweetbreads, chicken liver mousse and Burgundy truffle-topped haute dogs, while Mr. Flamingo switches up its late night bar menu monthly offering gourmet, often seafood-focused nibbles on a theme. The Carbon Bar, Bar Buca, and People's Eatery all deserve a nod too - all have raised the bar when it comes dining into the wee morning hours.
Breakfast poutine
Toronto's obsession with fries, curds and gravy went from being a regretful post-bar binge food to a respectable brunch time option eaten openly in the light of day. In some cases fries got substituted for hash browns or tater tots, but in most instances, the transition was complete with just the addition of eggs or hollandaise. Listed alongside pancakes and bennies, find poutine appearing on brunch menus at newly opened joints like; Hello Darling, Mata Petisco Bar, Tavern by Trevor, and Duke's Refresher; as well as at stalwarts like School Bakery and Cafe, Lady Marmalade, Gilead Cafe, and Mitzi's.
Tea cocktails
Tea based cocktails were prolific on bar menus citywide in 2014 with steeped infusions highlighted by mixologists at places like D Bar at the Four Season where the Early Frost is blended with honey and chamomile-infused gin, and pomegranate Lillet Blanc. Byblos, LoPan and Marben are just a few more that made tea time a little boozier this year.
Butcher shop sandwich counters
Sanagan's did it and now the idea has caught on at newly opened boutique butchers like Cumbrae's, St. Andrew's Poultry and Stock In Trade. Aside from the usual prepared foods found at your local butcher, these meat mongers are employing their expertise to assemble astounding hot sandwiches that can be consumed immediately.
Photo of Fat Pasha by Jesse Milns
