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Food & Drink

A tour of Lavelle, King West’s new 16,000-square-foot rooftop lounge with a swimming pool

By Caroline Aksich| Photography by Caroline Aksich
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The city’s adult playgrounds—Cabana Pool Bar, the Thompson Hotel and The Addisons—have some friendly competition in Lavelle, a new rooftop lounge high above King West. The star of the sprawling space is a 155-foot-long pool—one of the biggest in North America. But only members who pay the $200 annual fee can take a dip. (Others have to make do with watching the fun from a cabana). There’s also a garden, DJs, an ice cream parlour (with boozy flavours like mojito sorbet) and three bars. Poolside bottle service is a popular option here, but it’ll cost you: the Dom Pérignon Rosé, for example, goes for a cool $1,250. If that’s a bit too steep, a bucket of five Coronas is only $45. There’s food, too. The dinner menu includes traditional French dishes from chef Romain Avril’s (La Société), the lunch menu is dominated by salad and an entire page is dedicated to raw plates.

A tour of Lavelle, King West's new 16,000-square-foot rooftop lounge with a swimming pool
Part of the pool can be covered to serve as a dance floor.

 

A tour of Lavelle, King West's new 16,000-square-foot rooftop lounge with a swimming pool
Black bikini + sarong = uniform Photo by Caroline Aksich

 

A tour of Lavelle, King West's new 16,000-square-foot rooftop lounge with a swimming pool
There are sweeping views of the city from every direction.

 

A tour of Lavelle, King West's new 16,000-square-foot rooftop lounge with a swimming pool
Those cabanas are meant to look like Toronto’s row houses.

 

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A tour of Lavelle, King West's new 16,000-square-foot rooftop lounge with a swimming pool
Here’s one of the bars. Photo by Caroline Aksich

 

A tour of Lavelle, King West's new 16,000-square-foot rooftop lounge with a swimming pool
And the more formal 250-seat dining room.

 

A tour of Lavelle, King West's new 16,000-square-foot rooftop lounge with a swimming pool
Tuna tartare with soy dressing, daikon, pickled ginger, cilantro and a sesame cracker. $22.

 

A tour of Lavelle, King West's new 16,000-square-foot rooftop lounge with a swimming pool
Herb-crusted Ontario lamb saddle with polenta fries, pickled plums, charred baby onions and purslane. $34.

 

A tour of Lavelle, King West's new 16,000-square-foot rooftop lounge with a swimming pool
Strawberry Field: pistachio cake with strawberry ice cream, creme fraîche and basil. $12.

627 King St. W., 647-347-99353, chezlavelle.com

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Caroline Aksich, a National Magazine Award recipient, is an ex-Montrealer who writes about Toronto’s ever-evolving food scene, real estate and culture for Toronto Life, Fodor’s, Designlines, Canadian Business, Glory Media and Post City. Her work ranges from features on octopus-hunting in the Adriatic to celebrity profiles.

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