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]
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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