Introducing: Lot St., an eclectic new restaurant at Queen and Bathurst
Name: Lot St.
Contact Info: 685 Queen St. W., 416-367-8800, lotst.ca, @LotStreet
Neighbourhood: Queen West
Owner: Tenny Bhutia
Executive Chef: Aldo Pirela, formerly the sous-chef at Darwin Bistro in Little Italy
The Food: An eclectic menu of Italian, Canadian and Latin American plates, including pesto-topped arancini, a fried plaintain sandwich with shredded beef and maple-glazed trout. Dishes are divided into Teasers (appetizers), Swingers (shared plates), Pleasers (mains) and Sweetners (desserts).
The Drinks: Ontario beers, Canadian wines and cocktails named after Toronto neighbourhoods, like the Little Italy: gin, Aperol, vermouth and orange-juniper bitters.
The Place: The restaurant’s name reflects the area’s history: Queen Street was known as Lot Street until the mid-19th century. The handsome room has exposed brick walls, a chunky bar covered in repurposed barn board, and Edison bulb light fixtures made out of twisted copper pipes.
The Numbers: • 50 Edison bulbs fastened to dangling copper pipes • 40 seats • 8 different national cuisines represented on the uber-diverse menu
