10 New Toronto Venues for 2019 Fall Meetings and Events

A new Mediterranean restaurant and raw bar, Pétros 82, opened on the ground floor of Hotel X Toronto in September. The brainchild of hospitality and entertainment group ByPeterandPauls, the Greek concept features design overseen by Neodeco Design that includes blue and white hues that nod to its heritage and a glass-encased wine cellar that separates the bar area from the dining area. In the dining room, there is seating for 160, with a view to an open kitchen. During the summer, a patio offers seating for 130 that overlooks the Stanley Barracks. There are also three private rooms that each seat 16 or can be combined to seat 62. Overall, the restaurant spans 10,000 square feet.

In May, the Drake Hotel empire added Drake Motor Inn, a retro-inspired motel in Prince Edward County. The 12-room property was designed by Carlo Colacci and Joyce Lo, co-founders of the Drake General Store, with an extensive art collection inspired by mid-century road trips, Super 8 films, and the warm tones of Kodak film. The property is a two-minute walk to the Drake Devonshire, which offers private event space such as the main dining room which seats 65 or holds 80 cocktail style.

Reign is the Fairmont Royal York Hotel’s new restaurant, bar, and bakery concept that fuses Canadian ingredients with French technique. The Rockwell Group designed the lobby and dining areas while Moss and Lam curated the art collection in the restaurant’s buffet area. A mural that was painted, scanned, and then digitally printed, was a collaboration between Rockwell Group and Calico, a wallpaper company based in Brooklyn. With 4,538 square feet of space in the restaurant alone, there is seating for 210, with an additional 42 seats in the piano lounge and two private dining areas, one that seats 12 and another for 10. Each of the private dining rooms features a wooden table, audiovisual equipment, and a 55-inch screen. Reign opened in July.

Lov, one of Montreal’s most adored vegetarian and vegan spots, is slated to open later this month in Toronto’s King West neighborhood. Working alongside designer and artistic director Jacinthe Piotte, in collaboration with Provencher Roy, the 3,500-square-foot space features simple features including white tables and chairs, gold finishing, and lots of plants. The dining room will seat 80, and a seasonal patio will seat 56. The restaurant has no private dining event space but offers buyouts.

The latest from the group behind Gare de l’Est Brasserie and Hi-Lo Bar is Ascari, which opened in Toronto’s bustling King West neighborhood in June. The 3,600-square-foot Italian restaurant and wine bar takes design cues from the style and architecture trends of Milan in the 1950s, courtesy of the firm Joven Huard. The venue holds 110 guests seated and 175 standing, in three distinct but open and connected spaces. Two of the semiprivate dining spaces span the length of the restaurant, along the outer walls, and hold as many as 50 seated guests. In the heart of the restaurant a communal gathering space called the Piazza includes high-top tables, a 14-seat U-shaped bar, and a large harvest table. Buyouts are available.

In Toronto’s Riverside neighborhood, executive chef Sean MacDonald opened up his first restaurant, ēst, in September. The contemporary Canadian restaurant and cocktail bar serves traditional and vegan tasting menus. The 550-square-foot space was designed by MacDonald and Creative Union, and based around chic minimalism and a neutral color palette. With seating for 30, the space includes banquettes and two semiprivate back booths. Full buyouts are available.

Part B&B and part restaurant, Hotel Delilah opened in Toronto’s Leslieville neighborhood in September. At 1,500 square feet, the pescatarian snack bar was designed by Damon Snider of Type-D Living and features a street-facing roll-up garage window, reclaimed wood tables, and a colorful mural painted by local artist Valmor Garcia. The inside roof was curved to look like inside of a boat, giving the space a Bohemian vibe. On the main floor is the restaurant, which has a seated capacity of 41. On the second floor is the B&B, with two separate bedrooms and a common room, which the team hopes will be ready for December. A patio space slated to open next summer will seat 20.

The movement studio at MisfitStudio expanded to Toronto’s Bloorcourt neighborhood in September. The 2,500-square-foot studio offers a lounge area with seating, one large room, three change rooms, and two washrooms. Working with Lindsay Bell on interior design and Elicser Elliott on the outside mural and stairwell mural, owners sought to create a calming environment with calming colors, interesting textures, and its signature wallpaper. The studio can hold 60 standing guests for an event.

Grant van Gameren and sommeliers Nathan Morrell and Ellen Shrybman opened their new wine bar, Piquette, in August on the busy West Queen West. The 700-square-foot space was designed by Toronto-based Ali McQuaid at Futurestudio. McQuaid teamed up with local millworker Jeff Crews to create a temperature-controlled oak cabinet showcasing Piquette's wines. Throughout the space, guests can find natural stone surfaces, supplied by Cosentino, and Parisian-inspired wares. The menu consists of small dishes and shareable plates that pair well with wine, including a mortadella sandwich or seasonal salads. The wine bar seats 30 guests or holds 40 for receptions; reservations are not accepted but the bar is available for buyouts.

Partners Adam Moco and Anton Levin lived in the Brockton Village neighborhood before opening their own one-stop-shop for floral arrangements and locally made gifts, Miss Pippa’s, in July. The 850-square-foot space offers a café and bar in the front furnished with antiques, funky wallpaper, and vintage furniture. There is seating for 24, with a standing capacity of 30. On the menu, guests can order salads, cheese, grilled sandwiches, bowls of candy, and glasses of wine, mostly from Portugal and France. Full buyouts are available.