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RichieBones
Guest
beside Bar volo and victory i havent found too many craft brew beer bars in toronto........any suggestions?
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TOinTO
Active Member
C'est What, on Front at Church, has a good selection of local brews and a few of their own creations. Al's Cask Ale is one of their best.
It's one of my favourite places on the planet, especially by the 3rd pint.
It's one of my favourite places on the planet, especially by the 3rd pint.
Towered
Senior Member
Check out www.bartowel.com for full on local beer geekery.
lister
Active Member
Here's some more:
Smokeless Joe (John St between Adelaide & Richmond)
Castro's Lounge (Beaches)
Rhino (Parkdale)
Rebel House (Summerhill)
Granite Brewpub (Mt Pleasant & Eglinton)
Mill St. Brewpub (Distillery District)
Smokeless Joe (John St between Adelaide & Richmond)
Castro's Lounge (Beaches)
Rhino (Parkdale)
Rebel House (Summerhill)
Granite Brewpub (Mt Pleasant & Eglinton)
Mill St. Brewpub (Distillery District)
JasonParis
Moderator
Castro's Lounge is indeed great!
Therion
Senior Member
I went to the Granite Pub on Mt. Pleasant a couple of weeks ago, and their beer is delicious and fresh (important!). Their summer ale is half wheat, only 4% alcohol, and refreshing to the max. Highly recommended. The Irish stout looked damn good as well, though I did not try it.
PukeGreen
Active Member
Josh Rubin, the Toronto Star's "beer reporter" wrote a decent article last week highlighting some of the best beer spots in the city. Many of the usual suspects are here, but there are also a few surprising inclusions.
http://www.thestar.com/article/460804
BEST BEER BARS, BAR NONE
July 16, 2008 | Josh Rubin | Beer Reporter
When you write about beer, you tend to get people asking where to find a good place to pull up a bar stool and research the finer points of barley and hops.
Sometimes the question is in a polite email from a reader. Sometimes, it comes in the form of a tipsy shout across a noisy bar.
To all, here are my top picks for where to enjoy a good beer or three in the Greater Toronto Area.
Most of the places are in Toronto proper. That's not bias. The sad fact is that, for large swaths of the 905, good beer bars aren't part of local life. Some decent local pubs, sure, but nothing rising above the crowd.
And rising above the crowd is what these places do. Whether it's stocking a beer you can't get elsewhere, or the size of the beer list, or great food, these places each have something special going for them.
LE SÉLECT BISTRO
Unlike some wine-friendly spots in town, this place has a well-chosen beer list. While best known for its 12,000-bottle wine cellar, Le Sélect also has 60 kinds of bottled beer and seven draft taps. The beer list (ask your server for the full list, not the one on the main menu) is focused on Belgian, German and French brews, with some good Ontario choices. Le Sélect also has one of the city's best classic French bistro menus, including an outstanding cassoulet, which goes brilliantly with a Belgian-style tripel.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Try the cassoulet, paired with Chimay White or Unibroue Maudite, or the duck confit and a bottle of Maudite.
432 Wellington St. W., Toronto; 416-596-6405; leselect.com
BAR VOLO
Owner Ralph Morana has been running this cozy little trattoria at the corner of Yonge and Dundonald Sts. for 20 years, but about eight years ago he began to turn it into a shrine to good beer. Morana travels the beer-festival circuit to track down brews from around the world and often brings them in on private order, meaning they can't be found anywhere else in town. Volo was the first in town to stock Italian microbrewery Panil, for example. Morana's list of 190 bottled beers has offerings from several U.S. microbreweries, Belgium and elsewhere. He's also got 12 draft taps (usually Ontario beers) and two cask offerings. The bar is perhaps best known for its annual Cask Days festival, which features 30 or so cask ales. The menu includes an outstanding selection of Canadian artisanal cheeses. He's also got an all-VQA wine list.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Ask Ralph what's new and exciting, then order it. Panil's a treat if you enjoy things on the tart side.
587 Yonge St., Toronto; 416-928-0008; barvolo.com
BEER BISTRO
This swank bistro is nirvana for beer lovers, especially if they've got a bit of cash. Since it opened in 2003, chef/owner Brian Morin and his crew (including beer author and part owner Stephen Beaumont) have assembled a stunning selection of international beers, including several rare Belgian gems such as the champagne-like Deus, at $50 a bottle. There are 150 bottles and 20 draft taps (not a single North American macrobrew anywhere in sight). There is also Morin's top-notch kitchen, which puts out beer-friendly dishes, including Kobe beef tacos and a house-smoked pulled pork sandwich.
