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Drinks Food & Drink

Where to drink right now: Go on Furlough

Furlough 924 Queen West, 647-348-2525, furloughtoronto.com, @FurloughToronto


You’d think that when Barchef, with its devotion to contemporary cocktails, set up in the former Ursa, known for its focus on local, avant-garde cuisine, the result would be hyper-modern. 

Nope. Furlough is just the opposite, dishing classic cocktails and hearty but elevated bistro fare. 

The brand new bar and bistro from Frankie Solarik and Brent VanderVeen is dim, polished and cozy, the sophisticated man cave of an affluent uncle. 

Lacquered tabletops with bistro seats, a gallery wall of old paintings and vintage photos, tin ceilings and a fully loaded bar built from heavy wood all beckon in the glow of dozens of candles. 

The cocktail list, divided into classic and house recipes, highlights traditional drinks like the Last Word (gin, lime, Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, $14), the Brandy Crusta (brandy, orange curaçao, lemon juice and Angostura bitters with a sugared rim, $14) and the Toronto (rye, fernet, simple syrup, $14). 

Signature drinks range from the Manhattan-esque Furlough cocktail (Backwoods-infused bourbon, sweet vermouth, patchouli syrup, cacao bitters and cigar essence, $14) to a tasty house riff on the Negroni, the Lee-Metford Mark II (gin, Campari, Akvavit, maple bitters and rosewater garnished with cucumber, salt and pink peppercorns, $16).

There’s a brief wine list and obligatory craft beer selection if you’d prefer to sip something less spiritous with your foie and caramelized apples on pain au lait ($17). 

Quietly opened two weeks ago, Furlough brings something that feels familiar but previously didn’t exist to a neighbourhood we thought had it all.

Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 6 pm till late. Closed Mondays. Weekend brunch is in the works.

Access: two steps at the door, washrooms downstairs.

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