Bar Raval

Last updated
Bar Raval
BarRavalToronto.jpg
Restaurant information
EstablishedFebruary 13, 2015 (2015-02-13) [1]
Owner(s)Grant van Gameren
Food typeSpanish
Rating Bib Gourmand
(Michelin Guide)
Street address505 College Street
CityToronto, Ontario
CountryCanada
Seating capacity40 [2]
Website www.thisisbarraval.com

Bar Raval is a Spanish tapas restaurant and cocktail bar in the Little Italy neighbourhood of Toronto's West End.

Contents

The restaurant is owned by Toronto restauranteur Grant Van Gameren, [3] who is also the owner and former head chef of Toronto Michelin-starred restaurant Quetzal.

Design

Bar Raval is well known for its interior, designed by local Toronto-based architectural firm Partisans. [1] Van Gameren cited wanting the restaurant to be "as much an art piece as a restaurant." [2] The bar is built in Spanish Art Nouveau style, with wooden curved accents and South African mahogany woodwork wrapping above, around, and on the entire bar. [1] [4] [3]

The restaurant only offers a limited seating area, encouraging its patrons to instead stand or lean against the bar. [5] In the evenings, the restaurant is standing-room only. [2]

Food and drink

Bar Raval seeks to emulate a Barcelona-style tapas bar, offering a small food menu of Spanish bar snacks such as conservas (canned fish and seafood) and pintxos (food served on toothpicks). [3] [5]

The restaurant offers Spanish wines, as well as a large selection of sherry and vermouth. [6] The signature cocktail at the bar is the Tinto Fino, which consists of dry sherry and lime juice. [4]

Recognition

Canada's 50 Best Bars Ranking [7]
Bar Raval
YearRankChange
20181new
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20201Steady2.svg
2021No List
20228Decrease2.svg 7
20236Increase2.svg 2
202425Decrease2.svg 19

The business was named a Bib Gourmand restaurant by the Michelin Guide at Toronto's 2022 Michelin Guide ceremony, and retained this recognition in 2023 and 2024. [3] A Bib Gourmand recognition is awarded to restaurants who offer "exceptionally good food at moderate prices." Notable dishes Michelin cited in their review include Bar Raval's Boquerones en vinagre and shrimp a la planxa. [3]

Bar Raval was ranked #1 on Canada's 50 Best Bars inaugural list in 2018, and retained its spot at the top of the list in 2019 and 2020. [8] [4] It has remained on the list every year following, most recently ranking at #25 in the 2024 edition. [7]

It has also received global recognition, ranking #99 on the World's Best Bars list in 2020. [9]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Bozikovic, Alex (20 February 2015). "Bar Raval: A chef's ambitious new venture, built to last". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Nuttall-Smith, Chris (3 April 2015). "Bar Raval: Why can't going out for drinks and snacks always be this sublime?". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Bar Raval - Toronto". Michelin Guide. Michelin North America. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 "No. 1 - Bar Raval". Canada's 50 Best Bars - 2018. Canada's 100 Best. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Review: Bar Raval, Grant van Gameren's College Street tapas bar, is another standout". Toronto Life. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  6. ↑ Fernando, AJ. "Bar Raval: A big-time chef's ode to Barcelona". Bon Appetit. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  7. 1 2 "No. 25 - Bar Raval". Canada's 50 Best Bars - 2024. Canada's 100 Best. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  8. ↑ "Bar Raval's Dressed to Suppress". Canada's 100 Best Restaurants. Canada's 100 Best. July 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  9. ↑ Doradea, Karen (5 November 2020). "Canadian bar named one of the best in the world". Daily Hive Vancouver. Daily Hive. Retrieved 7 October 2024.

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