The staff is also one of the most beer-savvy bunches you'll ever meet.
Careful what you order. The bill can add up.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Try some mussels and a bottle of gueuze, or the pulled pork and a bold, hoppy IPA, or one of several vintages of Thomas Hardy's Ale.
18 King. St. E., Toronto; 416-861-9872, beerbistro.com
DORA KEOGH/ALLEN'S
Technically, they're two bars. But they share an owner – John Maxwell – a building and a kitchen. On one side is Dora Keogh, probably the most authentic Irish pub in the city. In addition to the ubiquitous Guinness, there are 11 other beers on tap, including two on cask (Fuller's London Porter, from England, is usually one). The simple, understated room has lovely wood flooring, low-slung copper tables and stools, a "snug" (walled private booth), all blessedly free of TVs. Next door at Allen's, Maxwell has created what he calls a tribute to the Irish saloons of New York City. There are more than 140 kinds of bottled beer, and 14 mostly Ontario draft taps. The kitchen turns out food that is more ambitious than standard bar fare, including roast duck and crab cakes. And if you or your guests feel like something other than beer, Allen's has a 35,000-bottle all-VQA wine cellar, plus a selection of 340 whiskies, including 280 single-malt scotches.
JOSH SUGGESTS: If it's available, don't miss cask brew Fuller's London Porter.
Dora Keogh,141 Danforth Ave., Toronto; 416-778-1804
Allen's, 143 Danforth Ave., Toronto; 416-463-3086; allens.to
C'EST WHAT
If you want to get a good feel for what Ontario brewers are doing, this is as good a place as any to find out. Most of the 35 drafts (including five cask ales) on offer are from Ontario. Among them are several house beers made for C'est What by local brewers. If someone in this province is making a one-off or seasonal brew, you'll find it here (or at Bar Volo). All the beer here – including the dozen or so bottled varieties – are from Canadian microbreweries.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Ask if there's anything new and/or seasonal. When available, the Wellington Imperial Russian Stout is a rich, complex nightcap.
67 Front St. E., Toronto; 416-867-9499; cestwhat.com
MILL STREET BREW PUB
When Mill Street Brewery moved to a new facility in Scarborough in 2006, they turned their original location, in the Distillery District into a brew pub. In addition to Mill Street's standard five offerings, which are sold at the LCBO and The Beer Store, the brew pub has several other brews, all on draft. The brew pub serves as something of an R&D wing for the bigger brewery: Mill Street's Belgian Wit was available here as a seasonal draft before plans were made to bottle it. The brew pub also has a store that sells growlers of draft.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Order something not available in bottles –you won't be able to get it anywhere else.
55 Mill St., Building 63, Toronto; 416-681-0338; millstreetbrewpub.ca
GRANITE BREWERY
Some beer comes from across the planet. At the Granite, it comes from across the room. The sister location to a Halifax brew pub of the same name, this place has been serving traditional English ales and pub grub since 1991. There are eight house-made brews on tap, usually including two that are cask-conditioned, which refers to the naturally carbonated, unfiltered beer known as "real ale." Brewmaster/owner Ron Keefe is often working in the brewery, and happily answers questions from visitors curious to learn about the brewing process. Granite also has an on-site store where you can buy jugs of draft, called growlers, to go.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Try the Best Bitter Special.
245 Eglinton Ave. E., Toronto; 416-322-0723; granitebrewery.ca
WEST 50 POURHOUSE & GRILLE
Wander in to most sports bars, and you won't find a particularly inspiring selection of beer. The usual domestic brews will be there, and maybe a bland import or two. This spot, across the street from Square One Shopping Centre, isn't most sports bars. Since opening last year, West 50 Pourhouse has boasted what it calls the largest selection of draft beer in the country, with 115 taps pouring 109 different beers. While there aren't really any rare gems you can't get somewhere else, there's something for almost every palate and price range, including 14 Ontario microbrews. If you do get something not particularly fresh (always an issue in any place with so many taps), they're pretty good about replacing it.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Order a "six-pack" of 5 oz. samples and try a range of beers.
50 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W., Mississauga; 905-949-9378; hiprestaurants.com/west50
THE RHINO RESTAURANT AND BAR
Maybe it's not as swank as the Drake Hotel, a few blocks east. But the Rhino has plenty to offer Parkdale. In particular, some really good beer, at really good prices. Okay, so the claim on the menu that they carry 304 bottles rings a bit hollow when your first three or four choices are out. But when you do finally get, say, a Belgian trappist ale, odds are it will be about half the price of more centrally located bars. There are also 13 draft taps, mainly Ontario micros.
