What to know
- Toronto’s Gala of Cocktails returned to Waterworks Food Hall on Oct. 23 as part of the Toronto Cocktail Festival.
- The event featured more than two dozen cocktail stations showcasing creative drinks from international bartenders and global brand ambassadors.
- Highlights included a Don Julio tequila cocktail with shiso and yuzu, Hakutsuru Sake’s Midnight Highball and a maple-and-raspberry espresso martini.
- Beyond the drinks, the gala brought cocktail enthusiasts together for an evening of music, mingling and seasonal flavours.
Cheers! Toronto’s Gala of Cocktails returned to the city this month, serving up delicious drinks, bites and a whole lot of good vibes.
The gala took place at Toronto’s Waterworks Food Hall on Oct. 23, rounding out a week of events as part of the Toronto Cocktail Festival, which ran from Oct. 18 to 25 and featured Cocktail Crawls and a cocktail-paired brunch.
This year’s Gala of Cocktails, the festival’s main event, featured more than two dozen cocktail stations where guests could sample drinks while chatting, mingling and listening to music.
The stations showcased creative, specially curated cocktails from international bartenders and global brand ambassadors, offering plenty of drinks for guests to discover throughout the night.
Among them was the Don Julio Margarita with Shiso and Yuzu.
“The whole idea behind it was to kind of lean into the bright, effervescent, citrusy kind of notes so you can bring in some tequila,” Simon Hooper, luxury portfolio ambassador for Breakthru Beverage Canada, told Now Toronto.
“It kind of just brings in these right kind of notes essentially… just super clean, super easy.”
Hakutsuru Sake was also on deck, serving up its Midnight Highball, another standout of the night. The cocktail featured Hakutsuru Junmai sake, fresh lime juice and Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur, topped with ginger beer.
Described as a drink for people looking for something tall, refreshing and “deeply autumnal,” the cocktail offered a seasonal twist on a refreshing classic.
“They are low alcohol, low ABV, but delicious. You’re not missing anything, and you can still enjoy the fun with all your friends,” bartender Marketa Austin said.
Austin described the drink as a spin on a berry mule, made for all the berry mule lovers out there.
Of course, no cocktail festival would be complete without the classics. Espresso martinis were also available en masse, including a version made with Ketel One Vodka, Canadian maple, coffee and raspberry.
The twist on the classic cocktail offered a touch of sweetness for festival-goers looking for something familiar with a little extra flavour. With its mix of ingredients, the drink was described as “bold, energizing and exciting.”
This was the second time the Gala of Cocktails took over Toronto, following its inaugural event in the city last year. And if this year’s turnout and atmosphere were any indication, guests already have plenty to look forward to when the festival returns next year.
Beyond the drinks, the festival has also earned a place among Toronto’s friendliest gatherings, with guests taking the time to greet strangers, share a laugh and enjoy a cocktail together.
With its mix of inventive drinks, lively music and welcoming atmosphere, the gala, along with the other events hosted throughout the festival, felt like a cocktail lover’s fairytale.
