Introducing: Bero, pop-up chef Matt Kantor’s new Spanish restaurant in Leslieville
Name: Bero
Contact Info: 889 Queen St. E., 416-477-3393, bero-restaurant.com/
Neighbourhood: Leslieville
Owners: Andrew Bridgman and Giulio Marconi, former owners of The Commissary, and Matt Kantor, the man behind successful pop-ups The Secret Pickle Supper Club and Hidden Kitchen
Chef: Matt Kantor
The Food: Bero is the fourth high-profile Spanish restaurant to open this year, following Patria, Bar Isabel and Carmen. The dishes on Kantor’s Basque-influenced menu include bone marrow gnocchi with snails; squid-ink arancini with beet-juice–marinated squid; and surf-and-turf with pork loin, octopus and chickpeas. The more traditional Sunday brunch menu includes eggs Benedict, bread pudding and hash.
The Drinks: The wine list contains only boutique bottles (ones you can’t find at the LCBO).
The Place: The former Commissary space is refined but cozy, with white linens, plush upholstered chairs and gleaming hardwood.
The Numbers: • 28 seats in the dining room; 6 more at the bar • 12 items on the menu • 4 course menu for $52 with 3 options per course • 4 nights a week (Wednesday to Saturday), plus Sunday brunch
