Toronto Competition sees new eating places and motels prepared for company

TIFF and Toronto are back in person for the 46th edition. It’s not a full return to pre-pandemic times as numerous health protocols remain in place to fight COVID-19. Restaurants, hotels and theaters continue to adapt and adapt. Stand-up cocktails are taboo, although distance eating is allowed indoors. Take-away foods are sturdy; Socializing and watching the outdoors are the new normal. Open-air cinemas and popular drive-ins are returning to the Ontario Place Festival Village, with the Visa Skyline Drive-In, RBC Lakeside Drive-In, and West Island Open Air Cinema.
This is where hospitality in Toronto continues to develop and rolls out the red carpet for festival goers.

Ingenious remake: Epoch Bar & Kitchen Terrace in the Ritz-Carlton, Toronto

The Epoch, due to open on September 1st on the lobby level of the Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, features two culinary professionals running the upscale gastropub concept: Chef Jeff Crump and bar manager Jason W. Griffin. Local ingredients are emphasized; Craft cocktails are available before and after the TIFF Bell Lightbox demonstrations. There are 61 seats inside and 88 outside on the leafy terrace in Simcoe Park.

181 Wellington St. W, epochtoronto.com

myth

Homage to Greek Culture: Myth

Head to King Street West’s newest Greek restaurant for a contemporary taste and Cycladic look. Character comes from the natural surfaces and Greek decorative elements such as imported stone from Thessaloniki to curvy tall amphorae, all in muted earth tones. Satisfying dishes include the paidakia – grass-lined Australian lamb chops with a hearty dollop of tzatziki – and the horiatiki salata – a mezze platter of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, red onions, and kalamata olives, topped with a generous piece of feta cheese . The Athena’s Garden Cocktail is available in a jug and is a refreshing mixture of gin, lemon, cucumber and elderflower tonic, rounded off with a dill garnish. At 5,000 sq.-ft. there is plenty of space for a large party (150 seats); The outdoor terraces and dining rooms can be privatized separately for smaller events. A braided rope partition serves as a dramatic privacy screen at the end of the western dining room.

522 King St. W, mythrestaurant.com

Pasta enjoyment: Midori ramen

Not all ramen restaurants are created equal. Midori Ramen on Queen Street West specializes in tori paitan, which is a creamy, bold-flavored chicken broth rather than pork. Also on the ramen menu: a vegetarian soy milk-based broth with various vegetables. Choose from fresh thick, thin, kale, or gluten-free pasta. A short drive from three TIFF venues (TIFF Bell Lightbox, Roy Thomson Hall and Visa Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theater), the 9-month-old opened a take-away-only in January. A full service restaurant including a 10-seat terrace was added in July. Midori Ramen will offer a special TIFF combination with a drink, starter and ramen throughout the festival.

412 Queen St. W, midoriramen.com

BlueBlood terrace

Iconic setting: BlueBlood Steakhouse

The BlueBlood Steakhouse, located in Casa Loma, which was built in 1914, has a solemn, regal atmosphere inside and out. Covered wide stone terraces and partitions between the booths help keep guests separate in this Liberty Group show stopper popular for large dinners after TIFF screenings. On site is Toronto’s oldest restaurant wine cellar, originally from Casa Loma when it was a private home. The menu choices include premium ingredients from Nova Scotia lobster to premium dry aged beef from Canada and abroad. Contemporary art mixes with the fairytale romance of the restaurant. The upscale Italian pop-up Don Alfonso 1890 will continue to occupy the winter garden of Casa Loma until the end of the year, offering distinctive cuisine inspired by the Amalfi Coast.

1 Austin Terrace, bluebloodsteakhouse.com

Grab it and go: Sud Forno Temperance

As one of the sister spots of the longstanding Terroni, Sud Forno offers Italian specialties to take away from Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Morning pastries, including the decadent Italian croissant filled with Nutella, are a sweet boost. Quick lunches range from seasonal salads to a classic panini with Parma ham. The large outdoor terrace of the café (capacity 50) offers space for group reservations for 10-14 people, weather permitting. The current COVID security measures are followed by management and as prescribed at all Terroni locations.

132 Yonge St. (in Temperance), terroni.com

Party terrace: RendezViews

RendezViews is a 45,000 m² open-air art park with a terrace that is a new and colorful addition to Toronto’s cultural scene. Neighboring restaurants, the Fifth, and the Ballroom have teamed up to create the summer sensation. Bold abstract murals adorn the city skyline as a backdrop; the over-the-top venue welcomes lively outdoor programs (such as sports broadcasts, movie and game nights) and picnic tables are set up separately. Burgers (including the Impossible Meat versions), spicy wings, and vegan poutine are on the bar’s upscale menu.

229 Richmond St. W, rendezviews. Approx

Blooming now: 1 Hotel Toronto (pictured)

The former Thompson Hotel became the eco-innovative 1 Hotel Toronto, the sixth hotel of the sustainability-oriented hotel group. There are more than 3,000 plants on the 112-room property, where the environmental impact of hotel systems has been rethought, from the use of locally sourced raw materials for interior design to plans to divert 85% of hotel waste from landfills. The guest rooms have their own filtered water and recycled glass beakers to avoid single-use plastic. The comfort comes in part from the hotel’s penchant for organic cotton bedding and bespoke bath products. 1 Kitchen Toronto is the hotel’s daytime restaurant, serving cold-pressed juices and vegetarian options. As in 1 Hotel West Hollywood, the h.wood group will stage the nightly rooftop scene in Harriet’s Toronto, and the pretty Casa Madera will also be opening on the property shortly.

550 Wellington Street, 1hotels.com/toronto

The artist’s loft

Hotel-Apartment: The Artist’s Loft, The Drake Hotel

Sometimes it takes space to expand, to inspire. In October, the always innovative Drake Hotel added a two-bedroom apartment-size loft (800 m² with kitchenette) that offers all the conveniences of home and hotel service. With its own private entrance (no mixing with other hotel guests required) and a facility for up to eight guests, there is room for creativity and family. The cheerful interior is cozy and unpretentious and partially overlooks the action on Queen Street West.

1150 Queen St. W, thedrake.ca

Coming soon

The Toronto hotel scene has seen a major take on the venerable, ornate Park Hyatt Toronto (4 Avenue Road / parkhyatttoronto.com) with 219 rooms. It gets official on September 15th with a redesigned lounge on the 17th. Luxurious updates include the presidential suite’s stone-tiled, spa-like bathroom and soaking tub with views of Yorkville. In-room technology has been dramatically improved, with digital check-in and room entry and Staycast streaming.

Expect Yorkville’s new 254-room W Toronto Hotel (90 Bloor St. East / wtorontohotel.com) to open in February 2022 or approximately. The W’s hotel lobby is equipped with pro sound and live DJ sets, which are among the hotel’s many entertainment-oriented amenities. And an ultra-cool Ace Hotel Toronto (51 Camden St./acehotel.com/toronto) will open in late 2021 / early 2022 in the city’s fashion district, surrounded by historic red-brick warehouses, with a design by the renowned firm Shim-Sutcliffe Architects.

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