Here's a closer look at Toronto's newest eateries, drinking spots, hotels, conference areas, private rooms and other spaces available for events this fall. The new and renovated Toronto venues are available for corporate parties, weddings, fundraisers, outdoor functions, business dinners, team-building activities, conferences, meetings and more.
A note regarding COVID-19: Some of the venues listed here may not yet be available for hosting events due to COVID-19, or they may be operating at a lower capacity. As venues begin to slowly reopen across North America, we encourage event organizers to contact the venues to verify current capacity restrictions.
Gladstone House
Toronto’s oldest commercially operating hotel Gladstone House, which was sold to Streetcar Developments and Dream Unlimited in 2020, re-opened in September. The renovation preserves the building’s original architectures while encompassing art, culture and diversity central to the city’s Queen West neighborhood. The venue’s redesign, spearheaded by Elastic Interiors, includes restored exposed brick walls, vibrant light fixtures and a range of contemporary artwork. Bistro + Bar, which seats up to 36, will offer new dining and cocktail experiences, while Melody Bar, which seats up to 100, plans to resume regular activities including its popular Sunday drag brunch. The venue also offers three new studio spaces and a 1,630-square-foot ballroom.
Photo: Courtesy of Gladstone House
Harriet's Toronto
Harriet's Toronto is located in 1 Hotel Toronto, the hospitality brand’s first Canadian property. This 1,064-square-foot rooftop restaurant opened on the 16th floor in September. With nature-inspired decor made largely from reused and sustainable materials, the venue provides a prime view of the Toronto skyline and can accommodate up to 120 guests year-round. The menu, curated by 1 Hotel Toronto executive chef Derek Powers Jr., features a broad range of Japanese dishes, including spicy tuna rolls, eel hand rolls and poached shrimp—as well as craft cocktails and wine selections also available pool-side. The venue offers a savory weekend brunch menu as well as live music and DJ performances during the week.
Photo: Courtesy of Harriet's Toronto
Vela
Taking over a historic building nestled in the Fashion district, Vela—an elegant dinner and cocktail spot—is a joint project by Alo co-creator Amanda Bradley and Robin Goodfellow of Bar Raval. The restaurant, which opened over summer, features a 2,000-square-foot patio in addition to its 4,000-square-foot interior, which includes a section for enjoying live music. Capturing the essence of grand hotel lobbies, design firm Partisans incorporated glistening stairways, a classic bar and lounge area, and an intricate LED ceiling light sculpture. The menu features a variety of cocktail, seafood and dessert staples, and bookings for private events are available upon request.
Photo: Courtesy of Vela
Epoch
Located steps away from the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, this eatery inside the lobby of The Ritz-Carlton combines traditional British cooking styles with modern gastropub fare. With a 4,800-square-foot terrace and a 3,000-square-foot dining room, the venue can accommodate 40 guests outside and another 50 indoors. The space, which opened in September is available for full event buyouts and offers a private space with a fireplace and a pool table. Epoch’s menu offers a wide range of retro and contemporary cocktails, as well as new twists on fish and chips, shepherd's pie and curry cauliflower recipes.
Photo: Courtesy of Epoch
Myth
Over the summer, Myth—a Greek fine dining restaurant from UNIQ Hospitality Group—took over the space previously occupied by The Citizen in the Fashion District. With columns, woodwork, pottery and color palettes reflecting Grecian architecture and Mykonos landscapes, the 5,000-square-foot venue fits 140 indoors and approximately 50 on the patio. The menu selections include chicken souvlaki, paidakia, seared sea scallops, lemon roasted potatoes, pistachio baklava and white-chocolate phyllo tart. The wine list highlights numerous Greek and Mediterranean vineyards, while the cocktail selection features Greek liqueurs such as ouzo and metaxa. Reservations for larger parties can be made by contacting the restaurant directly.
Photo: Courtesy of Myth
Zitto Zitto Taverna
Based in the heart of Little Italy, this new Sicilian eatery comes from restaurateurs Alan and Anita Thomson. Zitto Zitto Taverna opened adjacent to Sotto Voco, which the couple has been running for the past two decades. Event spaces include: La Sbarra, a wine and cocktail bar for receptions of up 30; La Cantina, a dining room and wine cellar for seated parties of up to 28; La Taverna, a full-size dining area that accommodates up to 50; and La Terrazza, a patio that seats 40. Main dishes highlight a variety of seafood, including octopus, swordfish, mussels, scallops and seabass, while the drink menu offers spritzed, stirred and shaken cocktails, an extensive wine list and digestif options for after meals.
Photo: Courtesy of Zitto Zitto Taverna
Little Canada
Located in Yonge-Dundas square, Little Canada opened to the public in August. The two-floor experience enables visitors to explore Canadian cities, landmarks and history through a series of digital renderings and miniature models. Current displays capture scenes from Niagara Falls, Toronto, the Golden Horseshoe, Ottawa and Quebec—while exhibits showcasing the Northwest Territories, East Coast, West Coast Prairies, Rockies and Montreal are in development. Group bookings for up to 15 guests, which include complimentary chaperone tickets and meal packages, can be made online. Bookings for large-scale events, such as weddings, corporate parties and school trips, are expected to be available in the coming months.
Photo: Courtesy of Little Canada
Clio
This new private members club from Ink Entertainment opened in King West to replace the Spoke Club. Paying tribute to historic garment factories that filled the neighborhood in the early 20th century, Clio offers upscale dining curated by executive chef Michael Parubocki, lounge areas, a rooftop terrace, an art gallery, a cinema and several multipurpose event spaces that can be tailored to the needs of organizers. The venue offers exclusive access to year-round programming, including art exhibits, film screenings, book launches, keynote presentations, beverage tastings and monthly theme parties. Members can also take advantage of bespoke concierge services and priority access to other INK Entertainment restaurants and venues.
Photo: Courtesy of Clio
Pearle Hotel and Spa, Autograph Collection
Pearle Hotel and Spa, Autograph Collection, a new luxury Marriott property overlooking Lake Ontario, opens in Burlington in October. Event specialists from Pearle Hospitality, whose founders named the property after their grandmother Pearle, offer full-service meeting and wedding planning for groups of up to 650 at the venue. The venue includes 151 guest suites, 10,536 square feet of total meeting space across five event rooms, and seven maximum breakout rooms. The location offers a wide variety of spa treatments—including a traditional Hammam sauna, private massage rooms and a relaxation pool—and dining at Isabelle, a waterfront Canadian restaurant inspired by coastal cuisine. Interior design for the venue, inspired largely by local lake houses, was led by Studio Munge.
Photo: Courtesy of Pearle Hospitality
