Drake Mini Bar

Where: Toronto, ON

What: Restaurant; Sharing plates, international

Written by Jordana Colomby

Cocktails, food, art and culture—the Drake’s newly opened restaurant has it all. Right across the street from Drake One Fifty in Toronto’s Financial District, Drake Mini Bar offers the same exceptional and eclectic dining experience in a more intimate setting. A 60-seater inside, with another 80 seats on the patio, Mini Bar is set to be a friendly gathering place for the cinq-a-sept crowd.

Drake chefs Jonathan Pong and Amancio Dos Santos collaborated on a diverse menu comprised of mouthwatering plates including a tender octopus dish made with melt-in-your-mouth fingerling potatoes, boquerones and sweet peppers, as well as a rich burnt eggplant dish made with tahini crème fraîche, blood orange and mint. Both the aforementioned plates are easy on the eyes and even better on the palate.

As for drinks, Mini Bar will serve Padolfa Sangiovese and Chardonnay as its house wines, inspired by Sarah Lyon’s, (Drake’s food and beverage director), recent trip to  Padolfa, Italy. To top it off, the wine will be served in a box, a testament to The Drake’s quirky and down-to-earth nature. Fear not: the old reliables will be at your disposal, from natural wines to craft brews to a new set of cocktails designed by the The Drake’s bar vets.

Inside, Mini Bar showcases pops of art made by renowned Toronto artist Rajni Perera. Her mural portrays an ethereal and bejewelled African man, whose regalness compliments the patterned wood, mosaic tiles and teal leather seating. It’s a space that fuses business and pleasure—a timeless space away from the hustle and bustle.

Of course, Drake Mini Bar is everything you want it to be: a morning espresso, a power lunch, or a place to celebrate your next big deal.