Civil Liberties

There’s no formal menu at this Bloorcourt cocktail bar, marked with a plump pineapple—the international symbol of hospitality—but customers can wager on some of the finest drinks in the city, mixed to individual specifications and preferences by bartenders, who are always happy to throw a twist (figurative or literal) into your drink: order a classic like the Martinez and it may come mixed with an obscure vermouth and a small-batch gin. But more pedestrian choices are never frowned upon: a request for a rum and coke will not be met with attitude, and tallboys are obligingly slid across a bar top inlaid with vintage pennies. When hunger sets in, garlicky dumplings and pok-pok wings from Vit Beo, the bar’s Vietnamese sister spot, can be ordered directly to your bar stool.

878 Bloor St. W., 416-546-5634, civilibertiesbar.com