10 deliciously boozy Toronto cocktails for $10 or less
10 deliciously boozy Toronto cocktails for $10 or less
By Rachel Heinrichs and Andrew D’Cruz | December 13, 2012
By Rachel Heinrichs and Andrew D’Cruz | 12/13/2012
By Rachel Heinrichs and Andrew D’Cruz | Photography by Erin Leydon and Jenna Marie Wakani
Somehow, we’re not sure when exactly, we became inured to $16 cocktails in Toronto. So much so that anything for $10 or less has started to seem like a serious bargain. We scoured the city’s bars and restaurants to bring you 10 Toronto cocktails from the burgeoning booze scene—complete with unusual spirits and house-made syrups and infusions—at prices that will allow you to try more than a couple before heading home.
182394 Done right, with just real peach purée, dry Prosecco and triple sec, as at Strada 241, the bellini evokes lazy August afternoons—not tiara-topped bachelorettes and slushy machines. $9.<br /><br />
<strong>Strada 241,</strong> <a href="http://www.torontolife.com/guides/restaurants/italian/strada-241/" target="blank">241 Spadina Ave.,</a> 647-351-1200. (Image: Erin Leydon) Peach Bellini Peach Bellini https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-1-e1355413182357-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-1.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-1.jpg 624 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/10-cheap-toronto-cocktails/slide/drinks-under-10-1/ drinks-under-10-1 0 0
(Image: Erin Leydon)
182395 Bartender Aja Sax makes nine variations on the manhattan, including our favourite, with Bulleit, Carpano Antica Formula vermouth, Amer Boudreau and Luxardo Maraschino. $10.<br /><br />
<strong>The Miller Tavern,</strong> <a href="http://www.torontolife.com/guides/restaurants/seafood/miller-tavern-bay/" target="blank">31 Bay St.,</a> 416-366-5544. (Image: Erin Leydon) The Bushwick The Bushwick https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-2-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-2.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-2.jpg 624 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/10-cheap-toronto-cocktails/slide/drinks-under-10-2/ drinks-under-10-2 0 0
(Image: Erin Leydon)
182396 Homemade shrubs, syrups and bitters make Quinta’s cocktails a bargain at $10. For this bracing gin smash, Beefeater is muddled with fresh thyme and cranberries, then mixed with cranberry-spice syrup and soda. $10.<br /><br />
<strong>Quinta,</strong> <a href="http://twitter.com/scroll/statuses/279254351032242177" target="blank">1282 Dundas St. W.,</a> 416-534-0407. (Image: Erin Leydon) Bad Santa Bad Santa https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-3-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-3.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-3.jpg 624 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/10-cheap-toronto-cocktails/slide/drinks-under-10-3/ drinks-under-10-3 0 0
(Image: Erin Leydon)
182397 Like a high-class rum and Coke, this drink combines dark rum, house-made burdock cola—which tastes like a savoury, herbaceous root beer—lime, muddled mint and a spritz of sparkling water. $9.<br /><br />
<strong>Edulis,</strong> <a href="http://www.torontolife.com/guides/restaurants/bistro/edulis/" target="blank">169 Niagara St.,</a> 416-703-4222. (Image: Erin Leydon) The Painted Rum The Painted Rum https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-4-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-4.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-4.jpg 624 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/10-cheap-toronto-cocktails/slide/drinks-under-10-4/ drinks-under-10-4 0 0
(Image: Erin Leydon)
182398 Farmhouse Tavern’s caesar has so many ingredients it could be an appetizer: tequila, Clamato, Sriracha, lemon, cucumber, caper berries, horseradish and a smoked Malpeque oyster. $10.<br /><br />
<strong>Farmhouse Tavern,</strong> <a href="http://www.torontolife.com/guides/restaurants/canadian/farmhouse-tavern/" target="blank">1627 Dupont St.,</a> 416-561-9114. (Image: Erin Leydon) Tequila Caesar Tequila Caesar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-5-e1355416797634-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-5.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-5.jpg 624 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/10-cheap-toronto-cocktails/slide/drinks-under-10-5/ drinks-under-10-5 0 0
