One of Toronto’s most beautiful bars is back in action, with Bar Isabel set to reopen today for takeout and patio dining.
Grant van Gameren’s beloved tapas destination had been temporarily closed since mid-March amid the pandemic but it’s now relaunching to offer “a pared-down menu with signature delights and of course a bevvy of outstanding bottles to enjoy on our patio cafe alongside our market shop offerings,” according to a post on the restaurant’s Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
Grant van Gameren has recently been pivoting many of his restaurant concepts to adapt to the new normal of COVID-era dining, including revamping Mexican restaurant Quetzal as a casual, wood-fire chicken joint.
Fortunately for fans of Bar Isabel, it looks like the Little Italy restaurant is returning in its previous form. The new patio menu features the kind of shareable Spanish snacks Bar Isabel has come to be known for, including pan con tomate, cured meat plates, and grilled octopus.
One new addition to the concept is Mercado Isabel, a market element featuring to-go goods to enjoy at home such as bread, cheese, and meat (much of which can also be ordered on the dine-in menu).
Bar Isabel’s reopening announcement post also outlines some of the health and safety precautions the restaurant will be implementing on its patio, which include providing hand sanitizer on every table and capping group sizes at six people.
Bar Isabel will be open from 2 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and until 10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The restaurant is not accepting reservations, so seating is first come first served.
