This year saw the opening of many significant event and meeting venues in Toronto. Here's a look at the best restaurants, party rooms, hotels, corporate event venues, conference centers, and private rooms to open in 2017. These new and renovated Toronto venues suit groups large or small for private and corporate events, business dinners, cocktail parties, conferences, weddings, and more.
The 65-story condominium and hotel that formerly was the Trump Hotel and Residences was acquired and reinvented in July under Marriott's high-end St. Regis brand. The Adelaide Hotel features 12,000 square feet of meeting and event space across three areas: the Grand Salon, the restaurant, and the Bay Street executive suite. Located on the 10th floor, the Grand Ballroom offers over 3,745 square feet of space and holds 320 for cocktails, 200 seated, or 260 theater-style. The 31st floor restaurant, which offers views of the city, serves modern North American-style cuisine and offers seating for 110, or space for 150 for cocktail receptions. The Bay Street executive suite spans 1,850 square feet and can be divided into three sections. It accommodates 65 for cocktail receptions, 42 in rounds, or 30 classroom-style. Full buyouts are available.
The Globe and Mail newspaper opene an all-purpose meeting and event venue within its new corporate headquarters in the Design District. The venue, which opened in May, has 11,000-square-feet of space spread across the top two levels of the building. On Level 17, guests can access the three main event spaces: the 3,700-square-foot Event Hall, the 3,800-square-foot Lounge, and the 2,900-square-foot Terrace. The spaces offer automated audiovisual systems that include five built-in laser projectors; there is also a 180-degree view of the downtown skyline. The combined capacity for Level 17 is 400 for standing receptions, 300 for seated banquets, or 265 theater-style; the spaces can also be rented individually. Downstairs on Level 16 is a 1,650-square-foot meeting room, which can be booked individually or as a package with the other event spaces. Full buyouts are available.
The Bisha Hotel & Residences, which opened in September in Toronto’s King West neighborhood, comes from Ink Entertainment owner Charles Khabouth. This time, he’s teamed up with Lifetime Developments for the hotel and condo hybrid designed by Studio Munge. The 96-room hotel has several event spaces, including the 1,100-square-foot lobby lounge and bar, which accommodates 200 for cocktails or 130 seated. On the 44th floor is the 7,000-square-foot Kōst, a rooftop restaurant and patio with an infinity pool that shows off a panoramic city view. The restaurant serves Baja-inspired cuisine and accommodates 250 for cocktails or 170 seated. It is available for full buyouts.
From Canada’s largest cinema chain, the Cineplex the Rec Room Roundhouse opened downtown in July. The 40,000-square-foot space offers two dining destinations inside: Three10, an upscale casual restaurant focused on Canadian cuisine, and the Shed, a fast casual pizzeria. There is also a variety of event spaces, including the Yard with 90 different arcade games, the Void for an immersive VR experience, and a theater auditorium for live programming on site. The entire venue has room for 1,200 people seated or 1,250 for cocktail receptions; it can seat an additional 300 guests on the patio. The space offers buyouts for the individual event spaces and the entire venue.
Dundas West bake shop Le Dolci premiered a new event space and cooking studio in October. Le Dolci Bake Shop & Culinary Classroom, which spans over 2,250 square feet, features a mix of raw industrial elements including polished concrete floors and soaring 20-foot ceilings, while maintaining a Parisian-chic style. The venue has been painted all white, and features a sleek, modern kitchen and large windows for natural lighting. With its open-concept feel, the space is well-suited for product launches, teambuilding events, cooking demonstrations and classes, private dinners, and meetings for 70 seated or 200 standing. There is no private room, but the venue offers full buyouts.
Housed in the former Gooderham & Worts malting facility, Spirit of York Distillery opened its doors in the Distillery District in May. The design and buildout of the 7,200-square-foot space was overseen by biography Design, Sid Lee, and Tongtong, who helped reimagine the heritage space. Available for full buyouts, the distillery seats 80 or holds 140 for standing receptions, and offers a retail and tasting area that includes a bitters library and two German-sourced 40-foot copper column stills that display the distillation process.
The House of VR, located in Queen West, is the latest in play spaces for techies to explore the world of virtual reality. The 4,200-square-foot lounge space, which opened in May, offers ample space for entertainment and events. The first floor—which has room for 75 standing and 25 seated on benches—offers guests a mixed-reality green-screen experience and artistic murals that have augmented-reality functionality. The second floor—which holds 125 standing and 30 seated on benches—houses 15 360-degree viewing pods where guests can pick and choose between different realities. Builders Manual Arts Collective, interior designer Stephanie Payne, and lighting designer Enersmart worked to ensure the space was approachable and yet playful. The venue is available for full buyouts.
Northern Maverick Brewery opened in September in the King West neighborhood. The two-story, 11,000-square-foot brewpub holds 400 people and is available for full buyouts. The space is divided into four sections, including the 6,000-square-foot main-floor dining room, which has flat-screen televisions, plus a boardroom and a patio. There is also an 810-square-foot private dining room, which seats 40 and has an audiovisual system. The venue offers a menu of seasonal dishes made with local ingredients, and includes items such as oysters, housemade charcuterie, and grilled octopus.
Chef Nuit and Jeff Regular finally opened Kiin in May. The 1,800-square-foot space was gutted and reimagined by interior designer Katherine Gudov and builder Circorp, and is meant to showcase the diversity of Thailand. Nuit aimed to replicated the beauty of her hometown and childhood in the space through soft pinks, opulent lighting fixtures, and plush velvet seating. The restaurant seats 48 or holds 60 for cocktails, and is available for full buyouts.
