O and B on board
One of the foodie highlights of last year’s fest, Oliver and Bonacini Group’s $5 bites at several of their locations in the core are sure to be a hit again this year. From 9 pm to 1 am, Luma (330 King West, at John, 647-288-4715) dishes up lobster rolls, while downstairs O & B Canteen (same address, 647-288-4710) is doing breakfast “butties” stuffed with maple-smoked back bacon, local cheddar and sunny-side-up eggs. The specialty of the house at O & B Café (33 Yonge, at Front, 647-260-2070) is pulled pork poutine.
Downtown destinations
Jump (18 Wellington West, at Yonge, 416-363-3400) in the atrium of the Commerce Court promises meatball subs dressed with grilled peppers and onions. Head to Biff’s (4 Front East, at Yonge, 416-860-0086) if you’re in the mood for pork rinds with spicy mayo, and the newly launched Bannock (401 Bay, at Queen West, 416-834-6996, all oliverbonacini.com) across from old City Hall for a slice of tourtière.
Havana Party
Out on the artsy Queen West strip, chef Corinna Mozo’s Delux (92 Ossington, at Humbert, 416-537-0134, deluxrestaurant.ca) whips up her signature grilled ‘n’ pressed Cubano sandwiches till 2 am. Piled with sliced cider-cured pork shoulder, Black Forest-style ham and gooey Gruyère, they’re a treat when paired with glasses of “milk” (aka White Russians) and baked-to-order chocolate chip cookies.
Porta-potty patios
Since all that coffee and Red Bull has to go somewhere, the Nuit Blanche team has set up several rest areas scattered across the core equipped with portable loos, picnic tables and food stalls. Here’s some of note.
At Yonge and Dundonald, the folks from Baker Street Bakery serve individually sized apple and strawberry-rhubarb pies. Down the street at Yonge and Grenville, find grilled Latin-accented chicken legs from Mis Amigos while further along at Yonge and Edward, Smoke’s Poutinerie, Tiny Tom Donuts and Vesta Lunch set up temporary shop.
And don’t miss your chance to check out the smoked brisket sandwiches, pork tongue tacos and Reuben sliders from Zane Caplansky’s new food truck at the corner of Bay and Albert next to City Hall.
Truck off
Slightly off the beaten – and eatin’ – path, the Distillery District hosts its third food truck meet of the season to coincide with the all-night arts fest. From 8 pm Saturday till 5 am Sunday morning, expect the likes of Korean barbecued chicken wings and Vietnamese chicken banh mi from El Gastrónomo Vagabundo, extravagant grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup from Gorilla Cheese, and piri-piri chicken sausage from the new Olliffe food truck.
Non-vehicular participants include such stellar kitchens as Beast, Marben, Whitby’s Buster Rhino’s BBQ and Kensington Market’s terrific Agave y Aguacate. Count on lineups.
Dusk till dawn
Back on the west side, Poutini’s House of Poutine (1112 Queen West, at Beaconsfield, 647-342-3732, poutini.com) dispenses freshly cut fries topped with boeuf bourguignon and squeaky cheese curds till 5 am. And though it’s always open 24/7, the Lakeview (1132 Dundas West, at Ossington, 416-850-8886, thelakeviewrestaurant.ca) salutes the night with a totally white Blanche brunch – egg white omelettes stuffed with grilled chicken, Jerusalem artichokes and cheese curds, sided with mashed potatoes, white gravy and napa cabbage slaw – till 7 am. Bonus: in homage to last August’s blackout, the entire restaurant will be lit by candles.