This month I finally made it back to one of my favorite spots in the city, 416 Snack Bar. Located just north of Queen on Bathurst St, this inconspicuous hole in the wall is one of the best hidden gems I’ve stumbled into this year.
I first went to 416 in February, on a freezing Tuesday evening for a friend’s birthday. Packed into the small, dimly lit bar, we perched on stools, scoping out people who looked like they might be leaving. Real estate in 416 is in high demand – you had best snag a seat as soon as you can, because another won’t be popping up anytime soon. The best way to drink at 416 is to ask your server for the bartender’s suggestions – we worked our way through quite a few! While I’m not a personal fan of the French martini, 416’s citrus and lychee inspired version was divine. So good in fact, I just had to have a second.
416 Snack Bar serves tapas-style small dishes, made to share or for one person. They change their menu periodically, moving with the chef’s new inspirations and the changing produce available. But no matter what changes they make, the dishes are each as mouthwatering as the next. If you, like my friends and I, weren’t sure where to start, I suggest ordering a serving of the ‘Smorgasbord’ – a selection of cheese and charcuterie, pates, and whatever else the chef was feeling that day. We found ourselves presented with a beautiful arrangement of fresh parma ham, duck pate with carrot and ginger, gorgeous Italian bread and a few other items whose names (possibly thanks to the cocktail refills – too good to say no to) escape me now.
On Tuesday evenings a live jazz band plays, adding to the already buzzing atmosphere.
