10 New Venues in Toronto for Spring 2020 Meetings and Events

Following the success of its predecessor, Gusto 101, Gusto 501 opened in February and offers five levels of fine dining and 8,000 square feet of space. Working alongside architecture firm Partisans and design agency Wendy Haworth Design Studio, the restaurant uses an all-glass façade covering the restaurant in natural sunlight. On each floor, different experiences are offered, including a semiprivate Amari Lounge with seating for 30, a top-floor chef tasting kitchen aptly named Attico with seating for 24, and an open-concept ground-level dining area with seating for 60. Each space is designed to be bought out individually or together depending on need. Full buyouts are available.

Deep in the heart of the Financial District, Hy’s Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar opened its doors in a brand-new 18,000-square-foot space in November 2019. Spread out over three floors, the flagship was designed by Vancouver-based Elaine Thorsell and built by the team at Anjinnov Construction, who incorporated modern steakhouse vibes with a contemporary Canadiana feel. Throughout the restaurant, design elements include a rich color palette of greens and burnished golds, leather and velvet materials, hand-crafted Mozambique millwork with burled Walnut detail, and curated Canadian art by Farmboy Fine Arts. On the main floor is a lounge that features a 35-foot wraparound bar, while on the mezzanine sits a quieter dining area with a whiskey bar that overlooks the lounge. The restaurant boasts three private event spaces that are yours for the reserving: the Richmond Room, which can hold as many as 80 for a standing cocktail-style event or 48 for a sit-down event; the Adelaide Room, which can hold as many as 60 for standing cocktail-style events or 36 for a sit-down event; and the Bay Room, which seats 16. All the event spaces have some audiovisual functionality. In addition, the restaurant is available for full buyouts, with a total capacity of 450 standing and 362 seated.

Canadian retailer Holt Renfrew recently unveiled its brand-new Holts Café in the flagship Yorkville store this past February. The 5,145-square-foot space was overseen by Alex Cochrane Architects, which wanted to create a signature space that was both modern and welcoming for new and returning customers. The café features 20-foot-high floor-to-ceiling windows and uses a palette of white oak, rosewood, off-white terrazzo, and rich brass to provide a timeless framework to the vibrant blue, red, yellow, and green jewel-toned accents in the furniture and design features. Currently, the café has a capacity of 92 seated guests with space for 150 guests at a standing cocktail reception format. Expect a private dining room with seating for 10 people and an East dining room with seating for 36. Full buyouts are available.

A brand-new Italian restaurant and bar located on the ground floor of the Paradise Theatre, Osteria Rialto officially opened its doors in January, serving housemade focaccia, cheeses, and cocktails. The restaurant marries Art Deco accents with rustic wood features through custom wall treatments and hand-painted floor patterning in a nod to its home inside the Paradise Theatre. The venue can accommodate as many as 83, seated or standing, with room for 30 seated guests in the restaurant and 53 on the all-season patio. A private dining cellar can hold parties for as many as 12 guests. Full buyouts are also available.

Toronto’s newest hair collective and salon We Are We Are opened its door in Trinity Bellwoods in November 2019. Conceptualized by creator and owner David Nadicci, the 1,500-square-foot space has a unique studio venue that overlooks Queen Street West, with murals painted by Love by Lynzie and sourced vintage furniture and accessories from the ’60s and ’70s. The downstairs area of the salon can fit 15 cocktail style—plus the salon features a rooftop patio, which can host 10 to 12 people cocktail style. Buyouts are available.

This past January, Aburi Restaurants opened up its new luxury concept, Aburi Hana, in Yorkville. The team worked with Vancouver-based design agency Ste. Marie Design to transform the 3,400-square-foot space into a modern and luxurious Kyō-Kaiseki experience. With refined finishes, marble, and traditional ikebana (Japanese floral arrangements), the restaurant flaunts a trendy and sleek aesthetic. Guests are invited to take a seat at the reservation-only Chef’s Counter, which can seat 16 people. The restaurant also features five Kakurega (translates to “hidden gem”) private dining rooms, which can accommodate as many as eight seated guests. Bonus: Full buyouts are available.

Paradise Theatre in Toronto’s Bloordale neighborhood was finally refinished to its former Art-Deco glory and reopened in January thanks to ERA architects. Along with interior design by Solid, the team rebuilt the original marquee signage and built out a speakeasy-style interior, with brass accents, leather stools, and funky tiling. The theater itself features a 4K digital projector with 7.1 sound and can seat 208, or it can accommodate as many as 312 with a mix of standing and seated. Full buyouts are available.

Taking over the former Bier Markt space on King Street West, contemporary Mexican restaurant Añejo Restaurant officially opened its doors in February. The 3,300-square-foot space was transformed by the restaurant team and Calgary-based Jamie Owen Design. Throughout the restaurant, they decided to pay homage to Mexico with sugar skulls, dim lighting, and custom lamps made from the quintessential blue-and-white tequila decanters of Clase Azul, with all items sourced from Mexico. Currently, there are no private or semiprivate dining options; however, there is a dining area, communal seating area, and a bar for a total capacity of 160 seated—plus the outdoor patio adds an additional 90 seats in the summertime. Private buyouts are available.

Brand-new French bistro Lapinou opened up on King Street West in November 2019. The 3,063-square-foot space was overseen by design agency Model Ctzn, which embraced the heritage architecture of the space by maintaining the integrity of its brick, exposed beams, and hardwood floors in the 80-seat dining room. With a marble bar that seats an additional 20 guests and custom-made banquettes designed to feel just like couches, the room is meant to feel inviting and cozy. The whole restaurant fits 150 guests cocktail style. While there are currently no private dining or semiprivate dining options, larger groups can be accommodated at the 10-top table tucked away at the back of the restaurant. Full buyouts are available.

Casablanca Champagne Bar, an intimate lounge on the Ossington strip, officially opened its doors in December 2019. With 3,000 square feet of space, the bar was conceptualized by owner Ivan Fialho, who turned the formerly dark space with limited table seating into something fresh. Now the space is lit up with neon lighting fixtures and is home to a 7-by-18 stage with lighting and a sound system for performances, as well as a fully equipped kitchen. The venue can accommodate as many as 120 people reception style and 50 seated at individual booths and bar seats. Full buyouts are available.