Library Bar
Some places just breathe with stories. Library Bar is a Front St. institution, the true cocktail capital of Canada and birthplace of the legendary Birdbath Martini. Built layer by layer, glass by glass, over 50 years by a cast of characters as storied as the drinks they pour. Ranked No. 19 on North America’s 50 Best Bars and No. 6 on Canada’s 100 Best, today Library Bar exudes a fresh eccentricity, full of colour, a magnet for the cocktail curious and connoisseurs’ alike. Martini lunch. After-work ritual. Late-night gathering place. Date night classic. Whatever brings you through the door, we’ve got stories for you.
LOCATION
100 Front St W
Toronto, Ontario M5J 1E3
HOURS
12:00 pm to 12:00 am, daily
Inspired Cocktails
As an exceptional first for the iconic brand, Director of Beverage, James Grant. and his team, levy inspiration from one of Toronto’s greatest novels, In the Skin of a Lion, by Michael Ondaatje. The novel is a monument to the people who built Toronto: immigrants, workers, traders, visionaries, thieves, and dreamers. It sets these stories alongside one another, binds them into knots, and shows us that history is a shared story.
Ondaatje’s love for the various stories that make up Toronto resonated with Library Bar. For over fifty years, Library Bar has hosted the diversity Toronto has to offer. The people of this city pass through our doors, share meals, raise a glass, and make us a part of their stories. This is not the only story of Toronto, but it is one of our favourites.
Reimagined Classics
Honouring the culinary vision established at the turn of the century in the châteauesque hotels that joined together Canada’s burgeoning cities and resort properties set amongst the vast wilderness, Library Bar’s Chef Brian Tang takes inspiration from the beloved classic dishes that guests have returned for time and again. A strong proponent for local and sustainable initiatives, Library Bar partners with Ontario-based farmers and east coast fisheries to forage ingredients that complete the hearty recipes that have defined the flavours of Library Bar for decades.
The Martini as a Masterpiece
To perfect our signature cocktail, Library Bar collaborated with Niagara-region master distillers to craft expressions tailored especially for the treasured Birdbath Martini. Library Bar proudly introduces QUILL, a one-of-a-kind vodka and gin composed of effervescent botanicals and sustainable ingredients that allow the true natural flavours of the classic martini to shine through. Well-balanced with a full-bodied velvety mouthfeel, citrus, spices and earthy roots craft a complex spirit that is served tableside from a bespoke mixing glass.
