The best bars with live music in Midtown Toronto
Midtown’s top bars with live music brought to you by Freed Keewatin — 36 luxury townhomes at Mt. Pleasant and Eglinton — the best new place to live in midtown.
Midtown Toronto is packed with bars that offer live music. Whether you’re into jazz, rock or top 40 covers, there’s a destination to suit your tastes. As a bonus, most of these bars and pubs also offer solid food options, so you can have the full-on dinner and a show experience.
Here are the top bars for live music in Midtown Toronto.
Alleycatz Restaurant and Jazz Bar
Located about halfway between Eglinton and Lawrence on Yonge St., this neighbourhood favourite offers live jazz every day of the week. The eclectic menu lists everything from calamari and fish tacos to pasta and steak frites, but if you struggle to decide, there’s also a variety of pre-set menus that let you choose your meal in package-form. You’ll want to arrive a bit early as the place fills up quickly. 2409 Yonge St.
The Rose and Crown
Live music takes pace from Thursday to Sunday. Here you’ll get rock classics and top 40 covers, but look out for toned down acoustic offerings on weekends. Depending on your feelings about karaoke, you’ll either want to make sure to visit on Mondays or avoid that night of the week. The choice is yours! 2335 Yonge St.
The Uptown Pub House
You’ll find this Irish pub on Yonge St. just north of Lawrence. Along with a solid pint of Guinness, here you’ll find a mix of musicians playing every Friday night starting at 9:30 p.m. There’s a rotation of about nine different musicians who play at the pub, so you’ll get a variety of takes on classic tunes spanning the 1970s to the 2000s. 3185 Yonge St.
Scruffy Murphy’s Pub
This popular neighbourhood pub is located at Eglinton and Redpath and draws a boisterous crowd on weekends. Friday nights feature live music that spans rock classics and acoustic covers of top 40 hits. If you’re eating as well as imbibing, the nachos are definitely worth a try. 180 Eglinton Ave. E.
Smoke Show BBQ & Brew
Filling the live music gap left by Chick ‘N Deli, this spot just south of Eglinton and Mt. Pleasant features rock classics every Saturday night. Look for Friday nights to be added to the live music schedule in early 2020 and also for the introduction of open jam sessions on Thursdays for would-be musicians looking to play with others. 744 Mt Pleasant Rd.
The best indoor spin classes in Toronto
The spinning craze has brought some great studios to Toronto. Not only are most of these spots geared to get you into shape, they are also helping people of all shapes and sizes across Toronto to get excited about working out. With motivating instructors, music-filled classes and Technicolor light shows, these five spinning studios are encouraging people to get back on the bike and sweat it out — no matter the weather.
SPINCO Toronto
SPINCO has three locations across Toronto and the Summerhill location has been a popular go-to this year. A wide variety of styles and instructors ensure that there’s a spin class for every vibe, and many of them teach at more than one location. Starting with a class or two with instructor Justin Scott is a great way to learn about the culture here, as Scott’s enthusiasm and coveted playlists are on point. After that, try Matt Jacobson’s or Liem Vu’s classes for themed rides (think: all ’90s boy/girl bands or a party with Lizzo), Michelle Allard’s classes for chill vibes, and Rebecca Moskob’s classes for an intermediate-level ride that doubles as a dance party.
Spokehaüs
At Spokehaüs, you’ll get carefully choreographed 45-minute rides that target different parts of your body, all set to meticulously curated playlists to match. You have three options here, the signature spin ride, an intermediate-advanced ride that they liken to a “rave on a bike,” and the “hotbox,” which is the signature ride in a room set to 27-29 degrees Celsius. Instructors are upbeat, welcoming, and well above average when it comes to tricking you into having fun during a serious workout.
Loft Cycle Club
Loft Cycle Club is a beautiful spot on the Danforth that has a spa/yoga studio vibe to it. They’re big on community here, and that’s one of the reasons the place feels like a micro-neighbourhood. Loft offers a two-part program that includes spin classes and sculpt classes, the latter of which is designed to complement your usual spins with programs that enhance strength, endurance, and balance. They have a variety of combinations between the two, so you can book the right duo for your fitness needs. There’s also a café on site that’s part of their perk program, meaning you can ride your way to free smoothies.
Cycle Bar
If you’re someone who benefits from keeping their eye on the prize, CycleBar is for you. The signature darkened rooms of spin are illuminated by screens that show your stats, and the instructors build in different games and competitions to spice up the ride and keep you pushing. They have curated playlists they’ll send out after your ride along with your stats, and if you’re not into the idea of screens blinking around you while you work out, there are options for “unplugged” rooms with the same great beats.
