Loop Line Wine & Food is a bottle shop and restaurant that is a haven for wine lovers.
Currently run by general manager, Nicole Richie, and co-owner Charles Baker, the snug restaurant is the perfect spot to swing by for a bottle of wine or wind down with a glass while enjoying a snack. Originally, the plan was always to have a wine bar in the Annex neighbourhood, but due to the ever-changing, unpredictable nature of the pandemic, the concept began to shift.
“Our concept evolved into something loosely based on an Italian enoteca,” Baker says. “Somewhere you can go to have a bite and a drink and then take a bottle home. We wanted to bring a concept that exists in all corners of the world except Ontario to Ontario.”
A wine bar first, Loop Line Wine & Food carries a diverse collection of small grower and artisan wines from across the wine world.
“Our list definitely sways more classical in style, but we have something for everyone, we even have a couple options for the traditional drinker that’s flirting with the idea of natural wine,” explains Richie. From fantastic Ontario producers to small batch producers, Loop aims to present plenty of options to its guests, whether they’re staying for a glass or looking to bring a bottle home.
As far as food goes, chef Sheyla Thurler da Silva has created a tapas-style menu that infuses her Brazilian heritage into classic bistro snacks. Along with a rotating list of charcuterie and cheese, spreads and house-made pickles, the menu focuses on hearty yet snackable items that are great for sharing. “It’s comfort food with a little edge,” Richie says.
As bottle shops continue to open in scores across the city, Richie says Loop is gearing up for an exciting spring and summer season, with wine education, producer tastings and more.
“At our core we are a wine bar, but we’re also a wine hub for the community,” Richie says.
Guests come in looking to chat about the different bottles we carry and we are able to guide them into finding something they love as well as nurturing their curiosity about wine. Loop Line is a space that’s intimate enough to build a community around and that’s what we intend to do.”
Loop Line Wine & Food is located at 643 Dupont St. and is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.