JOSH SUGGESTS: The Westmalle Dubbel is one of my favourite beers on the planet.
1249 Queen. St. W., Toronto; 416-535-8089; therhino.ca
VICTORY CAFÉ
The Vic, as locals call it, is a little beer oasis in the heart of Mirvish Village. While it's had a decent beer list for most of its existence, things really started to take off when new owners bought it three years ago. The renovated two-storey Victorian house has two bars and a fantastic shaded patio, which is excellent for people watching. Upstairs, there are often concerts, poetry readings or theatrical performances. The 13 draft beers (including one cask) and 10 bottles are mostly from Ontario microbreweries, and go down well with the classic pub grub.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Hit the leafy patio for a pint of whatever's on cask and a plate of fries with the addictive dill dipping sauce.
581 Markham St., Toronto; 416-516-5787; victorycafe.ca
OUTSIDE THE GTA
St. Veronus Café has what is probably the best selection of bottled beer in Ontario found outside the Toronto area, and a good selection of draft. The Belgian-heavy list is accompanied by a Belgian-themed café menu, including mussels, rabbit and Flemish-style stews.
129 Hunter St. W., Peterborough; 705-743-5714; stveronus.com
Castle on King looks from the outside like something Walt Disney might have designed if he had gone on a bender and brought along some stucco. Once you're inside, it's an excellent pub, with 20 different draft taps, mostly from Ontario microbreweries, but with a healthy selection of imports. The Castle was one of the first places in the province to actually have a cask ale from England.
1508 King St. E., Kitchener, 519-578-0015; castleonking.com
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Esplanade Bier Markt, 58 The Esplanade, Toronto, 416-862-7575
Smokeless Joe's, 125 John St., Toronto; 416-728-4503
Castro's Lounge, 2116 Queen St. E., Toronto; 416-699-8272
Abbot on the Hill, 1276 Yonge St., Toronto 416-920-9074
http://www.thestar.com/article/460804
BEST BEER BARS, BAR NONE
July 16, 2008 | Josh Rubin | Beer Reporter
When you write about beer, you tend to get people asking where to find a good place to pull up a bar stool and research the finer points of barley and hops.
Sometimes the question is in a polite email from a reader. Sometimes, it comes in the form of a tipsy shout across a noisy bar.
To all, here are my top picks for where to enjoy a good beer or three in the Greater Toronto Area.
Most of the places are in Toronto proper. That's not bias. The sad fact is that, for large swaths of the 905, good beer bars aren't part of local life. Some decent local pubs, sure, but nothing rising above the crowd.
And rising above the crowd is what these places do. Whether it's stocking a beer you can't get elsewhere, or the size of the beer list, or great food, these places each have something special going for them.
LE SÉLECT BISTRO
Unlike some wine-friendly spots in town, this place has a well-chosen beer list. While best known for its 12,000-bottle wine cellar, Le Sélect also has 60 kinds of bottled beer and seven draft taps. The beer list (ask your server for the full list, not the one on the main menu) is focused on Belgian, German and French brews, with some good Ontario choices. Le Sélect also has one of the city's best classic French bistro menus, including an outstanding cassoulet, which goes brilliantly with a Belgian-style tripel.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Try the cassoulet, paired with Chimay White or Unibroue Maudite, or the duck confit and a bottle of Maudite.
432 Wellington St. W., Toronto; 416-596-6405; leselect.com
BAR VOLO
Owner Ralph Morana has been running this cozy little trattoria at the corner of Yonge and Dundonald Sts. for 20 years, but about eight years ago he began to turn it into a shrine to good beer. Morana travels the beer-festival circuit to track down brews from around the world and often brings them in on private order, meaning they can't be found anywhere else in town. Volo was the first in town to stock Italian microbrewery Panil, for example. Morana's list of 190 bottled beers has offerings from several U.S. microbreweries, Belgium and elsewhere. He's also got 12 draft taps (usually Ontario beers) and two cask offerings. The bar is perhaps best known for its annual Cask Days festival, which features 30 or so cask ales. The menu includes an outstanding selection of Canadian artisanal cheeses. He's also got an all-VQA wine list.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Ask Ralph what's new and exciting, then order it. Panil's a treat if you enjoy things on the tart side.
