Name: Abrielle
Contact: 355 King St. W., abrielle.ca, @abrielleto
Neighbourhood: King West
Owners: Ascari Hospitality Group and Northland Properties
Chefs: Chef Olivier Le Calvez (Casa Madera, El Catrin) and chef de cuisine Andrés Felipe Jaramillo (Alo, Alder)
Accessibility: Fully accessible
Housed in the historic Westinghouse building at the corner of King West and Blue Jays Way, Abrielle is part of the newly opened Sutton Place Hotel, which closed its Bay and Wellesley location in 2012. Abrielle serves as a destination for the hotel’s guests, of course, but managing partner Rahil Hoque would like it to function as an all-day hub for anyone, be they hotel guests or not: “You can stop in for a coffee in the morning, take out your laptop, have your scrambled eggs, meet a friend, maybe read a book, then come back later for happy hour or come back again at night for a DJ playing coastal Mediterranean house music.”
The menu stays true to the Riviera experience, which means it highlights dishes from the south of France and Italy with a bit of influence from Spain and Greece thrown in here and there. “I’ve never used this much olive oil in my life,” says chef Le Calvez.
And “hotel breakfast” takes on a whole new meaning at Abrielle. Rather than the typical beige breakfast foods—pancakes, waffles, toast, cereal—the menu is full of colourful, elevated versions of classic morning meals, like a bacon-y croissant sandwich sided with a pretty-in-pink salad.
A short list of floral and fruity signature cocktails as well as a by-the-bottle list of coastal wines. Fun fact: all of the wines available by the glass are made by female winemakers or come from woman-owned wineries.
Just like the food, the space is meant to be elevated but approachable to everyone—whether they’re hotel guests seeking a luxury experience or baseball fans hungry for pre- or post-game snacks.
Toronto’s DesignAgency created three distinctive spaces within the main floor restaurant, each with their own energy. The sun-soaked room is perfect for Sunday brunch or getting some work done with a latte. The more formal dining area features floor-to-ceiling smoked-glass mirrors, a big marble bar, and lots of wood and leather. The third area sits right in front of the open kitchen and can be used as a private dining room for up to 40 guests.
Another private dining room on the second floor can seat 25 people, and a separate ballroom venue can entertain parties of up to 150 people. Coming next year: a rooftop patio seven storeys up.
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