Rare wines, bottled cocktails and other drinks you can order from Toronto bars and restaurants right now
More Takeout and Delivery options
The coronavirus pandemic and the community’s commitment to social distancing has given birth to a new social practice: virtual happy hours, where friends drink together (but apart) using platforms like Zoom or House Party. Now that we’re heading into many more weeks of this, it might be wise to start stocking your bar for all your online hangs. And now, restaurants, wine and cocktail bars are allowed sell their stashes of booze at discounted prices for takeout and delivery—and these are bottles you’re not going to find at your local LCBO. This unprecedented situation gives you the opportunity to build that restaurant-worthy wine cellar you’ve always wanted. Note: these 19+ transactions have to be picked up by the person placing the order (ID must be shown at dropoff for delivery orders), and customers buying booze must also purchase one food item, because rules.
Kang Bang Fried Chicken
Après Wine Bar and Canis owner and chef Jeff Kang has teamed up with Omai’s Edward Bang to create a fried chicken and kimchi takeout pop-up. If low-intervention wine, sake and craft beer (like Canis and Avling Brewery’s collab saison with lacto-fermented plums and elderberry) are your jam, then you know where to go. Takeout only from Wednesday to Friday. 1166 Queen St. W., 647-292-3317, @kb_furaidochikin
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Archive 909
The Dundas West wine bar has turned into a temporary cashless operation offering access to its deep catalogue of (local, natural, orange) wines with a purchase from its snack board. It’s not daily, so keep an eye on their Instagram account for details and place an order through email. Pre-ordered pickup only. 909 Dundas St. W., 647-748-0909, archive909.com, @archive909
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Bar Volo and Bierreria Volo
The folks behind Bar Volo have launched Bottega Volo, an online retail shop selling all kinds of lambic beer and natural wine. There’s even a food menu that changes weekly, featuring cheeses, fancy potato chips, cured meat and premium canned goods. Each location carries different stock, so online-shop wisely. Pre-ordered pickups on Tuesdays to Saturdays at either Bar Volo or Birreria Volo (delivery TBA). 17 St. Nicholas St. and 612 College St., bottegavolo.com, @bar_volo
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Bathurst Local
This neighbourhood watering hole is selling a selection of wine, sake and beer at a discount until they run out of stock. It’s all available by appointment only (you’ve gotta slide into their DMs) and the cashless transaction also requires you to bring your own bag or box. Pre-ordered pickup only. 332 Bathurst St., bathurstlocal322.squarespace.com, @bathurstlocal
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The Federal
Choose from rotating wine bundles that range in price and selection—but each one is guaranteed to come with a loaf of bread and a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. They tend to sell out fast but there are always more, so keep refreshing their Instagram page. Need various sundries? You can tack on extras like eggs, milk, Reunion Island coffee and even toilet paper at the virtual checkout. No-contact delivery. 1438 Dundas St. W., 647-352-9120, @thefed
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Project Gigglewater
This west-end cocktail bar has put together DIY drink kits that include whole sealed bottles of liquor, syrups, cordials, fresh ingredients, ice and instructions. The packages start at $60 with the purchase of a bag of chips, and will set you up with enough booze to make six to eight cocktails, like the appropriately named Keep Calm & Quarantine made with Johnnie Walker Black, lemon, honey, ginger and lapsang souchong. Free delivery for orders over $50 within their delivery zone. 1369 Dundas St. W., @projectgigglewater
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Happy Coffee and Wine
Little Tibet’s coffee-by-day, wine-by-night café has morphed into a virtual shop selling curated coffee packages and bottles of wine (with purchase of a bag of chips, of course). Besides a bean delivery program, there’s other fun stuff for sale, including oat milk (for that coffee) and decanters (for that wine). Local delivery only or in-store pickups on Thursdays. 1304 King St. W., 416-588-3000, @happycoffeeandwine
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Liberty Entertainment Group
The Liberty Group (BlueBlood Steakhouse, Don Alfonso 1890, Xango, Cibo) has partnered with Foodball—a culinary fundraiser that supports Sinai Health Foundation—to put together this wine collection curated by the group’s sommeliers at a discounted price. Each three-bottle package of wine includes tasting notes and an original recipe by the restaurant family’s roster of chefs to pair with the wine. The inaugural package featured an amarone, a barolo and a chianti for $99. May’s box includes a California trio. Complimentary, contact-free delivery in the GTA. foodball.ca
Mahjong and Bar Mordecai
These sister speakeasy bars are now selling snacks, wine and cocktail kits to-go. Order up a Japanese Highball kit (a branded glass from Suntory, a bottle of Toki, Topo Chico, an assorted garnish kit and two house-made syrups) and some of their (frozen, cook-at-home) shrimp wontons and pork dumplings. Contact-free, curbside delivery Fridays and Saturdays. Place your order over email info@mahjongbar.com. @mahjongbar
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Sapori
From natural wine to local craft beer and other hard-to-find bottles, Sapori’s online shelves are stocked. Just don’t forget to add some food (homemade charcuterie, pickles, soup) while you’re stocking that virtual cart. Takeout between 5 and 7 p.m., delivery coming soon. 1588 Dundas St. W., 647-351-7700, saporitoronto.com, @saporitoronto
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Supernova Ballroom
The Financial District’s anti-waste cocktail bar is now operating Dolly’s Trolley, a Dolly Parton–themed door-to-door drinks cart, so to speak, selling DIY cocktail kits and bar snacks. Each kit makes up to four cocktails (or just one really strong one). No-contact delivery on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. for $5. 330 Bay St., 416-710-2765, supernovaballroom.com/dollytrolleydrinks, @supernovaballroom
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WVRST
In the mood for a fresh pretzel, a sausage and a barrel-aged farmhouse ale? The King West beerhall is now operating as a bottle shop, but any alcohol has to be sold on the premises. Choose from the many craft brews they have in their cellar, from imports to WVRST collaborations, ciders and wine. Takeout only. 609 King St. W., 416-703-7775, wvrst.com, @wvrst
