/
1x
Advertisement
Proudly Canadian, obsessively Toronto. Subscribe to Toronto Life!
Food & Drink

What’s on the menu at Her Father’s, the city’s first all-cider bar

By Caroline Aksich| Photography by Caroline Aksich
Copy link
What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar

Name: Her Father’s Cider Neighbourhood: University Contact: 119 Harbord St., 647-347-7747, herfathers.ca
Previously: Loire Owners: Joshua Mott Chefs: Ryan Barclay (Splendido, The Grove)

The drinks

Over 80 kinds of cider, all from small-batch brewers. The focus here is on local and hard-to-find international ciders. “Ontario is making some of the most interesting and innovative cider in the world,” says Mott, who’s made sure to stock a few bottles from his parents’ Thornbury orchard, Beaver Valley. Ice and fruit ciders, like a French pear version and a dry cherry number from Hamilton’s West Avenue, are also available. Even the cocktails are apple-obsessed: the Ello Sweetpea combines County Citrus cider with gin, black currant port and lemon bitters.

What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar
The fridges are stocked with the stuff.

   

What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar
Here’s the current tap list. Flights of three go for $12.

   

What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar
Not Her Mother’s Appletini: ginger-infused vodka, fresh-pressed Granny Smith apples, maple syrup, lime. $12.

   

Advertisement
What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar
Ello Sweetpea: County Citrus cider, Bombay Sapphire gin, black currant port, lemon bitters. $12.
The food

Chef Barclay dug deep into the history of cider. “The first thing I did was research cider’s origins, which are both English and French,” he says. The resulting dishes are based on Old World recipes (Barclay even referenced some vintage cookbooks like The Cook’s Oracle, circa 1822), but feature seasonal Canadian ingredients such as fiddleheads, ramps and chanterelles. Cider shows up throughout the menu, of course—the cod, for example, is glazed with it.

What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar
Devilled eggs with snow crab and grebiche. $3.

   

What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar
Spring vegetables on toast: crusty hunks of bread topped with a carrot-ricotta purée, asparagus, ramps, zucchini and chanterelles. $10.

   

What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar
Raclette (molten cow’s cheese) comes with new potatoes, asparagus, broccoli and endives. $16.

   

What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar
Lobster wraps with celery, sour cream, pickled onion, English mustard and lettuce. $18.

   

Advertisement
What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar
Cider-glazed cod in a beurre-blanc sauce with mussels, apple, fennel and zucchini. $24.

   

What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar
Citrus- and honey-glazed steelhead trout served with carrots, blue potatoes and dandelion. $24.
The space

The 60-seat space is divided into two rooms: the front with a bar and epic cider fridge, and the back with a cool country vibe thanks to age-weathered tables, farmhouse chairs and strings of exposed bulbs.

What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar
Here’s the bar.

   

What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar
What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar
The back dining room.

   

What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar
Here’s the patio.

   

Advertisement
What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar
From left to right: Josh Mott, Ryan Barclay, bar manager Neil Hazelton and general manager Tim McLean.

   

What's on the menu at Her Father's, the city's first all-cider bar

More New Restaurants

Toronto's new Thai restaurant makes The White Lotus –themed cocktails
Food & Drink

Toronto’s new Thai restaurant makes The White Lotus–themed cocktails

Everything there is to eat and drink at Same Same

NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY

Sign up for Table Talk, our free newsletter with essential food and drink stories.

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
You may unsubscribe at any time.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

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.

Advertisement
Advertisement

The Latest

Inside the Latest Issue

The June issue of Toronto Life features our annual ranking of the best new restaurants. Plus, our obsessive coverage of everything that matters now in the city.