Suite 115 offers visually stunning, experiential and culinary-inspired drinks. And it’s hiding in plain sight in Little Italy.
Two years ago, Suite 115, a semi-hidden bar with precision cocktails in Toronto’s Little Italy neighbourhood, burst onto the city’s lively and dynamic scene—seemingly out of nowhere.
Nothing could be further from the truth. This escape room-themed cocktail den was, in fact, several years in the making. Long before Suite 115 was even a rough plan for owners Jacky Ha and Oliver Leung, fate brought these famously welcoming partners together at Suite 114, a bar above an escape room near the Eaton Centre. Open from 2017 to 2020, Suite 114 was known for its secret menus, riffs on sturdy classics like the Vieux Carré and occasional off-the-wall open-mic nights or magic shows.
It was Jacky Ha’s disappearing act, though, that left the biggest impression on Leung. One night, after he spilled an entire tray of glasses of red wine on a guest wearing a crisp white shirt, Ha went MIA. When he reappeared, reportedly only 10-ish minutes later, he was holding five white shirts of the exact style as the one that he’d “tie-dyed” with claret. Since Ha didn’t know the guest’s shirt size, he bought options.
“I knew that was the guy I wanted to work with,” says Leung, who also worked at Suite 114 before it was shuttered. “That’s what it means to be above and beyond. And the guests truly loved it.”
It would take a few years before the duo realized their dream but, in May 2024, the first guests punched the “secret” numbers (they’re in plain sight) into the keypad and entered a long, sparse room that offered an escape from conventional cocktails.
The drinks at Suite 115 tell engaging and coherent stories, many of which are culinary inspired. The Ash & Aura is designed to transport guests to a rodizio-style Brazilian churrascaria with a nod to one of its signature flavours: grilled, caramelized pineapple. Beyond the smoky, tropical sweetness, the cocktail is served with an oat-coconut crumble, meant to be nibbled in between sips to help nudge the drink over into Piña Colada territory. It works. Perfectly.
Like the Ash & Aura, most of the drinks are visually stunning, experiential and pay homage to cherished flavours from around the world. The Old Man is a sturdy and spirit-forward callback to Hong Kong’s silky-sweet milk tea; a liquid version of the Indonesian dessert, Dadar Guling, is served up with a small bright-green, palm sugar and coconut-filled pandan pancake. Most drinks, including Eleanor’s Reverie, come with a playful nibble, which makes the experience unique—and ideal for the social-media era of drinking.
A side of chocolate ganache shaped like a banana or a tiny taco is exactly what we need right now. It’s fun, and so are the bartenders who serve it up. Jacky Ha refers to the bar team as “professional clowns,” one of many indications that, despite the serious effort and intention behind every drink, the folks behind the bar don’t take themselves too seriously. The bar’s motto (“Stay Thirsty, Stay Humble”) clearly alludes to that core principle.
“SickKids [hospital] was literally right behind Suite 114,” says Leung. “So, it was easy to keep things in perspective, with people so close to us going to work every day to help kids get well.”
Although making drinks can be a serious business, this team steers clear of pretention. “We’re not saving lives here,” says Leung. “We’re putting things in tins. So, you know, relax.”
Suite 115 is located at 532 College Street, Toronto. suite115.ca, @suite115.to on Instagram.
