DINNER AND DRINKS
Plan a power lunch at Leña (176 Yonge St.), a Latin American restaurant located in the historic Hudson’s Bay building. The interior combines the space’s pre-existing art deco accents with some modern flair, including an octagonal island bar. Try the Wellington County butler’s steak (grass-fed beef with fried quail eggs) or the maccheroni (cotechino sausage with roasted tomato and cinnamon ragout). Leña’s cocktail selection is just as impressive, with unique takes on the negroni ( featuring bitter cocchi vermouth di torino and orange) and old fashioned (with lapsang souchong tea syrup and angostura bitters).
Canoe (66 Wellington St. W.), located on the 54th floor of the TD Tower, is a go-to spot in the Financial District for a business lunch or dinner. The upscale decor and incredible view make an impressive meeting place, and the menu of Quebec foie gras terrine, Arctic char, tea-smoked duck breast and more will impress any client.
For a more casual atmosphere that’s still high- end, drop by the Cactus Club Cafe (77 Adelaide St. W.), a west coast chain that offers wraps, bowls, salads and steaks. If seafood is more your style, Lbs. (100 Yonge St.,) serves up fresh Nova Scotia lobster, surf ’n’ turf and a variety of enticing oysters.
If you’ve eaten your way through the room service menu, Toronto has plenty of meal options that can be delivered right to your room. Services like Foodora (foodora.ca), Just Eat (just-eat.ca), and DoorDash (doordash.com) offer local favourites including Taste of Thailand, Mother India, Poke Wrap and much, much more.
Making a deal over drinks? Beerbistro (18 King St. E.) has something for everyone, with 22 taps and 100 bottles from around the world—it even has a cellar for bottles that need a bit of special care. The chic Speakeasy 21 (21 Adelaide St. W.) offers handmade classic cocktails like the Manhattan and the old fashioned. Try one of the custom-made drinks, shaken and served in a Mason jar, like the rum cider punch or the mojito. Drake One Fifty (150 York St.), a spinoff restaurant of the popular Drake Hotel on Queen Street West, serves libations named for a variety of celebrities, including Ginger Rogers and the Six’s favourite son, Drake.
Leña
