In Montreal, Buonanotte has been a nightlife staple for over 20 years. A shining example of bacchanalian fun, the swanky Italian joint is the kind of place where, come a certain hour, tabletop dancing is seen as de rigueur. The Toronto chapter, which opened earlier this year, is slightly more demure, though it has been bringing in ready-to-party crowds since day one.
Behind the bar, Manny Contreras (Ame) mixes up a creative list of cocktails, keeping the ladies in mind when conjuring them up. This beverage, known as the Malta ($13), blends simple syrup with lime and Bacardi rum, which Vides has infused with fresh mint, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Sprigs of fresh fennel liven up the tall drink.
Contreras certainly knows what he’s doing — after all, he got his start bartending in Mexico at the ripe age of 12.
Buonanotte, 19 Mercer St., 416-599-7246
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