Toronto's Distillery District counts several restaurants among its attractions, but the newly launched Stirling Room is a first for the area—a combination of cocktail bar, lounge, and music venue.
Owners Albert Rishes and Simo Korac chose the Victorian theme of the new space based on the heritage building that houses it, which dates back to 1832. Designed by Prototype Design Lab, the venue counts distressed plank flooring, exposed brick walls, and plenty of romantic paintings among its features.
Open seven days a week, Stirling Room is designed to be both a place to get an after-work cocktail and try a tasting menu by Chapman's, the in-house caterer, as well as a late-night destination. It can also serve as a space for photo shoots and corporate events like cocktail parties and product launches, although it's not, as PR representative Jodi Cohen pointed out, a place to hold sit-down dinners due to its size and layout. The venue is fully equipped for sound and includes DJ mixing equipment housed in a baby grand piano.
Currently, Stirling is only available for event bookings on the top floor, but the owners plan to build two lower-level private rooms over the coming year in the building's cellar, which was previously used for roasting hops and storing whiskey barrels. The capacity of the space has not yet been confirmed, Cohen said, but numbers will be released shortly and the venue will be available for buyouts any day of the week.
