Until recently, every night after 10 p.m., the bar at the Old Spaghetti Factory sat empty.
The Italian-American restaurant, known for serving up heaping family-style portions of classic dishes like spaghetti pomodoro and fettuccine alfredo, does well as an eatery, but with such a beautiful venue, Graham Hnatiw, Director of Operations, Esplanade Restaurants, realized it wasn’t anywhere close to achieving its highest potential.
“About ten years ago, we realized that the Old Spaghetti Factory wasn’t a fun place for people to go drinking,” Hnatiw, who owns OSF as well as nextdoor pub, The Scotland Yard, says. “If we wanted people to enjoy the space afterwards, we had a branding issue.”
With that, Hnatiw got to work, hiring an experienced operations team who understood Hnatiw’s vision for the space, wiring it with high-quality sound and stage lighting, and thus, Bar Cathedral was born.
An intimate, private room located inside The Old Spaghetti Factory that fits just 100 people, Bar Cathedral is a hybrid space that functions as a live music venue and also a bar.
“During the pandemic, we had a lot of time to reflect on how to improve the existing space, and we really wanted to make sure we were music-centred this time around,” Hnatiw says. “A number of live venues closed during the pandemic, and we hear what the public is saying: they miss live music. Now, there are fewer options, so there will be a revenge consumption of these products.”
When the Old Spaghetti Factory shuts its doors at 10 p.m., Bar Cathedral comes to life, accessible via its own entrance on The Esplanade. While you might not be able to chow down on a plate of spaghetti and meatballs, instead, pull up a stool, enjoy a pint or a cocktail, and choose from a late-night menu supplied from The Scotland Yard that features late-night favourites like nachos, fries and onion rings, chicken wings, and more.
Bar Cathedral is currently programming live music every night of the week, with Mondays reserved for open-mic events, and Sunday evenings hosting stand-up comedy acts. Moving forward, though Bar Cathedral is a lively after-hours spot for a drink, Hnatiw says that the venue aims to be 100 per cent focused on supporting local artists as it goes forward, and currently provides all artists who play there with high-quality recordings and photography that artists can use in turn to promote their upcoming shows or acts.
“We do not exist without artists and artists do not exist without venues; it’s a symbiotic relationship,” Hnatiw says.
Bar Cathedral is located at 54 The Esplanade and is open every day from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m.