RocketCycle
RocketCycle is a 6-year-old veteran on the spin scene in Toronto that was started by best friends Dana Rocket and Rory Pederzolli. The vibe here really is come as you are, as the instructors are great at meeting you at your fitness level and helping you hit your own goals during the classes. Try a class with instructor Erin Baker if you want to test your ability to conquer any hill.
Toronto’s newest seafood spot is dishing out all-you-can-eat oysters
OysterMine is bringing fresh seafood and all-you-can-eat (AYCE) oysters to midtown Toronto.
The “classy yet modern, romantic yet family style” concept stemmed from owner Evie Zhang’s love of water, “as a child, I loved to go fishing and I grew up on seafood.”
Just south of Yonge and Eglinton, this seafood spot may not look like much from the outside. Actually, it may not look like much from the inside either. The super casual space is not what you would expect when the cheapest entree here is $28.
But what they lack in ambiance, they make up for in fresh seafood. With a raw bar at the centre of the space, a shucker is ready to serve you any of the five oyster varieties they have in house. The Malpeque is the most popular, but if you’re looking for something super creamy, go for the Kusshi oysters.
Fresh oysters are available here everyday. You can opt for a platter of either half ($20), or a full dozen ($34) that come with a house-made mignonette, horseradish, hot sauce and lemon — so you can dress your salt-water mollusc’s anyway you prefer.
For their opening promotion, OysterMine is doing an AYCE special, where everyone at your table has the option to opt-in for a night full of shucking with the purchase of any entree.
But the seafood at OysterMine doesn’t stop with the oysters. They have an array of different crustaceans, like Alaskan king crab, North Atlantic lobster and shrimp. If you’re feeling adventurous or you’re with a bigger group, try the grand platter. For $168, you get a tiered pu-pu platter of oysters, shrimp, cherry stone clams, king crab leg, PEI mussels, Japanese scallops and lobster.
The new restaurant also has plenty of dishes that are geared away from seafood, such as OysterMine’s squid ink linguine topped with shrimp, or a truffled mushroom risotto.
They also have a New York strip, New Zealand rack of lamb and roasted duck breast for those too shy to feast from the sea.
Head into OysterMine before Feb. 2 to take advantage of AYCE oysters and look out for more promotions from this new spot on their Instagram.
OysterMine, 2035 Yonge St.
Toronto comedian Leonard Chan on his Chinese New Year special
Over 10 years ago, Leonard Chan was basically swimming in sewage after a pipe burst while on the job as an environmental engineer. Being up to your chest in sewage, he says, really put things into perspective for him and led him to his current career in comedy.
“Shortly after the incident, I took off all my clothes, sat in my car and just cried for a little while,” he says with a laugh. It was then that Chan started thinking about pursuing something more creative.
That decision led Chan to his new career as a comedian. He has written for CBC Comedy and The Beaverton, and performed at comedy festivals in Halifax, Winnipeg and Montreal, including Just For Laughs.
As a kid, Chan wrote short stories and even a few novels.
“I just like language. One of my favourite things to do is write. I just never considered being able to make a career out of it,” he says.
So in high school at Crescent School, Chan picked practical courses that corresponded with an engineering degree because he thought that, with engineering, there would at least be room for some creativity.
“As I quickly learned in school, creativity in engineering is not a good idea,” he says. “Because if you get creative, people die. So you kind of have to do things the way they’re meant to be done.”
Chan quit engineering shortly after the sewage debacle and after writing for a bit, tried his hand at comedy. His brother-in-law was hosting a comedy show in Vancouver and Chan invited himself to perform in it.
It was an impulse decision on Chan’s part, and he scribbled down a four-minute set the night before and went in with that prepared.
“Prior to that, you know, my vision of what open mics would be was, like, a dingy basement with a bunch of really sad guys talking about their penises,” Chan says.
But that night, a bunch of more professional comics dropped in, including K. Trevor Wilson, who Chan had to follow.
“I was like, ‘Why is he so good? Why is everyone so good?’ ”
Eventually, Chan entered and won the Flat Tire Comedy competition, and from there the opportunities continued. The producer of the competition, Chrissie Cunningham, asked him to co-produce the show.
Chan says that as he got more comfortable performing, and experienced more of the comedy world, he started talking more about racial issues in his comedy.
“Asians are not generally assumed to be funny, so it worked against me. When I started, it was very rare that you get more than one Asian on a show,” he says. “A booker was telling me, ‘We can’t have too many Asians because you all talk about Asian stuff,’ ” Chan recalls.
That’s why Leonard Chan’s experience doing RICE, an Asian comedy showcase run by Vong Show, has been so different.
“We were able to talk about things that transcend race. We could talk about anything,” says Chan.
The next show, hosted by Ron Josol and featuring Vong Show, Cassie Cao, Jennifer Hsiung and Leonard Chan, is the Chinese New Year Special on Jan. 24 at Glenn Gould Studio.