587 Yonge St., Toronto; 416-928-0008; barvolo.com
BEER BISTRO
This swank bistro is nirvana for beer lovers, especially if they've got a bit of cash. Since it opened in 2003, chef/owner Brian Morin and his crew (including beer author and part owner Stephen Beaumont) have assembled a stunning selection of international beers, including several rare Belgian gems such as the champagne-like Deus, at $50 a bottle. There are 150 bottles and 20 draft taps (not a single North American macrobrew anywhere in sight). There is also Morin's top-notch kitchen, which puts out beer-friendly dishes, including Kobe beef tacos and a house-smoked pulled pork sandwich.
The staff is also one of the most beer-savvy bunches you'll ever meet.
Careful what you order. The bill can add up.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Try some mussels and a bottle of gueuze, or the pulled pork and a bold, hoppy IPA, or one of several vintages of Thomas Hardy's Ale.
18 King. St. E., Toronto; 416-861-9872, beerbistro.com
DORA KEOGH/ALLEN'S
Technically, they're two bars. But they share an owner – John Maxwell – a building and a kitchen. On one side is Dora Keogh, probably the most authentic Irish pub in the city. In addition to the ubiquitous Guinness, there are 11 other beers on tap, including two on cask (Fuller's London Porter, from England, is usually one). The simple, understated room has lovely wood flooring, low-slung copper tables and stools, a "snug" (walled private booth), all blessedly free of TVs. Next door at Allen's, Maxwell has created what he calls a tribute to the Irish saloons of New York City. There are more than 140 kinds of bottled beer, and 14 mostly Ontario draft taps. The kitchen turns out food that is more ambitious than standard bar fare, including roast duck and crab cakes. And if you or your guests feel like something other than beer, Allen's has a 35,000-bottle all-VQA wine cellar, plus a selection of 340 whiskies, including 280 single-malt scotches.
JOSH SUGGESTS: If it's available, don't miss cask brew Fuller's London Porter.
Dora Keogh,141 Danforth Ave., Toronto; 416-778-1804
Allen's, 143 Danforth Ave., Toronto; 416-463-3086; allens.to
C'EST WHAT
If you want to get a good feel for what Ontario brewers are doing, this is as good a place as any to find out. Most of the 35 drafts (including five cask ales) on offer are from Ontario. Among them are several house beers made for C'est What by local brewers. If someone in this province is making a one-off or seasonal brew, you'll find it here (or at Bar Volo). All the beer here – including the dozen or so bottled varieties – are from Canadian microbreweries.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Ask if there's anything new and/or seasonal. When available, the Wellington Imperial Russian Stout is a rich, complex nightcap.
67 Front St. E., Toronto; 416-867-9499; cestwhat.com
MILL STREET BREW PUB
When Mill Street Brewery moved to a new facility in Scarborough in 2006, they turned their original location, in the Distillery District into a brew pub. In addition to Mill Street's standard five offerings, which are sold at the LCBO and The Beer Store, the brew pub has several other brews, all on draft. The brew pub serves as something of an R&D wing for the bigger brewery: Mill Street's Belgian Wit was available here as a seasonal draft before plans were made to bottle it. The brew pub also has a store that sells growlers of draft.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Order something not available in bottles –you won't be able to get it anywhere else.
55 Mill St., Building 63, Toronto; 416-681-0338; millstreetbrewpub.ca
GRANITE BREWERY
Some beer comes from across the planet. At the Granite, it comes from across the room. The sister location to a Halifax brew pub of the same name, this place has been serving traditional English ales and pub grub since 1991. There are eight house-made brews on tap, usually including two that are cask-conditioned, which refers to the naturally carbonated, unfiltered beer known as "real ale." Brewmaster/owner Ron Keefe is often working in the brewery, and happily answers questions from visitors curious to learn about the brewing process. Granite also has an on-site store where you can buy jugs of draft, called growlers, to go.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Try the Best Bitter Special.
245 Eglinton Ave. E., Toronto; 416-322-0723; granitebrewery.ca
WEST 50 POURHOUSE & GRILLE
Wander in to most sports bars, and you won't find a particularly inspiring selection of beer. The usual domestic brews will be there, and maybe a bland import or two. This spot, across the street from Square One Shopping Centre, isn't most sports bars. Since opening last year, West 50 Pourhouse has boasted what it calls the largest selection of draft beer in the country, with 115 taps pouring 109 different beers. While there aren't really any rare gems you can't get somewhere else, there's something for almost every palate and price range, including 14 Ontario microbrews. If you do get something not particularly fresh (always an issue in any place with so many taps), they're pretty good about replacing it.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Order a "six-pack" of 5 oz. samples and try a range of beers.
