What’s on the menu at Lisbon Hotel, a new all-day café and cocktail bar in Corktown
But it’s not Portuguese or a hotel
More New Restaurants
Name: Lisbon Hotel
Contact: 19 Lawren Harris Square, lisbonhotel.ca, @lisbon_hotel
Neighbourhood: Corktown
Owners: David Wex, Adam Hijazi (Terroni, Buca, Eataly) and Sally Gillespie (Short Turn, Bar Raval, Pretty Ugly)
Chef: Mason Sankey (Bar Raval, Sunnys Chinese)
Accessibility: Fully accessible
David Wex, one of the partners in the newly opened Lisbon Hotel—a café by day and cocktail bar by night, located at the base of a new Corktown condo—is not a restaurateur. But he wanted a business to service the River City condos, which, as owner of Urban Capital Developments, he had just built. Knowing little about the industry, Wex brought on friend and Lisbon Hotel co-owner Adam Hijazi, a hospitality veteran, to construct the concept for him.
Despite its name, Lisbon Hotel is not a hotel, but the space intentionally gives hotel-lobby vibes. It’s a light-filled, stylish, appropriately Instagrammable spot. But it’s also pragmatic: cleverly concealed electrical outlets allow guests to sip on coffee while they email the day away—and then unplug when it’s time for cocktails.
The food
To pair with the drinks, there’s a roster of bar snacks, like marinated mushrooms, olives, cheese, lupini beans and seasonal pickles. Slightly more substantial plates—anchovy toast, chorizo, marinated mushrooms—are composed of simple, high-quality ingredients. Many of the items share their plates with (or at least invite in for a little dip) the queen of culinary humility: bread.
The drinks
Espresso-based beverages during the day, higher-octane ones by night. Cocktail guru Sally Gillespie has cleverly concocted a card of craft cocktails that has something for everyone. For those who like their drinks super boozy and spirit forward, there’s the High Tides, made with bourbon, amaro, black sesame and palo santo. Others (while still boozy) are citrusy and surprising, like the Little Wing Highball, an east-west blend of Fino sherry, sake, absinthe, house cucumber cordial and lime.
The space
In proper hotel-lobby fashion, Lisbon Hotel feels at once offbeat, original and a little familiar, like home—or someone’s very nice home, at least. A warm yet modern panelled-oak and quartz bar is lined with vintage-inspired stools that rest on worn-in woven Moroccan carpets. Concrete beams play against a custom wood drop ceiling and a hilariously fancy communal table that looks like it was dragged out of Rosedale to be coffee-ringed and emailed upon.
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Name: Lisbon Hotel
Contact: 19 Lawren Harris Square, lisbonhotel.ca, @lisbon_hotel
Neighbourhood: Corktown
Owners: David Wex, Adam Hijazi (Terroni, Buca, Eataly) and Sally Gillespie (Short Turn, Bar Raval, Pretty Ugly)
Chef: Mason Sankey (Bar Raval, Sunnys Chinese)
Accessibility: Fully accessible
David Wex, one of the partners in the newly opened Lisbon Hotel—a café by day and cocktail bar by night, located at the base of a new Corktown condo—is not a restaurateur. But he wanted a business to service the River City condos, which, as owner of Urban Capital Developments, he had just built. Knowing little about the industry, Wex brought on friend and Lisbon Hotel co-owner Adam Hijazi, a hospitality veteran, to construct the concept for him.
[caption id="attachment_643102" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] From left: Wex, Hijazi, Gillespie and Sankey[/caption]
Related: What’s on the menu at Good Company, a new Queen West café and cocktail bar (that’s also a barbershop)
Despite its name, Lisbon Hotel is not a hotel, but the space intentionally gives hotel-lobby vibes. It’s a light-filled, stylish, appropriately Instagrammable spot. But it's also pragmatic: cleverly concealed electrical outlets allow guests to sip on coffee while they email the day away—and then unplug when it's time for cocktails.
