Toronto's Magic Summer Evenings
For a few fleeting weeks, summer casts a spell over Toronto. The air turns soft and warm, and the evenings linger for hours on end. Those who can't escape to Ontario's "Cottage Country"–or prefer not to–beat a path to the cafes and restaurants for some al fresco eating and drinking.
I've been a city person all my life, and Toronto is one of my favorites. It's only a five-hour drive, give or take a few construction barrels; and I can spend hours watching a play or a ballgame, prowling the museums, or walking through ethnic neighborhoods few other cities can offer.
Of course, I come for the beer, too. Toronto is an ideal base for sampling the best of Ontario's craft beers, few of which are found south of the border. It would take several Beer Traveller articles to tell you about my favorite pubs, and what I like about them. So let's start with my summertime favorites. All of them are away from the downtown tourist crush, and within easy reach of the city's subway system.
At The Rebel House (1068 Yonge Street, north of the Rosedale subway station; 415-927-0704), even if they don't know your name like in Cheers, they try hard to make you feel at home. Walk through the narrow first-floor pub, and take a seat in the quiet courtyard in back. There are few better places to while away an evening. While you're here, try poutine, a Quebeçois dish that has become a favorite all over Canada. It's a big plate of French fries mixed with cheese curds and covered with gravy. Poutine goes well with a pint of Ontario beer (I prefer a hoppy pale ale), and the Rebel House's selection is one of the widest in town.
Although it's located near Greektown, Allen's (143 Danforth Avenue, near the Broadview subway station; 416-463-3086) is an outpost of the Emerald Isle, with Celtic entertainers, Guinness on tap, and gourmet Irish food. Grab a seat under the tall willow trees in the backyard, and choose from more than 40 taps listed on the blackboard. There are also a hundred bottled beers to choose from. Readers of one Toronto magazine have voted Allen's backyard their favorite place for outdoor dining. After trying the summertime barbecue specialties, you just might agree.
It's unlikely you'll find The Artful Dodger (10 Isabella Street, just east of Yonge Street and three blocks south of the Yonge-Bloor subway station; 416-964-9511) in a Toronto guidebook, but this unspoiled local hangout is one I keep coming back to. It's an enormous old house, with an intimate seating area out front. The house itself has the look of a British local--down to the menu, which features pub classics like cottage pie and bangers and mash. If you're planning to visit Toronto after the weather turns cold, The Artful Dodger is one of the city's cozier drinking spots.
The first time I visited the Madison Avenue Pub (14 Madison Avenue, at Bloor Street West, behind the Spadina subway station; 416-927-1722), a sign outside proclaimed, "All patios open due to stunning weather." There are four in all in this ever-growing establishment, which occupies two Victorian houses. Although the University of Toronto students have gone home for the summer, the rest of the city more than makes up for their absence; it can get awfully crowded at night. It's the perfect place to try Creemore Springs Premium Lager, a beer made especially for summer nights. More Creemore is served here than in any other pub in Canada.
The Bow and Arrow (1954 Yonge Street; north of the Davisville subway station; 416-487-2036) has been called Toronto's best place to drink beer. This pub, complete with tidy flower boxes under the windows, looks like it was transported here from a London neighborhood. The beer and food, however, are a pure celebration of Ontario. There's a wide selection of regional microbrews, including at least one Real Ale. If Arkell Best Bitter is available from the cask, you're in luck. The Bow and Arrow's menu features such made-in-Canada dishes as bison maple chili and white bean hummus. And if you stop by on a Sunday evening, there's a special treat: fiddlers from Cape Breton.
Toronto pubs offer inventive, reasonably-priced pub food, so you never have to worry about drinking on an empty stomach. Still, I don't consider a weekend complete without a visit to one of the city's ubiquitous hot dog carts. A few Canadian dollars gets you a fresh-grilled sausage garnished with goodies like onions, peppers, and sliced olives. What makes these humble sausages so special, you ask? On a summer night, they're part of the magic, too.