Brand new restaurant and bar just swung open its doors in Toronto
Published November 27, 2025 at 11:21 am
A new bar and lounge has just opened its doors for the very first time in Toronto, and the concept is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for its passionate owner.
Corduroy Lounge has just opened its doors, giving people in the east end a new place to go for laid back vibes, simple but thoughtful food and drink, and a calming atmosphere. The space has a stylish sense of design, decked out in a peaceful shade of mint green, with retro and personal touches bringing the whole bar together.
“Tomorrow, a lifelong dream of mine comes true. It was always my job as a kid to set the table at my granny’s house on a Sunday. It was around the age of 11 that I had asked her if she thought it was possible for someone like me to have my own business some day. We were working class. From a hard part of Glasgow. It didn’t seem like that was a path that was open to us, but she told me that if I had a dream and worked towards it that anything was possible. I took a job in a factory at the age of 17, fabricating parts for ships and oil rigs. It was freezing, backbreaking work,” reads a heartfelt post from the owner of Corduroy Lounge on social media.
“I bought a one way ticket to Australia at the age of 19 with £500 in my pocket and somehow managed to get a job collecting glasses in a pub that was run by a biker gang. For the first time in my life I felt alive. I loved the chaos of it all. With every job I took over the next 14 years, from Glassie and Dishwasher to F&B Manager and Wine Director in a 2 Michelin star restaurant, I progressed. I was 27 when I moved to Toronto, and was lucky enough to land jobs in some of the city’s best bars and restaurants. Learning from incredible operators who believed in me. After a 15 year career, I was ready to go it alone. Tomorrow, I open my own little spot in the East End.”
The menu nods to the owner’s Scottish roots, with dishes on the menu like haddock and chips as well as pie and mash with gravy, but other options veer away from that a little, like a gnocchi bolognese.
Corduroy Lounge is now open at 1012 Queen St. E.