Inside Longo’s new fully licensed, 32,000-square-foot Liberty Village location where you can drink while you shop

Having recently launched its micro-convenience-market concept in the Path, Longo’s is at it again with a new—much bigger—Liberty Village location. The 23,000-square-foot store at 1110 King West stocks of the usual supermarket supplies, but it also has a pasta counter, a wine bar with an Enomatic dispenser and an on-site brewery courtesy of Toronto’s Amsterdam Brewing Co. There’s a dedicated dine-in area, but as this store is the first grocery store in Canada to be fully licensed, customers who want to multi-task can drink their pint of beer or glass of wine as they shop the aisles.

The entrance is off King West, but there’s also another entryway through the parking garage. Shoppers get two-hours of free parking with a $20 purchase and can get their parking stub validated at the Guest Services desk:

Prepared offerings like fresh-cut and packaged fruits, vegetables and other grab-and-go snacks are peppered around the store, sometimes integrated with compatible food products (so flavoured grilling oils next to fresh produce, cut veggies next to dips, and blocks of packaged cheese and olives next to fresh grapes).

There’s a large selection of alternative proteins and carbs…

… and plenty of Longo’s-branded products, too:

The rear section of the store is dedicated to frozen goods, including ready-to-heat meals. It’s also where you can find kitchen tools and seasonal goodies on display:

Customers will find meat and seasonal seafood, like steamed-to-order lobsters, here:

Here’s a look at the meat display:

There are over 400 varieties of cheese, with a current focus on French and English specials, private-label products from Italy, and unique items like a black-lemon gouda that tastes like licorice. The store also does regular tastings:

The pastry department specializes in Italian pastries, including a number of private-label items imported from Italy, plus fruit-topped cakes, and the brand’s Epic Cookies which are baked daily and served warm:

House-made cannoli are piped to order:

Customers can also find savoury pastries, muffins and danishes in the bread section:

Jacked Up Coffee’s Liberty Village-based truck is now a fixture inside the market:

Here’s owner and operator Jack Provan:

This is a flat white, which can be made with oat milk for a bit extra:

The juice bar stocks fresh pressed juice and smoothie bowls:

The Burger Bar serves made-to-order sandwiches and custom burgers, including the Beyond Beef patty:

This will soon become a steak sandwich:

Pre-packaged heat-and-eat meals and salads can be found across from the Burger Bar:

The Just Heat & Eat counter lets guests customize their $6, $8 or $10 meal with one protein (plant-based, fish or meat) and two sides:

There are around 50 items at the pay-by-weight, self-serve salad bar:

The self-serve hot food bar is also priced by weight:

Diners can design their own pasta dish by choosing a noodle and sauce at the fresh pasta station:

Here’s the dine-in Community Zone space. Guests can place their order at the bar and have it brought to their table:

This mural was a collaboration between Longo’s and OCAD artist Jinke Wang and spans one wall of the dining area. The room is multi media–equipped and plays sports games on a large projection screen that drops in front of this wall:

At the Mozzarella Bar, fresh cheese is made on-site and sold by the ball or used on the pizzas or boards:

Here are some of those balls now:

There are a number of boards to choose from at the Mozzarella Bar, including this charcuterie and cheese platter:

And this antipasto and prosciutto platter:

Two pizza types of pizza are made here: Roman and Neapolitan.

Corks Beer and Wine serves local craft beers including ones from Amsterdam’s Adventure Series, brewed on-site using ingredients sourced from the store. The first brews will launch in early 2020. Guests can enjoy it with menu items like the Amsterdam Boneshaker short rib agnolotti from the pasta station:

Rob Mulvihill, Amsterdam’s director of business development and trade, is pictured here pouring a pint:

Pasta dishes can also be ordered at Corks Beer and Wine Bar:

And wine is available by the glass (thanks to an Enomatic system), flight or bottle, at Corks:

Customers can also order prosecco or sparkling wine cocktails, like mimosas:

The sushi bar serves made-to-order sushi and poke bowls, as well as warm bowls:

And the space is fully licensed, which means customers can drink and shop to their hearts’ content—at the same time: