Here's a look at the best new Toronto restaurants, corporate event venues, hotels, conference centers, and private and party rooms to open for events this fall. These new and renovated Toronto venues can accommodate groups large or small for private and corporate events, conferences, meetings, weddings, business dinners, teambuilding activities, cocktail parties, and more.
Kasa Moto, which opened in June, is the latest venue from the Chase Hospitality Group. The two-story, 12,000-square-foot space in the Yorkville neighborhood boasts upscale Japanese cuisine and design by II by IV Design. The venue balances the Japanese aesthetic of simple and complex with hand-painted murals, lotus flowers, and splashes of gray, blue, and gold accents in its dishware, flooring, artwork, and other mediums. The venue comprises the main-floor dining room, which seats 150, a sizeable rooftop patio that seats 180, and the upper-level Bar Moto, which seats 60.
Located in a former art gallery, ViaVai Pizzeria and Wine Bar opened in May. With 45-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, the restaurant feels similar to that of a solarium with ample natural lighting and views of the downtown core. Inside the 2,800-square-foot space, a 90-foot mural spans the back wall of the main dining room, part of a commissioned installation by Italian artist Sandro Martini. Mural-covered walls and paint-splattered panes of glass suspended from the ceiling including work from Toronto artist Hajar Moradi. The space is available for buyout and seats 110 or holds 150 for receptions.
After a $4 million renovation, the Kleinburg event venue the Doctor’s House opened XXI Chophouse in May. The 2,200-square-foot steak house was built around the original beam work of the historic building’s stable and haymow dating back to 1867. Honoring the space’s history, L15Design Studio featured reclaimed wood with marble and bronze finishes accented by fireplaces and a feature wine wall. The space overlooks acres of manicured lawn adjacent to a 1,200-square-foot patio with seating for 300. The main dining area, which seats 110, also includes a semiprivate dining area with seating for 40.
Cherry Valley's rustic Hayloft Dancehall has been given new life by Dakota Tavern owners Shawn Creamer and Shannon Kohlmeier and co-owner Trisha Cook, who bought and renovated the 2.2-acre property. The nearly 50-year-old barn located on the shores of Lake Ontario in Prince Edward County holds 200 people and comes with a stage and audiovisual equipment. It relaunched in May.
Kohl, a whiskey-focused cocktail bar, opened in the second-floor space above Smoque N' Bones barbecue restaurant in May. The 1,000-square-foot venue features a cocktail program from mixologist Nishan Nepulangoda as well as event catering from the restaurant. The 55-seat space is equipped with professional audiovisual equipment.
Located in the St. Lawrence market in the historic 1872 Beardmore building that once housed the Nicholas Hoare bookstore, CC Lounge & Supper Club opened in November. The look from Sodi Designs is intended to emulate the opulence of the Roaring '20s in the 4,000-square-foot space. With original brick walls, rhinestone chandeliers, and a giant iron door, the Prohibition-theme space holds 300 for receptions. Another standout feature is a custom J.P. Wiser whiskey tunnel that displays more than 180 different whiskeys from Canada, the United States, and abroad.
Cibo Wine Bar, the Italian eatery and wine bar concept created by Liberty Entertainment Group, opened its fourth located in June on Yonge Street in Uptown Toronto. The 10,000-square-foot space includes a two-story wine room where guests can watch as staff on hydraulic lifts retrieve customers’ selections from the cellar. The main level seats 150 while the lower level seats 110 guests. Currently the restaurant offers the lower level for private events. There also is a 50-seat mezzanine level that features art from Mr. Brainwash.
Located in an exclusive part of Collingwood known as the Forest, Craigleith Manor Bed & Breakfast finished a renovation of its one-acre property in November. Ideal for small retreats, the 3,600-square-foot main house offers three guest rooms with views of Blue Mountain, a private dining area, a kitchen, a living area, and a landscaped backyard. The property has access to the Georgian Trail, which offers trails for hiking, cross-country skiing, and other activities.
After quietly closing last April, the 1,200-square-foot Peter Pan Bistro relaunched in March. Acquired by chef Noah Goldberg (of the Feasting Room), the space underwent a renovation to restore its 1930s-era charm with its tin roof, marble-topped bar, stained glass detailing, and fireplaces. The space includes a 70-seat main dining room, a 120-seat second-floor private event space, and an adjoining second-floor patio. The event space can be divided into three separate rooms.
