Leslieville’s new cocktail and snack bar feels like a ’70s dinner party
But, according to Bar Mini’s chef, without the fondue
Name: Bar Mini
Contact: 1118 Queen St. E., @bar__mini
Neighbourhood: Leslieville
Owners and chefs: Dave Still and Maty Gignac
Accessibility: Not fully accessible
Walking into Leslieville’s new cocktail and snack bar feels like stepping into a low-key house party.
Partners in business and in life, Dave Still and Maty Gignac first met when they were competing for the same position at the Comrade. On bad days, they would both dream of quitting their other kitchen gigs and opening their own place. After years of dreaming, they pulled it off in just 30 days, turning what was once Greta Solomon’s, a French restaurant, into their playful new cocktail bar.
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It’s important to Sill and Gignac that Bar Mini is a place where the neighbourhood’s service industry folks can come and hang out. “Rather than the final destination, we see ourselves as a stop along the way,” says Still. To capture that crowd, Bar Mini is always open on Sundays and Mondays, when most other bars are closed. The prices are also accessible, with all cocktails ringing in at $17 or less and glasses of wine at around $14. Beyond the Fleetwood Mac–style staff, the bar’s ’70s air permeates everything from the food to the decor.
The Food
Using only a tiny electric kitchen, Still and Gignac have crafted a menu of small plates. Thanks to Still’s trademark “under-promise, over-deliver” style, each item punches well above its weight. The burrata is topped with “tomato salt” that he makes by fermenting tomatoes, dehydrating the flesh and pulp and blending it into a powder. It brings pizza vibes to the orb of fresh cheese. Another standout is the pickled eggs, the yolks of which are mixed with mayo and topped with chives, red onion and salmon roe. They’re like a cross between a devilled egg and a bagel with lox. “We wanted the food to feel like a ’70s dinner party—without the fondue,” says Still.
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The Drinks
The cocktails are inspired by the classics, but each has its own twist. For example, coconut-washed rum, pandan syrup and lime come together in a daiquiri-inspired concoction. Mystery and 50/50 shots—which mix a base spirit with an amaro—are also up for grabs.
Wine drinkers beware: there’s a “boring wine” premium. To order a chardonnay, for example, guests will have to order a whole bottle. But voigniers and ruby-red pet nats are available by the glass. The only beers on the menu come from Leslieville breweries Rorschach Brewing Co. and Left Field Brewery.
The Space
Part dive bar, part cosy rec room, the interior (designed by Brett Paulin) features light wood, plants and mirrors to brighten things up. “We wanted to make sure it wasn’t a dark and broody bar that felt exclusive,” says Still. “We went bright and accessible.” Bringing together the eclectic vibe are scattered antique finds, including an abundance of ceramic cat statues, a lava lamp and a glass frog tucked into a hole in the brick wall.
One of the first changes they made to the space was painting the front door orange so it was distinguishable from the wall of French doors that open up onto the street. “When the weather is good, the entire space becomes our own little indoor patio,” says Still.
