What’s on the menu at Hy’s Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar, the new 18,000-square-foot flagship in the Financial District

By Toronto Life | Photography By Gabby Frank | November 5, 2019

By Toronto Life | Photography By Gabby Frank | 11/05/2019

Name: Hy’s Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar
Contact: 365 Bay St., 416-364-6600, hyssteakhouse.com, @hyssteakhouse
Neighbourhood: Financial District
Owner: Neil Aisenstat and Rob MacDonald
Chef: Saku Velummylum
Accessibility: Fully accessible

The food

Steak, steak and more steak, but some new items, too. Most of Hy’s core menu remains, however, diners living that plant-based lifestyle have a few more dishes to choose from, including a vegan bowl and vegetarian meatloaf. Caesar salads are still made tableside and the cheese toast—which has been a staple since day one—isn’t going anywhere. Funny story: Hy, the founder of the steakhouse, and the father of the current CEO, opened the first location because he wanted to save money to go to school for journalism. (How things have changed!) The restaurant was such a success, however, that Aisenstat quickly changed his career path.

Hy’s Cheese Toast for Two has been a fan favourite since 1955. $10.95.

Here, chef Velummylum gets started on the tableside caesar.

These guéridon are stocked with all the fixings necessary to make the salads. $21.95.

The Organic Vegan Bowl features sweet potato, yam, purple yam, cassava root, lotus root, Japanese eggplant, mushrooms, grape tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, green beans, eggplant and tempura okra all in a tamarind curry sauce. $34.95.

And here we have the porterhouse ($84.95) with maple-pecan carrots ($13.95), charred lemon-parmesan asparagus ($17.95) and sautéed cremini mushrooms ($14.95).

And here’s a slice of Hy’s Famous Cheesecake, topped with a berry compote. $12.95.

The drinks

As expected from a steakhouse, there’s a very deep wine list, as well as a bunch of classic and signature cocktails, including some zero-proof tipples, like the Adelaide Sour made with Seedlip. Upstairs, another smaller bar serves exclusive whiskeys and fancy champagne. Here, cocktails start at $35 and a special menu lists caviar as a snack.

From left to right: Hy’s Juice, house-made tomato juice ($10); Safe Haven, a tk cocktail from the whiskey bar, made with Deveron 18-Year-Od Highland Single Malt with vanilla liqueur and orange ($35); the Venture Cap, a mix of Bombay Sapphire gin, Fentiman’s tonic, aloe vera and lemon ($17); and Disclosure, a boozy blend of Haku vodka, Antica Formula vermouth, apricot liqueur, marsala, ginger beer, orange and lemon ($19).

The space

Hy’s closed its Adelaide Street West location in late 2018 after being there since 1999. (Prior to that, it was on Richmond Street West from 1977 to 1998). The new 18,000-square-foot space is spread over three floors, each decked out in a whole lotta wood and Canadian art. A lounge area on the main floor features a 35-foot wraparound bar, with some cozy nooks where guests can kick their feet up and catch whatever game is playing on one of the TV screens. On the mezzanine, a quieter dining area, and the aforementioned fancy whisky bar, overlook the lounge. There are some private dining rooms, too: a few smaller ones on the mezzanine, and a couple much larger ones with their own wet bars on the lower level.