Canada’s top bar is just a welcoming neighbourhood joint at heart
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.
The journey began with Restaurant Pompette, which was opened in 2020 by French ex-pats Martine Bauer (the chef), Jonathan Bauer (the sommelier) and Hoerth (the barman). Togni joined as bartender and then helped open Bar Pompette in 2021. They later added a bakery, which prepares the fresh bread served at all three spaces. This trio of establishments has such a wonderful synergy, using ingredients that are local and seasonal with an element of surprise.
Bar Pompette’s cocktail menu is both simple yet full of sophistication. One of my absolute favourites is the Cornichon that’s been on the menu for a good minute. It’s a very drinkable variation on a classic gin Martini with a pickle distillate offering just the right amount of aromatics to make you want to re-visit again and again.
It’s made using the technique of rotary evaporation, creating a clear liquid that’s bursting with flavour. But most guests will probably never know the process that goes behind each cocktail.
The Nitro Colada on tap has a scrumptious texture thanks to its centrifuge-clarified pineapple juice and coconut oil-washed rum. Team Pompette wanted something “easy to read on the paper … making sure that the flavour that we like tell on the paper is the flavour that you get in the drinks.” Those “Porsche in the garage” vibes are really working for them.
Despite having advanced gadgets and techniques, the bar remains approachable, making it a beloved spot for both cocktail enthusiasts and neighbourhood folks. During the pandemic, the neighbourhood’s support was crucial, and the bar continues to thrive thanks to loyal locals who frequent the bar, restaurant and bakery.
“At the beginning, we were working like 90 per cent with the neighbourhood. It was really something new for just a few blocks around. They saved us during the pandemic and helped us when we opened the bar,” Togni says.
When asked about the training required for so much attention to detail, Hoerth and Togni point out that it’s about a six-month process to learn the ins and outs of the space, so they invest in their team, educate them on advanced techniques and allow for lots of experimentation. They also work closely with local farmers and seasonal purveyors to put out an ever-evolving menu. And Pompette’s team also frequents industry events to show support for their community.
In essence, Bar Pompette is more than just a bar. It has solidified itself as a neighbourhood institution that has significantly influenced Toronto’s cocktail landscape, as well as making noise globally. With a focus on authenticity, community, quality and seasonality, Pompette is that sort of quiet giant you would not want to miss.
“We wanted to have a good bar,” says Hoerth. “The best reaction is when people come here, have a couple of drinks, and say, ‘That’s some really good stuff you do here.’”
You can’t help but fall in love with everything Bar Pompette has to offer.
—by Evelyn Chick