50 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W., Mississauga; 905-949-9378; hiprestaurants.com/west50
THE RHINO RESTAURANT AND BAR
Maybe it's not as swank as the Drake Hotel, a few blocks east. But the Rhino has plenty to offer Parkdale. In particular, some really good beer, at really good prices. Okay, so the claim on the menu that they carry 304 bottles rings a bit hollow when your first three or four choices are out. But when you do finally get, say, a Belgian trappist ale, odds are it will be about half the price of more centrally located bars. There are also 13 draft taps, mainly Ontario micros.
JOSH SUGGESTS: The Westmalle Dubbel is one of my favourite beers on the planet.
1249 Queen. St. W., Toronto; 416-535-8089; therhino.ca
VICTORY CAFÉ
The Vic, as locals call it, is a little beer oasis in the heart of Mirvish Village. While it's had a decent beer list for most of its existence, things really started to take off when new owners bought it three years ago. The renovated two-storey Victorian house has two bars and a fantastic shaded patio, which is excellent for people watching. Upstairs, there are often concerts, poetry readings or theatrical performances. The 13 draft beers (including one cask) and 10 bottles are mostly from Ontario microbreweries, and go down well with the classic pub grub.
JOSH SUGGESTS: Hit the leafy patio for a pint of whatever's on cask and a plate of fries with the addictive dill dipping sauce.
581 Markham St., Toronto; 416-516-5787; victorycafe.ca
OUTSIDE THE GTA
St. Veronus Café has what is probably the best selection of bottled beer in Ontario found outside the Toronto area, and a good selection of draft. The Belgian-heavy list is accompanied by a Belgian-themed café menu, including mussels, rabbit and Flemish-style stews.
129 Hunter St. W., Peterborough; 705-743-5714; stveronus.com
Castle on King looks from the outside like something Walt Disney might have designed if he had gone on a bender and brought along some stucco. Once you're inside, it's an excellent pub, with 20 different draft taps, mostly from Ontario microbreweries, but with a healthy selection of imports. The Castle was one of the first places in the province to actually have a cask ale from England.
1508 King St. E., Kitchener, 519-578-0015; castleonking.com
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Esplanade Bier Markt, 58 The Esplanade, Toronto, 416-862-7575
Smokeless Joe's, 125 John St., Toronto; 416-728-4503
Castro's Lounge, 2116 Queen St. E., Toronto; 416-699-8272
Abbot on the Hill, 1276 Yonge St., Toronto 416-920-9074
urbandreamer
recession proof
The best local brew I've ever had (now made in Oakville Ontario): Denison's Weissbier. I just had some at Victory Cafe on Markham St/Mirvish Village--incredible!
I'm getting thirsty....
http://www.denisons.ca/
I'm getting thirsty....
http://www.denisons.ca/
lister
Active Member
Fabulous brew! I've met the brewer several times. Great guy. Try his Dunkel.
The beer isn't brewed out in Oakville at Black Oak anymore. The beer is actually now brewed out at the Cool Brewing plant in Brampton or Etobicoke (ratebeer.com says the former and the Cool Beer web site says the latter.)
grey
Senior Member
I like Mill Street Brewpub in the Distillery District, and my favourite from Toronto is the Amsterdam Brewery located at Bathurst and Fort York Blvd, next to the Gardiner. Not a bar, but they have retail store (where they're now selling their new Pomegranate wheat beer) and some taps for sampling. They also give tours, just like Mill Street.
Towered
Senior Member
It's in Etobicoke, Kipling and QEW.
Tuscani01
Senior Member
I love Cest What? If you ever visit, be sure to try the Coffee Porter. Its brewed by them, and is my favourite beer so far on their menu. The atmosphere in the place is pretty good too. Im working my way up to being a regular there. I can even tell you where to sit if you want to see a mouse!
I found Bier Markt's menu to be too large. It took quite some time before me and my roommate were able to pick something.
I found Bier Markt's menu to be too large. It took quite some time before me and my roommate were able to pick something.
urbandreamer
recession proof
I had another pint of Denison's weissbeir at LeVack Block (on Ossington) last night and came away disappointed--it was an entirely different brew compared to the one I had at Victory cafe. The bartender claimed Levack's keg was from the new brewing joint, while Victory had stocked up on the old batch/brewer. Interesting. (See the colour of my pint in photo above? It wasn't that golden yellow this time.
lister
Active Member
I noticed that too back on the July long weekend at Rebel House. The brew was a little darker in colour and didn't have the usual taste for the first half of the glass. The brewer did warn about differences when he announced the brewery switch and it may take some time to iron out.
grey
Senior Member
Last time I went to Bier Markt the beer menu didn't list prices, so I ended up ordering this German chocolate beer which turned out to be gross... and it cost sixteen bucks