Cosy new brunch bar opens at Yonge and Eglinton
MIA Brunch Bar is a new go-to spot for morning commuters and neighbourhood noshers in the Yonge and Eglinton area.
Open seven days a week, the new morning and afternoon hangout is a bright and cheerful kind of space. The menu consists of some classic brunch staples with a twist, as well as a slew of great cocktails that are sure to rid patrons of the Sunday scaries.
One of the menu’s top sellers is their chicken belgian waffles. The dish is a definite brunch specialty, but at MIA they’re dressing it up in a maple butter drizzle and topping it with bacon bits.
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MIA also has a trio of pancakes on their menu. Stacking blueberry, chocolate and original hot cakes together in one order, so you never have to choose.
They also have a short list of brunch-inspired appetizers. This gives you the option of ordering some extra side dishes, which might just save you from having to share.
Among the apps they have a cream of asparagus soup, halloumi cheese sliders and the avocado bruschetta, which are basically just mini avocado toasts.
Beautifully plated dishes pop against the minimalist and contemporary design of the space, while rustic touches like a decorated chalkboard and picnic-style seating adds a little warmth.
MIA also houses space for not one, but two patios, for when the warmer weather comes around.
Right now, the spot is only open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day, but they’re also working on adding evening service, which would run from 5 p.m. to midnight every Thursday through Saturday in the near future.
MIA Brunch Bar, 2140 Yonge St.
The Social’s Cynthia Loyst on how she fell for her husband
Cynthia Loyst, co-host on CTV’s The Social and founder of FindYourPleasure.com, has released her new book Find Your Pleasure: The Art of Living a More Joyful Life. When it comes to her own relationship, Loyst says she knew her husband Jason for years before they ever spoke a word to each other. Now after 20+ years together, it sure seems it was worth the wait for that first conversation. Here, Loyst tells us how it all went down.
How they met
We met in stages. We both went to York University and were in the film and video department. I remember seeing him for the first time with his long, dark, flowing hair; sideburns with a strap of hair across his chin; and his Fishbone T-shirt and thinking: “Hmm, that guy is so cute, except I don’t understand that facial hair.”
For years we orbited around the same people and places but never really spoke. Years later, after graduation, I was hired by a mutual friend to belly dance in a music video, and Jason was hired as the director of photography. I noticed him again and felt he had improved on his facial hair, but we still didn’t speak.
We eventually ended up at the same party, and finally he came up and chatted with me, and I gave him my number.
The first date
Our very first date was at Insomnia at Bloor and Bathurst streets. At that time, I lived down the street from there, so I was basically a regular at the restaurant and asked him to meet me there.
We sat at the bar. I still remember the soft, grey sweater he was wearing and how good he smelled. I had been single for a while and had experienced some less-than-stellar dates, so I had developed a list of finely tuned questions that could help me weed out the duds quickly. By the end of the date, he had sailed through my questions with flying colours.
Memorable moments
I had this wooden sculpture in my room that I had spent hours carving. Most guys I had dated had hardly ever noticed it, or worse, they threw their coats or put ashtrays on top of it. One of the first times Jason came to my apartment, I found him curiously tracing the entire thing with his hand, asking me questions about how I made it, what it meant to me and so on. I think I fell in love with him at that exact moment.
The proposal
It was near Valentine’s Day. I had just finished work, and he invited me out for dinner in the Distillery, which was and is one of our favourite places in the city. We had recently bought our house, and things had been a little tense in our relationship at that time, so I wasn’t really thinking anything about this date. I went to the bathroom and came back to find a tiny box on the table, and then I knew. So I said, “I’ve been so awful lately, are you sure you want to do this?” Thankfully, he did.
The wedding
We got married where he proposed — at the time it was a beautiful restaurant called the Boiler House. It has since changed to a Mexican place called El Catrin. I have heard great things about it but haven’t brought myself to check it out, yet, because I’m still kind of heartbroken that it’s not the same place.
The offspring
We have one son, named Jaya.
Balancing careers and marriage
It’s hard. I think we have the benefit of working in similar industries (television and film), so we know how crazy the hours can be. And also, we have been together more than two decades now, so we know each other very well and can tell when the other is starting to fray.
Secret to success
We give each other lots of space and room to be individuals. I really value that. We also have had and continue to have some hard conversations at times. Finally, having a therapist to check in with (either individually or as a couple) every once in a while is incredibly important, I think, for any couple.
Life after retirement
Reading, writing and eating on a beach for me. Although I’m not opposed to Jason’s vision of an olive grove in Spain.
