Toronto-based recommendations from the creative nightcrawlers among CanCulture Magazine’s 2024-25 editorial team
By CanCulture Masthead
SWEATY BETTY’S – 13 Ossington Ave.
Recommended by Andrea Zayan, Music Editor
Nestled in the heart of gentrifiers’ galore, at Ossington Avenue and Queen Street West, is a charming little crimson house with a fully decked-out genderQueer dive bar beaming at its street-level. Aside from bearing the visual espionage from its sizable stock market clientele, this is the eclectic and kitsch anti-establishment establishment of dreams for all hipsters, degenerates and stargazers alike! Tufted couches, florally-upholstered loveseats, fringed lamps and ornate mirrors supply the boutique milieu of the space and it’s all completed by the gallery walls of Queer history and horror franchise memorabilia. Sweaty’s is the perfect spot to revel in recondite symposiums, catch a glimpse of Hellraiser on their small ceiling-corner TV or to divulge your plans to U-haul with your latest lover (all of which got me quite far)!
BOWIE – 180R Ossington Ave.
Recommended by Sena Law, Managing Editor
Whenever you find yourself on the beloved Ossington strip, there is a decision to be made each time you pass by the neon signs of Monkey Sushi. Keep strolling along the busy street to more brightly lit storefronts and fancy bars—or take the next right corner into the unassuming alleyway littered with graffiti. If your choice is the bold latter, you will be rewarded with finding yourself at the doorstep of Bowie. A quaint basement speakeasy that has served me some of the best Toronto night outs. A small intimate venue with perpetual good vibes, music and the best darn espresso martinis.
THE HAMPTONS – 53 Clinton St.
RECOMMENDED BY Grace Henkel, Managing Editor
One of those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it spots hiding in plain sight in Little Italy, The Hamptons is a softly-lit bar and restaurant with a menu that shifts with the seasons but an atmosphere that remains timeless. In an old brick house just steps off of College Street, with ivy climbing along the outer walls in the summer, The Hamptons is a reliable date night spot with little sweet surprises each visit. From imaginative cocktails—still can’t stop thinking about that one Pastis drink with fresh sprigs of mint!—to intricate dishes crafted with an artist’s eye.
CIVIL LIBERTIES – 878 Bloor St.
RECOMMENDED BY Kinza Zafar, Co-Editor-in-Chief
The best bar to impress someone, you ask? Look no further than Civil Liberties. This Koreatown joint was named the best bar in the country two years in a row and ranked among the top 50 bars in North America—all without a menu. Civil Liberties serves up expertly crafted cocktails tailored to each guest’s desired flavour profile, meaning you’ll never get the same drink twice. And with a rustic art deco-style interior and retro TV shows playing in the background, it’s the perfect blend of cool without pretension.
AFTER SEVEN – 10 Stephanie St.
RECOMMENDED BY John Vo, Co-Editor-in-Chief
“Oh wow! I love yogurt” is what you may think when seeing the exterior of this location. But if you let the barista know a secret code, behind a door is “After Seven,” a Japanese-inspired speakeasy. With its ambient lighting, furniture and innovative drinks, this place is the perfect spot to catch up with friends or pretend you are an undercover agent awaiting their next assignment.
Leave a Reply