Unwind with the guys in Yorkville
There’s more to going out with the boys than beer and sports; there’s fine beer and sports in Toronto’s toniest neighbourhood. These hotspots in Yorkville raise the bar for food and drink without lowering the fun factor.
Park Hyatt Toronto
4 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON M5R 2E8Leather seats, dark mellow decor and a crackling fire make this bar 18 floors above Toronto ideal for an evening of whisky tasting with your buddies. If the hard juice of the grain isn’t your normal drink, chances are it will be after an evening here. The extensive 40-plus whisky list includes single malts from Scotland, some up to 30 years old. A list of Irish and Tennessee whiskies is complemented by Kentucky bourbons and ryes.
Hemingway's Restaurant
142 Cumberland St, Toronto, ON M5R 1A8Here is about as close as you’ll come to a bona fide man cave in Yorkville. Its great outdoors vibe, summer and winter rooftop patio and solid beer list make it a perfect place to round up friends for a night out. Savour and compare notes on domestic, imported and premium brews including a slew of craft beers from local microbreweries. The pub menu is a notch above the ordinary so you won’t go home hungry.
Pilot Tavern
22 Cumberland St, Toronto, ON M4W 1J5Its history alone gives it undisputed guys’ night out status. The Pilot opened in 1944 in homage to the brave RCAF flyers of World War II. Gordon Lightfoot hung out and legend has it Bob Dylan picked up his backing band here. The lengthy connoisseur’s beer list offers on tap, bottled and canned domestic beers alongside Ontario crafts plus premiums and imports. There’s live jazz every Saturday afternoon, pool tables and a cool rooftop summer patio known as The Flight Deck.
The Oxley
121 Yorkville Ave, Toronto, ON M5R 1C4British food often gets a bad rap that’s way out of step with the modern gourmetization of just about every international cuisine you can name. The Oxley will prove this to you and your buddies with its hearty nouveau British dining. There are dinner and bar menus plus an impressive wine and beer list, including cask ̶ conditioned ale. If everyone wants to watch the game, lead your group to the second floor sports screening room.
Cineplex Odeon
55 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M4W 1A5A night out with your friends doesn’t mean you have to park yourselves in one place. Consider starting the evening with a movie at the Varsity Cinema on Bloor before heading to one of Yorkville’s top notch bars or restaurants. The cinema boasts VIP seating with a licensed bar and waiter service. The staff may seem a little laid-back but that’s okay as you’re there for the sense of exclusivity, the leather seating and eclectic choice of movies.