Chantecler rises from the ashes with new pop-up in Toronto
Toronto diners are no strangers to seeing their favourite neighbourhood spot go up in flames — literally. In late November of last year, Parkdale’s beloved spot for French small plates and craft cocktails, Chantecler and its adjoining butcher shop Chantecler Boucherie, were closed due to damage from a three-alarm fire.
Chantecler Boucherie, which was just shy of six months since opening, reopened a week after the fire, but Chantecler is permanently closed for renovations until further notice.
For the time being, owner Jacob Wharton-Shuckster has decided to put his efforts back into the Parkdale community. He’s providing the Chantecler fan base with a place to feed their cravings while his restaurant undergoes renovations.
The new pop-up restaurant is aptly named Le Phenix and has opened right across the street from Chantecler.
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For the next six months, until Chantecler is ready to reopen their doors, this restaurant will be Parkdale’s go-to spot for French bites, oysters and cocktails.
“Some similar stuff and some new things; the space is a little different, kitchen resources are a little different,” says Wharton-Shucker of the new pop-up.
Le Phenix will be serving Chantecler’s famed steak tartar, which some might argue is Toronto’s best, their luxurious chicken pate, and of course that ooey-gooey French onion soup.
The new space has housed several restaurants including Small Town Food Co., Doomie’s and most recently IST Snack Bar; so it is kind of poetic that Le Phenix has chosen this location, considering the mythical bird really does rise from the ashes.
Chantecler, which first opened in 2012 as a joint venture from Jacob Wharton-Shukster and Jonathan Poon (Bar Fancy, Paris Paris, Superpoint), was lauded as the nouveau spot for French classics with an Asian twist.
The partnership eventually dissolved, though Wharton-Shukster managed to hold on to Chanetecler’s loyal fan base despite pivoting back to a more classic French fare.
Le Phenix pop-up is open daily from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. and is closed Wednesday.
Toronto’s new Formula One race car driver Nicholas Latifi to rep The 6 in rookie season
Newly minted Formula One race car driver Nicholas Latifi has chosen to wear the number 6 for his rookie season, a shout-out to his hometown.
“As we gear up for the season ahead, it’s time to reveal my Formula 1 race number for 2020. The one I’ve chosen is… 6!” wrote Latifi, in a message on his website. “The main reason is that 6 is so closely linked to Toronto. It’s where I’m from, where I was raised, and the city I’m proud to be representing.”
Formula One driver Nicholas Latifi says he will represent his hometown of Toronto by choosing No. 6 as his race number. ??https://t.co/DFiLwjfcSI
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 20, 2020
Latifi grew up in North York, and attended the Crescent School as did his older brother Matthew. Latifi’s father is Iranian-Canadian businessman and entrepreneur Michael Latifi who founded Sofina Foods Inc.
Nicholas Latifi started racing kart at the relatively old age of 13 in 2009 but quickly progressed to the point where he already racing Formula Three by 2012. In 2016, Latifi was hired as a test driver by Renault’s Formula One team. In 2019, Latifi secured second place in the Formula Two driver rankings in addition to a team championship.
This past November, he announced that he was hired as a full race car driver by the ROKiT Williams Racing for the 2020 season.
The season kicks off on March 15 in Melbourne, Australia. The lone Canadian date will be June 14 in Montreal.
Snow sculpture of Pascal Siakam wows Raptors fans
While most people were hiding from the snow squalls and extreme cold weather over the weekend, snow sculptor Matt Morris took advantage of the flurries by paying tribute to Raptors’ forward Pascal Siakam with a 7-foot-tall sculpture.
Pascal Siakam has an amazing spin move. So my 7’ snow sculpture tribute to him had to spin. #snowsculpture @pskills43 @raptors #raptors #wethenorth #torontoraptors pic.twitter.com/cV9GTyOhUH
— Matt Morris (@Matthew_Morris) January 19, 2020
The Waterloo resident, who has been creating snow structures on his front lawn for the past nine years, detailed his venture in a series of tweets. His project started on Saturday with more than 8 feet of snow — the vast quantity of which made the sculpting a so-called “easy” task.
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On Sunday morning, his “field of dreams” looked more like a tall mountain of snow. But his “work in progress” began taking shape a little later in the day, before reaching the phenomenal outcome. Since Siakam has an amazing spin move, Morris said his tribute had to spin as well.
Although Pascal Siakam is actually 6’9”, on Morris’s front lawn he is about 7 feet tall. “At any height ‘Spicy P’ is an All-Star,” Morris tweeted.
Even Siakam himself was a fan. “Haha that’s dope,” he responded in a tweet.
Haha that’s dope ?? https://t.co/VtJ1MSKTaO
— pascal siakam (@pskills43) January 20, 2020
The Raptors forward is currently in the running to participate in his first NBA All-Star Game, with fan voting set to close Monday, Jan. 20 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
