Representatives from the international fashion media, buyers, and sponsors will be flocking to the tents in Nathan Phillips Square to see the latest designs from labels like Pink Tartan and Bustle this week as LG Fashion Week gets under way. With limited options for dining inside the tents—hors d'oeuvres are passed in the sponsor lounge and meals are catered for the media—we've staked out a few nearby spots for lunch, dinner, or cocktails and dessert after the shows.
1. Set in the recently renovated Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre, Trios Bistro offers a lunch menu of contemporary dishes created by executive chef Morgan Wilson, including peaches and cream corn soup, yellow fin tuna, and cocktails made with fresh juices. The 130-seat space, decorated in earth tones, features a wall of windows looking out onto Trinity Square, across the street from the tents. A semiprivate area can hold up to 20 people.
2. One Up Restaurant and Lounge on Dundas Street operates exclusively as a private dining and events venue in the evenings. The space—which features an extensive martini menu with cocktails like the Chocolate Devil (vodka, crème de cacao, melon liqueur, cranberry and orange juice) and the Cocaine Lady (vanilla vodka, crème de cacao, Irish cream, and Frangelico)—has three private rooms that hold up to 20 people each. The menu includes Muskovy duck and seafood risotto. Dinner reservations are accepted for groups of 10 or more.
3. Located on Queen Street just west of University Avenue, Nota Bene offers a comprehensive wine list, a selection of cheese boards, and a dessert menu with sweets like Niagara apple crumble and Quebec yogurt panna cotta. The restaurant, designed by KPMB architects, seats 110 and holds 200 for cocktails. Nota Bene has a 20-seat private dining room and is available for full bookings.
