Where Alebrijes chef Adam Ryan eats in Harbord Village

Before opening Alebrijes, his new Mexican spot in Harbord Village, chef Adam Ryan was already a regular in the neighbourhood. He’d worked on and off at Her Father’s Cider Bar since 2018, eventually becoming a partner in 2022. In recent years, though, Toronto’s apple-based alcohol boom has cooled, according to Ryan. “A lot of craft cideries have downsized or taken a step back, and general interest has declined,” he says.

Related: Where Proper chef Julien Cawagas eats breakfast, lunch and dinner in Roncesvalles

For Ryan, the shift created an opening to give the bar’s address a second life as an upscale Mexican restaurant. It’s not like he didn’t already have his hands full—he opened Azura, his Michelin-recognized tasting-menu restaurant on the Danforth, in 2024. But Ryan says the Mexican concept had been on his mind for years. “This is something that I wanted to do even before Azura opened,” he says. “We were just waiting for the right time.”

Named after the brightly coloured Mexican folk sculptures associated with imagination and transformation, Alebrijes pairs Mexican flavours with locally grown and sourced ingredients. Ryan and his team apply Azura’s seasonally driven philosophy, translating it into dishes that balance Mexican tradition with Ontario produce.

Ryan’s sourcing approach goes beyond local farms and purveyors. He regularly takes his team foraging just outside the city to collect ramps, fiddleheads, watercress and wild ginger. “I like the opportunity to serve ingredients that were picked that day or the day before,” he says. “We know exactly where it came from.” Ryan also collaborates with producers like GoodLot Farmstead Brewing Co. in Caledon, where his team helps harvest fresh hops each year for use in the kitchen.

Related: A trio of Alo alumni have opened a restaurant in the old Harbord Room space

When he isn’t cooking up a storm in one of his many kitchens (he also runs Aphrodite’s Taverna and Grateful Chicken in Chefs Hall) or out foraging in the woods, he can be found scouring the street for grub. Here’s where he grabs butter tarts, post-service slices of pizza and burgers in Harbord Village.

Harbord Bakery

115 Harbord St., harbordbakery.ca

“We used to buy all our brunch bread here. The cider bar was there for almost a decade, so we really built a relationship with this place over the years. I’d come in for lunch or a morning coffee, and I still do now that Alebrijes is open. The owner once told me it’s funny when people come in asking if they make sourdough, because they’ve been making it since 1945—long before it was trendy.”

Go-to dish #1: Quiche

“Quiche is something they do really well because they make such great pastry. They change it up, so there are always different kinds to try. The small one is perfect if I want to grab something for lunch while I’m working next door. It’s classic and filling, and they keep them warm.”

Go-to dish #2: Chili

“I love Tex-Mex flavours, which is part of why I opened Alebrijes. I used to ask my mom to make chili for my birthday every year when I was a kid. At home, you need to have the Crock-Pot going all day to make it, and I’m not home often enough for that, so it’s nice to have a place where I can just grab a bowl. This one is really flavourful and has a little bit of heat.”

Go-to dessert: A pecan butter tart

“It’s a Canadian classic. I’m not into raisins in butter tarts, but here they make plain and pecan versions. The filling is soft and gooey, which is how I like it. If it’s not making a mess while you eat it, it’s probably not that good.”

Cora Pizza

656 Spadina Ave., coraspizza.com

“I used to go to Papa Ceo’s almost every night after working at the cider bar. I’d grab a slice on my way home, and I’d always run into other industry people doing the same thing. Then one day it closed. Someone told me the same staff had moved next door to another pizza spot called Cora, so I went in and talked to the owner. He told me their lease at Papa Ceo’s was up, but the space next door was available, so they took it.

“According to the story, their new building owner had owned Cora, but she had to shut it down because Papa Ceo’s had put her out of business. So when the Papa Ceo’s guys moved in and put up their old sign, she wasn’t happy. They ended up putting the Cora sign back up. So now, if you order online, it says Papa Ceo’s, but the sign outside says Cora. It’s confusing, but it’s still Papa Ceo’s pizza.

“The photo wall came from the old place. They’d take a photo of you and ask you to write where you’re from. This one of me is from about 10 years ago.”

Go-to dish: A slice of pepperoni pizza

“This is a classic New York–style slice. I usually grab a side of their garlic dip too. You know it’s good when the oil starts coming through the paper bag before you even sit down.”

Harbord House

124 Harbord St., harbordhouse.ca

“It’s been here for at least 15 or 16 years. We used to do interviews and management meetings for Her Father’s Cider Bar here because they have a little private dining room. It’s a good place to go for dinner or after-work drinks. They’re also one of the few places in the neighbourhood that still does lunch.”

Go-to dish #1: The Harbord House burger

“The burgers are all made with certified Angus beef that’s ground in house, which is rare—neighbourhood places like this usually cook everything from frozen. The fries are hand-cut too.”

Go-to dish #2: Chicken wings (unfortunately, these were sold out during our visit)

“I appreciate places that serve blue cheese with their wings. I get the scotch bonnet sauce, which they also make in-house. Scotch bonnets are cool because, as far as hot peppers go, I think they have a unique flavour.”