With a lot of new faces visiting Toronto this September for the Diageo World Class Global finals, we wanted to compile a list of bars that we recommend. These recommendations are of our own opinion and experiences and we will continuously update this list. Please don’t be offended if we have left anyone off – we are just doing our best with what we are capable of. We love Toronto and we want all of you to love it as well! We all know that what make a bar truly great are the people that work there so we have included some faces to look out for should you visit these spots.
If you are new to visiting Toronto, we have some tips for you over at the Toronto Cocktail Conference website here.
xo Jess & Josh
DOWNTOWN
Little Sister – Dutch Indonesian food which is excellent. Great drinks and they have a “speakeasy” bar in the basement called XXX that only holds like 10 people. I think that XXX is only open Thursdays to Saturdays. Rum guy Robin Wynne runs the program here and the infamous H bartends at XXX.
Library Bar and Clockwork – two excellent bars located in the Fairmont Royal York. James Grant runs the bar program and he has a great team of people working at these bars including Jessie Chi, Nick Incretolli, Riley Patterson, Chris Davai and Joe Dorio.
416 Snack Bar – one of the best, more “local” feeling bar. Birthplace of the Toronto shot called a Blackbird.
Short Turn – 416 Snack Bar’s little sister that is just around the corner.
CivilWorks – located in the Waterworks food hall on the second floor. It’s pretty new but they are doing cool things. Elise Hanson runs the bar here.
Evangeline – pretty bar at the top of the Ace Hotel. TOTC Black Coat Aaron Hatchell is the bar manager. You’ll also find Avery Rose on the bar here.
Shameful Tiki Room – they recently moved to this location and we love it! Alana Nogueda and her team here is wonderful.
PARKDALE/QUEEN STREET WEST
Simpl Things – It’s open daytime and nighttime and the menu flips for each. Amazing cocktails and amazing non-alc options. Delicious food. Evelyn Chick is the owner and her bar team includes Morgan McLaughlin and Marcela Hernandez Gonzalez.
Pharmacy – great dive bar
Drake Hotel – many options for food and drink. The cafe patio is wonderful in warm weather and the Sky Yard is great for evening drinks. Angelina Smith works here (and she also helps us with our monthly event, Independent Study Day!)
Food & Liquor – they have both!
Three Dollar Bill – a great Queer bar where they are always up to fun events. Meaghan Murray is one of the owners.
OSSINGTON AVENUE
Bar Koukla – the dreamiest food and good wine.
Gift Shop – tiny bar across the street from Koukla and is located behind a barber shop. The street these are on is called Ossington and it’s a bit of a hot spot. Go see Mike Lamantia and Tina Huang here.
No Vacancy – they are making some of the tastiest cocktails in Toronto right now (in our opinion!). You will find Troy Gilchrist and Nick Hurd behind the bar here.
222 Bar – This place goes from neighbourhood bar to party bar real quick.
The Communist’s Daughter – a Toronto classic and also very tiny
Paris Paris – cool wine bar with food
Reposado – a tequila/agave-focused bar that has been around before many of the other bars and restaurants opened on Ossington. They often have live music. Barnabas Siwila works here.
DUNDAS STREET WEST
Milou – a cute French place, open during the day as well as at night
Bar Mordecai – good food and drink plus they have karaoke! Christina Veira is an owner plus other greats work here like Dylan Maloney and Daniel Tavares.
Cry Baby Gallery – we like it here so much. The bar is located behind an art gallery that always has great art on display. Rob Granicolo is one of the owners. They have another great bar uptown called Le Tigre.
Swan Dive – great dive bar
Cocktail Bar – excellent drinks and they have been around for a long while! Juliana Wolkowski runs the bar program here.
Rhum Corner – across the street from Cocktail Bar. Haitian food and lots of rum!
Archive Wine Bar – all the wine!
Montauk Bar – A great bar owned by Christopher McCrabb.
COLLEGE STREET
Sneaky Dee’s – a Toronto INSTITUTION. Go for late night eats and drinks. Order the nachos (we highly recommend the Queen’s Crown!). Thank us later.
Bar Raval – open during the day as well as a night. Barcelona style tapas and great drinks, wine, vermouths, sherry. Plus it’s goshdang beautiful. Find Bex Figueiredo (they just won the MICHELIN Guide Toronto & Region 2025 Exceptional Cocktails Award!) and John Hume here.
Bar Pompette – walking distance from Bar Raval. There is a reason they are currently ranked as the number 1 bar in Canada. Their bar team includes Jessica Colacci, Simon Ouellette and Tim Rodrigues
BLOOR STREET WEST
Civil Liberties – a no menu bar that is always a fun time. An industry favourite. They have a few red scarves hanging around. Their team includes Samantha Fulmer, Tristan Joseph, Kyle Wilkinson, Mike Dojcsak and Yazdan Kahlaee. Nick Kennedy is one of the owners.
Electric Bill – An Australian-themed bar. Here you will find Aussies Casey Ryan and Jaymee Hejduk plus Katarina Weltner
Shrinking Violet – a cute cocktail bar
Paradise Grapevine – they have two locations – one on Bloor Street and one further north on Geary. They specialise in making really good natural wine.
JUNCTION
Doc’s Green Door Lounge – when they first opened, we told everyone that this was our new favourite Toronto bar. They do everything well here. It is a bar being a bar and it’s wonderful. Nicholas Elliott runs the bar here.
Updated September 27th, 2025