(Image: Erin Leydon)
182399 The ever-inventive bartenders at Cold Tea start with gin, Lillet Blanc and sweet yellow Chartreuse, add a little homemade cranberry-rosemary syrup and top the drink with a fragrant flamed rosemary sprig. $10.<br /><br />
<strong>Cold Tea,</strong> <a href="http://www.torontolife.com/guides/bars-and-clubs/bars/cold-tea-50ad3f75af196/" target="blank">60 Kensington Ave.,</a> 416-546-4536. (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) The Transition The Transition https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-6-e1355416822619-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-6.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-6.jpg 624 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/10-cheap-toronto-cocktails/slide/drinks-under-10-6/ drinks-under-10-6 0 0
(Image: Jenna Marie Wakani)
182400 This Parkdale aperitivo bar mostly does one thing—variations on the bitter, Campari-laden negroni—and does it well. The Il Professore swaps out the usual sweet vermouth for Cointreau infused with berry tea. $10.<br /><br />
<strong>Bar Salumi,</strong> <a href="http://www.torontolife.com/guides/bars-and-clubs/bars/bar-salumi/" target="blank">1704 Queen St. W.,</a> 416-588-0100. (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Il Professore’s Negroni Il Professore’s Negroni https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-7-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-7.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-7.jpg 624 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/10-cheap-toronto-cocktails/slide/drinks-under-10-7/ drinks-under-10-7 0 0
(Image: Jenna Marie Wakani)
182401 Co-owner Jacob Wharton-Shukster gussies up the classic G&T with uncommonly aromatic house-made tonic and soda from Canada’s <a href="http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/06/07/the-last-seltzerman-in-canada/" target="blank">last remaining artisanal seltzerman,</a> before plopping in a huge pink grapefruit wedge on top. $8.<br /><br />
<strong>Chantecler,</strong> <a href="http://www.torontolife.com/guides/restaurants/canadian/chantecler/" target="blank">1320 Queen St. W.,</a> 416-628-3586. (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Gin and Grapefruit Tonic Gin and Grapefruit Tonic https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-8-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-8.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-8.jpg 624 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/10-cheap-toronto-cocktails/slide/drinks-under-10-8/ drinks-under-10-8 0 0
(Image: Jenna Marie Wakani)
182402 Delightfully old-school, this cocktail is made from Gaston de Lagrange cognac, lemon oils, lemon juice and Demerara sugar, with a little fresh nutmeg grated on top. $7.<br /><br />
<strong>Sidecar,</strong> <a href="http://www.torontolife.com/guides/restaurants/italian/sidecar/" target="blank">577 College St.,</a> 416-536-7000. (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Brandy Cocktail Brandy Cocktail https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-9-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-9.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-9.jpg 624 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/10-cheap-toronto-cocktails/slide/drinks-under-10-9/ drinks-under-10-9 0 0
(Image: Jenna Marie Wakani)
182403 Purists would scoff at labelling this divine concoction—Jim Bean, Amaro Montenegro, sweet vermouth, sour cherries and walnut bitters—a manhattan. But when it tastes like this, who cares what purists think? $9.<br /><br />
<strong>1602,</strong> <a href="http://www.torontolife.com/guides/bars-and-clubs/bars/1602/" target="blank">1602 Dundas St. W.</a><br />
(Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Sour Cherry Manhattan Sour Cherry Manhattan https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-10.jpg 624 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/10-cheap-toronto-cocktails/slide/drinks-under-10-10/ drinks-under-10-10 0 0
(Image: Jenna Marie Wakani)
182512 10 Toronto cocktails for less than $10 10 drinks for less than $10 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/drinks-under-10.jpg 656 430 [] https://torontolife.com/food/10-cheap-toronto-cocktails/slide/drinks-under-10/ drinks-under-10 0 0
Where to find them:
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