Dear reader,
Say what you will about the pandemic, it opened a lot of doors for alcohol: bars and restaurants can now sell beer, wine and ready-to-drink cocktails to go; independent bottle shops have popped up all over the city, stocking labels you can’t find at the LCBO; and this past summer, Toronto even allowed us to openly drink in (some) parks.
But the city wasn’t always so fast and loose when it came to booze. The concept of happy hour wasn’t introduced in Ontario, legally speaking, until 1982. Then, just two short years later, the province changed its mind, pulling the rug out from under barstools and banning the sale of discounted alcoholic beverages. It wasn’t until 2007 that Ontario once again passed legislation allowing bars and restaurants to offer drink specials—provided they didn’t call them “happy hour.” The concern was that the term would promote excessive consumption. “Social hour” was fine, though, as was saying the same thing in a different language: “cinq à sept” or “aperitivo hour,” for example. But, if anyone advertised using the words “happy” or “cheap,” pearl-clutching, teetotalling Victorian ghosts would materialize and start wagging their spectral fingers.
Finally, in 2019, not only was the restriction on the word “happy” removed, but bars, restaurants and even golf courses were allowed to start serving alcohol at 9 a.m. Thankfully these rules still apply, because the world is on fire and everything is ridiculously expensive, so we need to find joy in the little things, like a $10 negroni or a $15 pizza-and-beer combo. As I mentioned last week, I’m doing Dry January,* and because I’m a complete masochist, I’ve decided now is the time to put together a list of the city’s best happy hours. If you, too, are being aspirationally sober this month, consider it research for February.
*Ending on January 19, when I arrive in Sint Maarten and direct our airport taxi to the nearest beach bar.
Also in this week’s newsletter: a Florence-born olive oil expert takes us on a tour of his favourite Italian businesses in Vaughan. Plus, a look inside the home kitchen of Arbequina’s chef-owner Moeen Abuzaid.
For more of our food-and-drink coverage, visit torontolife.com or subscribe to our print edition.
