Nishan Nepulongoda, head mixologist at Italian restaurant Sofia, said cocktails incorporating bubbly will be prominent at festival events.
"At Sofia, one of our most popular drinks is our Colombina—a refreshing combination of gin, Aperol, grapefruit ginger honey cordial, lime juice, and prosecco. It is light and crisp, with the familiar bubble of prosecco that our clientele loves," said Nepulongoda. "Prosecco and champagne are a lot more common than we've seen in past years, but I think it remains the ultimate celebratory beverage, which is perfect for our city's festival. Whether celebs are in Toronto for their first time or returning for another year, I think a lot of bubbly-based cocktails will be sipped on at after-parties, on patios, and at V.I.P. dinners. It’s refreshing and fun, and guests can expect to see even more prosecco cocktails this fall."
Heather McDougall, head sommelier and general manager of Montecito Restaurant–one of TIFF's official hospitality partners—has partnered with festival sponsor Nespresso Canada to create two signature cocktails made with coffee, which will be served at film premiere parties.
"Coffee and cocktails? Yes, please," said McDougall. "One of my Nespresso TIFF Signature Cocktails combines Averna Amaro and Madeira to join dark chocolate for a modern twist on a classic pick-me-up."
"This year, I think the biggest push will be sustainability in both food and drink, meaning a larger focus on minimizing waste and using local ingredients," said Simon Ho, head bartender at Spirit of York Distillery, which uses locally-sourced spirits in all its cocktails. "A big way this can be done with a twist is by using seasonal vegetables like beets or pumpkin instead of fruits for fall-flavored cocktails."
The All That Jas cocktail features Spirit of York vodka, Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, lemon grass, lemon juice, jasmine green tea, and strawberry Szechuan bitters.
