Expert recommendations of the best clubs, bars, and other after-dark venues.
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Banu
“Try the bison grass vodka and chase it with home-squeezed pomegranate juice.”—
Stephanie Verge, arts and entertainment editor, Toronto Life magazine. A slick and snug blue-and-white, 70s-style boîte on Queen Street West; nibbles are toothsome and lusty in flavor (organic meat kebobs on mint-and-tarragon-dressed taftoon flat bread). 777 Queen Street W; tel. +1 416 777 2268. www.banu.ca
Chelsea Room
“It has an almost Brooklyn-type feel, it’s intimate but still a little raw, and because it’s off the beaten path, you always feels like you’ve discovered it.”—Amy Verner, style reporter, Globe & Mail. Discreet, dimly lit, hipster niche, a find on (slowly) gentrifying Dundas Street West; cedar-planked patio is lovely in summertime. 923 Dundas Street W; tel. +1 416 364 0553.
The Gem
“If the evening’s soundtrack isn’t singles from the pristine vintage 1960s jukebox, it might be live music from a surf guitar band, the same maestros who created the twangy theme music for Kids in the Hall.”—Nathalie Atkinson, style and culture columnist, National Post. Hidden in an out-of-the-way residential corner in midtown; a warm-weather patio is tucked behind shrubbery; quirky rockabilly sensibility; earns its moniker. 1159 Davenport Road; tel. +1 416 654 1182.
Hugh's Room
Folk, country, and roots music; intimate venue with superb acoustics. “Unlike so many other live-music bars, it’s also civilized: you can make reservations and dine before the show.”—Nathalie Atkinson. Classic acts like Valdy and Ian Tyson have taken to the stage. 2261 Dundas Street W; tel. +1 416 531 6604. www.hughsroom.com
One Restaurant
“Oozes power and sophistication; heated outdoor patio has an L.A. feeling.”—Amy Verner. The Hazelton Hotel’s ground-floor restaurant and bar, helmed by local chef and wunderkind Mark McEwan; color scheme (copper reds and cigar browns) has a moneyed masculinity. 118 Yorkville Avenue; tel. +1 416 961 9600. www.hazeltonhotel.com
Park Hyatt Roof Lounge
“They make a mean gin-and-T.”—Shinan Govani, society columnist, National Post. Moody, 18th-floor bar with wood paneling and leather furnishings; color scheme (merlot reds and whiskey browns) takes its cue from the bar. Four Avenue Road; tel. +1 416 925 1234. http://parktoronto.hyatt.com
Southern Accent
“Most thorough selection of authentic small-batch Kentucky bourbons in the city.”—Nathalie Atkinson. Campy and celebratory New Orleans-style niche in Mirvish Village; city’s longest running Cajun restaurant; situated in a converted Victorian townhouse; nightly tarot card readings. 595 Markham Street; tel. +1 416 536 3211. www.southernaccent.com
