Renowned chef Susur Lee opened Luckee, a restaurant in the chic SoHo Metropolitan Hotel, in April. The all-day dim sum spot is a vast 2,600 square feet, including 600 square feet in the bar area and 2,000 square feet in the restaurant, that seats 120. Designed by Bent and Gable, the space subtly blend accents of imperial red and wall-to-wall panels of dynastic architecture with a nod to 20th-century Chinoiserie. A private dining room seats 18 guests.
Byblos, located on the first two floors of the Storys Building, opened in March with a luxurious eastern Mediterranean theme. Housed over 2,990 square feet between the two floors, the bright and airy space is home to white brick walls with soft colors and geometric tile work.
Sophisticated sports bar the Citizen took over the old Brant House in March. The 4,500-square-foot space seats 120 or holds 590 for receptions in the main room. The Citizen worked with designer Ian Rydberg for a look and feel that includes vintage sports paraphernalia and leather couches. Retractable screens can quickly descend from the ceiling to divide the space, allowing for private functions of 50 seated guests or 200 for cocktails. The space has 13 65-inch LED screens and three 65-inch projection screens.
Duke’s Refresher & Bar is a casual spot that opened in December as part of the complex in the new Aura condos at Yonge and Gerrard. The restaurant seats 158 guests; it seats 30 or can hold 60 standing in the aptly titled “Nose Bleed Lounge.” The restaurant itself is decked in true Muskoka cottage style with old road signs, decorative antlers, and comfortable couches.
The Black Cat, a recently renovated small storefront gallery near Dundas and Roncesvalles, is located at the intersecting point of three creative communities in Toronto: Bloordale, the Junction, and Roncesvalles. With 300 square feet of gallery space, the renovations, which finished earlier in April, included gutting the interior while rewiring and refinishing the walls. The results have taken the space back to its original 1950s glory and include the original hand-painted Black Cat Cigarettes signage from the space's former usage. The gallery holds 30 people for receptions.
Scaddabush Italian Kitchen & Bar Toronto opened in the downtown core in February following a debut in Mississauga in July 2013. The restaurant offers an eclectic 6,500-square-foot dining room for 300 guests. The decor includes mismatched tables and vintage photos. Private events may book the “Kitchen Table,” which seats 30.
East Thirty Six took over for the former Lucien spot on Wellington Street East in April. The Prohibition-style decor includes ornate metal grates with purple lights. The 1,200-square-foot room has an elevated semiprivate “Purple Room,” which seats 14 for dinner. The restaurant holds 115 for cocktails or seats 65. The bar features signature infusions.
Located in the Cosmopolitan Hotel as of April, Wildfire Steakhouse boasts 1,340 square feet of urban, chic space. In the middle of the dining room, a glass wine cabinet displays more than 500 bottles. The walls are adorned with 150-year-old barn wood, giving it a rustic ranch feel. The main room seats 94 guests, and there are two private dining rooms, one that seats 12 and another for 16.
Opened in December, Windup Bird Cafe operates as a restaurant and event space with seasonal cuisine with catering options. It seats 50 or holds 80 for receptions. At 1,500 square feet, the café features a stage with audiovisual capabilities and a projection screen. This summer, a large patio space will be available with seating for 50.
