You may be greeted by a cluster of plaid-clad, tatted-up hipsters upon entering the infamous Queen West hotspot, 416 Snack Bar, and you may have to wait a bit for your table, but don't let that hinder you. These skilled bartenders and servers are Toronto's service industry vets, with skill and Toronto counter-culture style to spare.
Plates of east coast oysters, a bottle of bubbly from the Beamsville Bench, a myriad of snacks with Toronto’s vast multicultural influence and matching sets of young beautiful Torontonians lining every industrial-grade concrete surface; these glimpses of a new, trendy Canadiana are what you’ll witness at 416 Snack Bar.
Owners Adrian Ravinsky and Dave Stewart met as wee ones in preschool, but it wasn’t until junior high that the two became the close friends they are today. At the age of 16, the two chums had their first industry jobs together at an Italian joint on St. Clair. It was there that they fought and clawed their way from busboys to bartenders. Dave and Adrian would end up going in separate directions, working for Toronto resto-bigwigs like Jamie Kennedy and Susur Lee.
But eventually, the two decided to venture out on their own to create the bar they’d always envisioned. After five years of squirreling away tips and a handy line of credit, 416 Snack Bar was opened on a shoe string budget.
Oysters
olives and vermut casa mariol
the eastern bloc
add a cold shot of vodka - $5
jerk grilled fish platter
foie torchon with toasts
add a glass of sauternes - $6
panisse provencale
eggplant sangwich double down
empanada
spicy tuna handroll
korean fried chicken
steak tartare
curtido salad
steamed bun: pork/fish/veg
reuben
all-canadian cheesebord
scotch and sweets
snack-a-roos
Think your friends might be familiar with this business? Ask your friends on Facebook to see what they think.
Perpetually busy and with cozy vibes for miles, this snack-happy Bathurst Street space serves up handheld victuals meant to be shared, like Korean fried chicken and steak tartare. Service is swift and sincere, so the wait between standing in line and face-stuffing time is kept to a much-obliged minimum.
View this Smart ListAh, the 416. This South Bathurst drinks and tapas bar has long delighted Torontonians cross-city with its cool-casual vibe and gourmet menu of compact plates designed for sharing and multiplicitous samplings. Whether it’s grilled pineapple salad or the Canadian-themed charcuterie board, you’re likely to encounter fusion dishes not seen elsewhere. All can be paired with traditional cocktails or inspired experimentations from the multi-talented bartenders.
View this Smart ListThis enduring Queen West bar may have started Toronto’s late-night finger food revolution. Open daily from 5 p.m. until 2 p.m., the trendy eatery specializes in boozy beverages, loud music and a distinctive menu of small plates that are designed to be ordered sporadically throughout the night. Try foie torchon with toasts, Korean fried chicken or steak tartare. The meat-heavy menu changes with the season so there’s always something new to snack on.
View this Smart List