The craft beer scene in Toronto is growing rapidly with new small breweries popping up all the time.
But craft beer in Toronto hasn’t always been popular, who knows why we’ve been so content to drink generic flavoured brew but we didn’t developed like a lot of other progressive cities in North America.
I love it as beer has been one of my newer fascinations traveling as it’s about time Toronto started playing catch up.
To learn more about my city I headed out with Dana from Well Preserved and David Ort from the Canadian Craft Beer Cookbook to find his top 3 picks for where to drink craft beer in Toronto.
Watch the Video Here:
Bar Volo
Once a casual Italian neighborhood joint, Bar Volo is now the place to go for high level craft beer with an extensive tap and bottle list.
There is no table service, but when you get a beer from the bar it will be served perfectly from someone knowledgeable about craft beer.
Unapologetic about its dedication to craft beer there isn’t much food served but hey you can always drink your dinner.
3030 Dundas
Prohibition wasn’t appealed in the Junction until about 20 years ago and it’s interesting that there are now two local breweries in the neighborhood.
3030 Dundas is a bit of a hike if you live central or East like me but it’s worth a trip.
The space is quite unique, the front is a restaurant with interesting bites like pigtail torta whereas the back is a concert venue.
Bar Hop
A cozy neighborhood bar where beer nerds rejoice, the owner Rob has been involved in craft beer in Toronto long before it was cool.
Bar Hop has extensive tap lists which feature some of Ontario’s greatest craft beers but also have some world leaders.
It is also one of the few places in Toronto that has a proper fridge for Belgium beers to be stored at 8-9C.
As a side note, get the garlic doughnuts which are fried to order with smoked maldon, bone marrow, aioli and parmesan – you can thank me later.
I’d try every single on of those. =)
I’m definitely forwarding this post to my best friend and blogging partner Sara – she loves beer and is always on the lookout for something interesting. I’ll tag along and order the garlic doughnuts at Bar Hop.
YUM! I love craft beer. And I kind of feel like my life will be incomplete until I try those Garlic Donuts at Bar Hop!!!!
Glad to see it just isn’t about Molson and Labatt’s anymore.
I’m not really a beer drinker but I would tag along for those pigtail tortas and garlic doughtnuts!
I loved Bar Volo! I am a huge craft beer fan and loved the selection in Canada – especially from Quebec and BC 🙂
mmmm beer and lots of it.
Wait. Garlic donuts? I’m in. Need to check these places out next time we’re in Toronto. (By the way, love the new site design!)
Love the site redesign! So clean, great colors, wow! Oh, and, um, beer. Yes 🙂
Good stuff! I need to get back to Toronto and check out the craft beer scene! Last time I was there I missed out, but this post and video makes me ashamed I did!
My mouth is actually watering! And I love the redesign – so clean!
I’m with Alex. As soon as I opened the page I was all “ooooh!! Pretty!!” And, the craft beers. I miss craft beers living in Thailand. Nice to live vicariously!
Finally had a chance to watch the video, great stuff. Solid choices for someone who is visiting Toronto for a weekend or short trip…I really enjoy David’s cookbook as well, it is one of three beer cookbooks I turn to when doing a little beer cooking.
wow….i want to be taste every beer …i am die heard fan of beer ,,its really a nice post….incourage me to drink more beer.
Your new site design looks awesome, and I love the text overlay on all the photos!
And then, out of nowhere, I landed at this blog piece. I have now been looking at these images for the past half hour and salivating.
Kudos for the images though,
XOXO,
Bhavya.
I’m a big fan of David’s (we love having him writing on craft beer for us at FBC!) and had a great time checking out the new Bar Raval with him last month when I was in town. I bet you guys had a blast! But seriously… those garlic doughuts??? So on my list for my next visit. SO on my list…
What an awesome roundup! We are planning an extended stay in the Toronto area after a friends’ wedding this fall – so cool to come across your post and get a head start on our craft beering planning:).