With a focus on seasonal ingredients and fermentation techniques, Mother mixes up cocktails that are truly one-of-a-kind. As you might expect at a bar known for experimentation, Mother’s cocktail lineup changes regularly but you can anticipate drinks with intriguing ingredients such as lacto-fermented fruit and caramelised yogurt. If you’re not imbibing, opt for the housemade lemonade made with Ontario bee pollen, salted lavender, and seasonal kombucha.

With views of bustling Bloor Street and a glamourous indoor-outdoor dining area, Skylight is an inviting destination on the rooftop of W Hotel. The cocktail selection is dominated by vermouth- and amaro-based drinks, which make for easy sipping alongside a Mediterranean-inspired menu that includes raw bar items and shareable mezze plates laden with beet labneh and babaganoush.

Death & Taxes is a sought-after landing pad for a casual evening hangout. Torontonians roll up for everything from trivia nights to live DJ performances. The tap list offers a good mix of staples such as Guinness and local brews. Comfort foods abound on the inventive pub grub menu, which includes steamed bao buns with gochujang fried chicken and prawn tacos, among other snacky dishes. Bonus points for the heated garden patio, which makes an ideal perch for alfresco happy hour.

This handsome Four Seasons hotel bar features a menu curated by acclaimed chef Daniel Boulud and is a go-to for a swanky pre-dinner cocktail. With its sleek and minimalist design and floor-to-ceiling glass windows, d|bar is a popular spot for sharing a stunning charcuterie platter and a couple of cocktails (or a creative zero-proof option, such as the chai-spiced Apple Bottom Jeans) before heading upstairs for dinner at Boulud’s other showstopping Four Seasons venue, Café Boulud.

Whether it’s in the main floor dining room, second-floor snack bar, or rooftop patio, Baro is perpetually buzzing. The menu is just as action-packed, bursting with bold flavours influenced by a variety of Latin American cuisines—the OG duck chaufa, featuring crispy rice in a stone bowl topped with duck confit, is a must-order, as are the ceviches. There’s a lengthy list of tequilas, while cocktails channel beach vacation vibes with ingredients such as fresh lime, passion fruit, and coconut milk.

With a drinks program that pays homage to Spanish flavours, this King West charmer shuttles revellers to Barcelona, if only in spirit. Bar Chica’s solid wine list features a mix of traditional varietals and bottles that reflect Spain’s emerging winemakers and regions, along with an extensive sherry selection. Cocktails put a fresh spin on classics, with many featuring Iberian-inspired ingredients such as pepper-infused tequila.

Go for the low-intervention wines, but stay for executive chef Daniel Cancino’s Filipino-influenced fare, which takes the experience at this refined Rosedale bistro to the next level. Though booths are available, Mineral’s sexy oval bar makes a more pleasing perch. Take in the hand-painted murals as you sip on a Palawan Punch, a heady blend of clarified milk punch, peach sake, and shochu.

Paris Paris recently moved from Dundas West to a new home on the Ossington strip, but its stellar wine list remains the same. The restaurant’s latest setting is as bright and airy as its previous edition, complete with a beautiful skylight and light wood furniture. Snacky dishes such as East Coast oysters and charcuterie and cheese boards pair well with a thoughtful natural wine selection.

BarChef’s immersive approach to cocktail-making earned it pioneer status when it first opened in 2008, and the spot is still a standard-setter in Toronto’s mixology scene. The Queen West bar’s dark and candle-lit interior set the stage for an elaborate all-senses-on-deck experience. Cocktails might be served in a smoke-filled bell jar or presented on a platter surrounded by flowers.

Indie Alehouse was ahead of Toronto’s craft brewery pack when it opened in 2012. The polished Junction brewpub continues to scoop up wins at the World Beer Awards and Canadian Brewing Awards for its range of approachable and adventurous beers.