The Best Wine Bars in Toronto

The best wine bars in Toronto not only offer some of the best selection of vino in the city, they also provide some of the best environments in which to sample them, great food, and helpful staff to decode even the most inscrutable lists. The only thing that’s ever missing at these places is the sound of a cork popping.

Here are the best wine bars in Toronto.

1 - Midfield Wine Bar & Tavern

This charming Dundas West nook is known for its mind-blowing wine list that includes all manner of reds, whites, sparkling, roses, ambers, sherries and dessert wines. They also have a Coravin program that allows sippers to sample glasses without removing a wine bottle’s cork.
9 - Chez Nous Wine Bar

This Riverside bar has the distinction of stocking only wines and spirits from Ontario, from makers such as Creekside, Nic Pearce, Dillon’s and Gooderham & Worts. They also serve little cheese and meat plates in this high-ceilinged space that used to pump out fried chicken as County General.
4 - Archive Wine Bar

This Dundas West joint serves not only European small plates but an impressive list of wines and spirits, many wines available in 3 oz. pours. They have a good selection of orange and rosé wines and also do flights, and also offer grappa, port, vermouth and other wine offshoots for the adventurous.
7 - SIP Wine Bar

Near Yonge and Eglinton, this place brings together two really obvious things: wine and pizza. This of course means they mostly serve Italian wines and nothing too off the beaten path, but the rustic decor and accessible choices here are surefire crowd pleasers.
3 - Brothers

This restaurant unexpectedly located above rumbling Bay station has a list of wines as quirky and ever-changing as their minimal, off-the-cuff food. You might find yourself sipping something biodynamic or organic, a sparkling red, a French Chablis or a Syrah from Sonoma. There are no rules here.
8 - Bricco Kitchen and Wine Bar

Over fifty wines are available by the bottle at this Junction spot with a constantly changing list that focuses on small production artisanal wines. When they’re gone, that’s typically it, but you’ll always find something new here. Lengthy menu descriptions refuse to leave you hanging.
5 - Skin + Bones

The drinks list at this Leslieville restaurant may start with cocktails and vermouth but that’s just because the wine list overturns so constantly that it’s always being updated. The seasonal program highlights over 20 Ontario wines, and they also offer guided wine tastings with their house sommelier.
2 - Grey Gardens

Though the wine bar menu at this Kensington Market restaurant is simple with red, white and sparkling by the glass or bottle, the way it describes the offerings is anything but: reds are “delicate, lifted, ethereal,” or “elegant, layered, complex” white whites are “creamy, barrel, rich,” and “herbal, spicy” with lots of options from France and Canada.
6 - Reds Wine Tavern

With locations in the Financial District and near Yonge and Gerrard, this wine bar may be more of a big chain restaurant than a cozy little haunt, but that means they can offer deals like half-price bubbles Tuesdays after 5. Wines aren’t super obscure but are grouped by country (US, Italy, Canada, Southern Hemisphere, Australia, Germany) they do have a good little selection of bin ends, as well as grappa, dessert wines and port.

by Amy Carlberg via blogTO