When it comes to grabbing a drink in Toronto, atmosphere can be almost as important as a well-made craft cocktail. Thankfully, an exciting crop of bars has taken over the city to set the tone, offering reinvented classics and playful vibes. Here are three of the most unique bars to check out in Toronto this spring.

Offworld

At sci-fi-themed cocktail bar Offworld, you’ll find showy cocktails and screens that transport guests through a fictional solar system. Run by the same people behind self-appointed “nerd bar” Storm Crow Manor, Offworld leverages the team’s flair for creating theatrical dining and drinking experiences. While  creative cocktails are the showpiece of the bar program, general manager Tyler VanderWallen says the team also wants to cater to imbibers looking for a simple, well-made drink. “We have our nine fun, tongue-in-cheek, classic cocktails that we’ve sci-fi’d up, but we want to be able to have somebody sit down and order the best Manhattan they’re ever gonna have or their favourite tequila,” he says. 739 Queen St W.

BarChef

At BarChef, cutting-edge mixology is kicked into high gear à la immersive cocktails like the The Sailor’s Mojito. Pronounced acidity rounded with sweet vanilla it’s one of BarChef’s most popular cocktails and a great introduction to Modernist cocktails. Each masterpiece can take up to 15 minutes to create, so don’t expect zippy service. Whatever your inclination, you’ll leave barchef feeling noticeably hipper (not to mention more inebriated) than when you entered. 472 Queen St W.

Prequel & Co. Apothecary

Over at Prequel & Co. Apothecary owner Frankie Solarik has created an experience that recalls the art nouveau era of Paris. The decor features custom woodwork and authentic vintage apothecary bottles, and a “méthode classique” approach is used to build cocktails. Housed in a three-storey, red brick building that dates back more than 100 years, Solarik, who also owns the premium cocktail spot BarChef, says that Prequel & Co. draws inspiration from apothecaries of the Art Nouveau era of Paris, from 1890 to 1910. The cocktails are a nod to the ways in which ingredients and elixirs were prepared in the late 1800s, using fresh herbs, florals and liquors hand mixed in the moment. “Expect very defined flavours with amazing structural integrity,” Solarik says of the cocktails on offer. 1036 Queen St. W.