Despite his countless accolades, elite status in the cocktail world, and success with endeavours like Civil Liberties —  which was named one of the best bars in Canada — Nick Kennedy doesn’t take himself too seriously. When people sit in one of his spaces, he wants them to have a good time above all else. To guide their own experience, to create the memories they want to make. His latest concept, Civil Works, is an extension of those beliefs.
Housed on the second floor of Waterworks Food Hall, the space pays homage to the history of the space (which was originally a pipe building facility), passes out a menu brimming with hilarious innuendos and plays on words, fosters a sense of community and, of course, serves damn good drinks.
Because Kennedy is true to his passions, he installed Toronto’s only water system of its kind at Civil Works. This system not only uses the city’s tap water but also offers an adventurous experience, transforming it into a variety of flavours and compositions. Beyond just sparkling and flat, the system adjusts the mineral content of the water to create an array of distinctive tastes for guests to enjoy.
The space pays homage to the past and to the historic building using wooden-toned details, velvet seats and mirrored tables, but is still distinctly a Nick Kennedy experience — Electric Circus projected onto the walls, the drinks are served in wacky cups, and a neon sign tells you where to go.
Civil Works does collaborations like Civil Liberties does, and allows each of the dozens of restaurants inside Waterworks Food Hall to serve their late-night menus at the bar. Drinks, as we’ve come to expect from the team, are expertly crafted and unique, from a W.A.P.-tini made with rice-washed pear vodka to a Woolnough (a wine-based drink that pays homage to J.J. Woolnough, the building’s architect). There’s also Drom Taverna’s beet kavas for those who don’t want liquor, and a flurry of other options that, in typical Civil fashion, are just designed so the guests can have a good time.
Civil Works opens at 5 p.m. daily and is located inside Waterworks Food Hall at 50 Brant Street.
