Introducing: The Borough, a stylish new gastropub on the Danforth

Introducing: The Borough, a stylish new gastropub on the Danforth

Introducing: The Borough
(Image: Gizelle Lau)

Name: The Borough
Contact Info: 1352 Danforth Ave., 416-901-1429, borough.ca, @TheBoroughEY
Neighbourhood: East Danforth
Previously: Eritrean restaurant Elelta
Owners: Childhood friends Richard Zimmerman and Jason Ashworth
Chef: Jason Ashworth

The Food: Chef Ashworth’s menu sticks to cozy British comfort dishes, like miniature beef-stuffed Yorkshire puddings and bangers ‘n’ mash with braised cabbage. The restaurant is committed to using sustainable ingredients (hormone- and antibiotic-free meat, responsibly sourced seafood). It’s formed partnerships with local farms, whose names are scrawled on a blackboard near the kitchen.

The Drinks: Local beers like Left Field and Muskoka are available on draught, as are a few Ontario wines. Signature cocktails include The Lumberjack, a woodsy vodka cran laced with pine-scented vodka and orange bitters.

The Place: Inspired by homey British gastropubs, owners Zimmerman and Ashworth wanted to create a space that would appeal to all kinds of neighbourhood diners. The cheery white-walled room is decorated with old black-and-white photos and lots of bright red accents.