The food
To pair with the drinks, there's a roster of bar snacks, like marinated mushrooms, olives, cheese, lupini beans and seasonal pickles. Slightly more substantial plates—anchovy toast, chorizo, marinated mushrooms—are composed of simple, high-quality ingredients. Many of the items share their plates with (or at least invite in for a little dip) the queen of culinary humility: bread.
[caption id="attachment_643092" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Some salty olives. $8[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_643091" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] A trio of fungi—crispy maitake, earthy king oyster and meaty portobello—are bathed in olive oil and roasted in the oven, then slow-poached in a pot of warm olive oil, sherry and árbol chilies. Once plated, the mushrooms are dressed with a drop of sherry vinegar, a sprinkling of Maldon salt, and some fried rosemary and sage. Blackbird sourdough and house garlic mayo make those mushrooms sing. $14[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_643094" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] For the ricotta and pear toast, crunchy Blackbird sourdough is brushed with garlic, then covered in fresh ricotta. On top of that, thin slices of port-poached pears are placed and then livened up with crispy prosciutto bits, tarragon, Maldon salt and a sweet-and-sour reduction of balsamic and poaching liquid. $13[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_643080" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] And for the anchovy toast, a compound herb butter flavoured with tarragon, chive and parsley is spread onto fat slices of Blackbird’s pullman loaf. Spanish white anchovies are gingerly placed on top and covered with crisp, mandoline-cut slices of Persian cucumber. The dish is finished with a sprinkling of Maldon salt and some lemon zest. $10[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_643083" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Warm chorizo sits atop a vibrant pool of olive oil, shallots, guindilla peppers and parsley. The smoky sausage is finished with a drizzle of honey. $12[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_643082" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] The dark chocolate and chili mousse is an unctuous blend of dark chocolate, eggs, cream and smoky árbol chilies to cut through the richness. It’s finished with crunchy crumbles of sponge toffee, more of that Maldon salt and Spanish olive oil. $8[/caption]
The drinks
Espresso-based beverages during the day, higher-octane ones by night. Cocktail guru Sally Gillespie has cleverly concocted a card of craft cocktails that has something for everyone. For those who like their drinks super boozy and spirit forward, there's the High Tides, made with bourbon, amaro, black sesame and palo santo. Others (while still boozy) are citrusy and surprising, like the Little Wing Highball, an east-west blend of Fino sherry, sake, absinthe, house cucumber cordial and lime.
[caption id="attachment_643084" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Aunt Spike is Gillespie’s take on a gin sour. It’s a shaken mix of gin, house-made peach aperitif, white port, Peychaud’s bitters and egg white. $15[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_643085" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Boy With Apple is a boozy, slow-sipping stirred cocktail made with a blend of scotch, Calvados and white port. The drink is finished with a spritz of cedar and a lemon peel garnish. $15[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_643086" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] The Friendly Reminder is a tropical cocktail built with a blend of rums, a glug of Amontillado sherry, house-made banana liqueur, toasted black sesame syrup and lime. $15[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_643089" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] The low-alcohol Little Wing Highball is effervescent and vegetal, constructed with Fino sherry, sake, slightly salty cucumber cordial and lime juice. A touch of the green fairy rounds it all out. $14[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_643087" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] The N/A Spritz is a bubbly zero-proof cocktail made with a non-alcoholic aperitivo, a house-made ginger-lemongrass syrup and soda. It’s finished with a hint of grapefruit and some fresh mint. $10[/caption]
The space
In proper hotel-lobby fashion, Lisbon Hotel feels at once offbeat, original and a little familiar, like home—or someone's very nice home, at least. A warm yet modern panelled-oak and quartz bar is lined with vintage-inspired stools that rest on worn-in woven Moroccan carpets. Concrete beams play against a custom wood drop ceiling and a hilariously fancy communal table that looks like it was dragged out of Rosedale to be coffee-ringed and emailed upon.
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