The Portland Variety café is now open (and yes, they sell the amazing chocolate-chip cookies from Le Gourmand)

Portland Variety, the new café from Le Gourmand’s Milton Nunes, is now open at the sunny corner of Portland and King West. Like nearby Bar Buca, the new spot is several things at once: a Parisian-style café in the morning, a casual lunch destination in the afternoon and (starting in a few weeks) a bustling tapas restaurant at night. The current daytime menu includes a mix of pastries, sandwiches and other savoury snacks, like a shrimp-salad croissantwich or house-made ricotta topped with honey and served with baguette. Once dinner service gets going, customers will be able to dine on Spanish-inspired shared plates in the 150-seat dining room, or pick from a selection of pintxos (small plates) displayed in cabinets in the front café, which will transform into a standing tapas bar by late afternoon. Until then, customers can get into the Euro spirit by pairing their lunch with wine after 2 p.m.

Portland Variety, 587 King St. W., 416-368-5151, portlandvariety.com