Introducing: Peter Pan, a new take on the decades-old Queen West icon

Name: Peter Pan Neighbourhood: Queen West Contact Info: 373 Queen St. W., 416-792-3838, peterpanbistro.ca, @peterpanbistro
Owners: Marty and Noah Goldberg, Jessica Ingwersen Chef: Noah Goldberg, formerly of The Feasting Room

The Food: Noah Goldberg calls what he’s putting out of his kitchen “refined neighbourhood food”: salmon roulade, bone marrow pizza, duck with beets and warm pig’s head terrine are some of the current dishes on offer. “The food is obviously different than it used to be,” says Goldberg—maybe in reference to the old Pan’s daily pasta special—“but we still want to be a neighbourhood restaurant; we still want locals and tourists and whoever is in this neighbourhood to be able to come in and afford to eat here and have an experience, but we’ve refined that experience a bit.” The menu will change often to reflect what’s in season, but will always adhere to the nose-to-tail and root-to-tip philosophies that Goldberg practiced at The Feasting Room. “I feel really strongly about eating and preparing food in a very conscientious way—not wasting anything and offering people the full picture as opposed to just the standard stuff,” says Goldberg.

The Drinks: Local and international wines (by the glass or bottle), a selection of draught and bottled beer and a concise list of cocktails including the “What’s Up Doc?"—a veggie- and fruit-laced concoction with a glug of vodka.

The Place: For 11 months, Goldberg and his team renovated the space, changing as little as possible: the tin roof, marble bar top, bar back and lights are all original fixtures of the restaurant, dating back to the 1930s.  New to the space, however, are artist Debbie Lawson’s wild but animal-friendly alternatives to wall-mounted taxidermy. Also new: the second floor. Previously a rooming house (and a “real mess,” according to Goldberg), it will be used as a private dining space. As for the backyard patio, it will be back as soon as summer is.