Who knew crumbly bricks could be so enticing?
Toronto’s Distillery District draws a lot of people. Last year, the Christmas Market alone brought in over half a million visitors. So, what’s the big deal? What is it about this place that attracts so much attention?
According to the Distillery District website, the developers “wanted to create a place that would excite and inspire the senses.” Well, they’ve outdone themselves: these brick streets are a hedonistic journey into the best bits of Distillery history and all the trappings of a life of leisure. Here, you can indulge your senses… and your tummy! And your shopping demon.
Cheers, Prost, Saluti, Santé!
Drink was what made this district, and it’s come full circle: the modern distillery and the collection of bars and restaurants that surround it are a big part of the neighbourhood’s personality. Can you visit without having a tipple? Maybe, but you’re missing the point.
Once, it was whisky, straight and simple. Gooderham and Worts’ dependable elixir. It survived through good times and bad (they cashed in on prohibition, making a big splash in the US market with the help of smugglers…then they were nailed for tax evasion). But *sigh* we lost the original spirit to Big Booze when the company was swallowed up by a UK conglomerate in the 1990s.
The Spirit of York is the distillery that sits here now; they’ve got big shoes to fill, but it looks like they’re up to the challenge. What they have in common with their predecessors: they go from grain to glass — the whole process happens right here. What’s different? The Spirit of York is intent on raising expectations.You should stop by and see what they’re up to.
Things have definitely changed, atmosphere-wise. Bartenders and restaurateurs embrace the “top-shelf” mentality in all its facets. You see it everywhere, from flights of trendy ales (cue Mill Street’s vanilla porter or their chocolate blossom) to bright and punchy brunch hangover cures. The colour, flavour, and gratification is matched only by the price. Who’s kidding who? There are few deals to be had here. Again, this is not the point.
You can whine about the mark-up or the paltry pours, but remember that this is no tavern square. The Distillery may look old and crumbly, but expect the creators within to set the bar ever higher. You want a hot cocoa? Too bad, Soma will serve you luscious Mayan drinking chocolate, and now there’s no going back. Time for a shopping break and a little glass of vino? Don’t take a seat at Cluny’s romantic marble bar unless you’re ready to up your wine game, because your trusty “sauv blanc” that’s gentle on the wallet won’t hold a candle to their carefully chosen Sancerre.
Remember that when you drink in the Distillery, your taste buds — and expectations — are on the line. But, oh, you certainly get what you pay for. Honestly, don’t let the price or elevated charm keep you away, because the experience is a memorable one that’s worth your pennies.
Remember that when you drink in the Distillery, your taste buds — and expectations — are on the line.
Indulge in the backdrop
The Distillery District is the oldest collection of Victorian buildings in North America, and the industrial vibe draws Torontonians like a magnet. This red brick backdrop is a green screen for photographers, especially when it comes to wedding pictures or the Christmas Market. The thing is, many ordinary visitors also fancy themselves photographers, so it’s a camera crossfire. Watch your back! You may wind up splattered all over Instagram.
Of course, there’s a reason these ol’ buildings get so much attention. Other neighbourhoods have remnants of past eras, but this cluster is as perfect and precise as a movie set. In fact, between the close of the original distillery in the 1990s and the completion of the restoration in 2003, the Distillery District was the largest film location outside of Hollywood. The movie Chicago was largely shot right in these streets, as was X-Men (it stood in for a neighbourhood in Poland circa 1940).
But the facades are just the beginning; duck inside for a thunderclap of creative expression. I’d call the Artscape complex a creative compound, given how the studios are physically and charismatically knit together. Somehow the colours, textures, histories, and statements of all the distinct artists and their individual pieces come together in one big, fluid exclamation: look into the mind of our city!
Then there are the shops that sell a portrait of a lifestyle instead of mere commodities. Go big, go all the way, or go home. This is John Fluevog, with their extravagant footwear fit for the super-confident. It’s also City of Angels, a “lifestyle store” housing glittery clothing and baubles that personify…LA? And for those who prefer finesse to flash, there’s the Italian outfitter Gentil Uomo catering to the well-heeled gents of the city.
These shops deserve a mention because of their lofty ambition: they aren’t out to accessorize your current style, they mean to transform it.
These shops deserve a mention because of their lofty ambition: they aren’t out to accessorize your current style, they mean to transform it. For the shopper, this takes commitment and courage (and money). I’m not in the market for a new lifestyle, but I applaud those who have the chutzpah to go all out.
Leaning in
This space has been revamped in a trendy, idyllic way, yet it still feels genuine. Summer evenings ripped from an Ikea catalogue and splashed with lake water. Winter days drawn from a Dickens novel and dangled against the grey backdrop of the Financial District. This isn’t a simple facelift but rather a careful reinvention, one that marries golden-age reflection with modern sensibility.
Leave no brick unturned, no drink unsipped, no art unseen. That could be the motto of our charming modern neighbourhood. We lean into the Distillery’s personality, trying to match our activity and demeanor to the history and potential. And the result? A sweet mingling of memories and immediate gratification, something to devour quickly and completely, and over and over.
