Insights from inside

A very personal look at what it takes to open a successful bar

The room is designed to be bright, cheerful and very personal. Jessica Blaine Smith photos

Opening a bar in Toronto, where every corner of the city seems to be filled with vibrant and eclectic spots, can be as challenging, intimidating and thrilling. It poses even more challenges when you are a self-funded solo entrepreneur, especially when you are known not for your business acumen, your operational skills or your taste in food and wine, but for something as specific as cocktails. In a city celebrated for its diverse culinary and drinkscape, making a mark requires more than just good food and drinks. It demands a vision.

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Getting tipsy with Bar Pompette

Canada’s top bar is just a welcoming neighbourhood joint at heart

Canada’s No. 1 bar, Pompette has the welcoming vibe of a casual French bistro, but serious technique and skill go into every cocktail. Instagram/barpompette_to photo

Recently named the country’s No.1 bar by Canada’s 100 Best and listed among North America’s 50 Best Bars, Bar Pompette is one of Toronto’s favourite gems. Pompette is inviting and unpretentious, a bar that feels both cozy and elegant. Step inside and it feels like a French café, its minimalist setting featuring a gorgeous marble bar and a romantic patio in the back. And the name “Pompette” in itself, meaning “slightly tipsy,” reflects the bar’s fun, playful personality.

I spoke with co-founders Maxime Hoerth and Hugo Togni, both from France and with high-end hotel and restaurant backgrounds, about their passion for the industry, their move from France and what it took to establish such a presence in Toronto.

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Another round at Cocktail Bar

This Toronto institution enters an exciting new chapter with bar manager Juliana Wolkowski

Juliana Wolkowski is bringing visionary leadership to Toronto fan favourite Cocktail Bar. Erin Leydon photo

In the heart of Toronto’s vibrant cocktail scene, where new bars are constantly coming up with all sorts of innovative ways to bring entertaining, theatrical serves to life, there’s one place that stands out as a true, classic gem: Cocktail Bar.

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