New faux hotel and speakeasy opens to big crowds in Toronto

At the back of a chic but intimate bar, one with navy blue accents, a pink marble wall and a cozy sunken patio, you’ll find a narrow hallway snaking its way through a display case that looks like it was lifted out of 1920.

If you ask the right question and press the right button, you’ll find yourself getting ready to check into a ‘hotel’ owned by a flamboyant socialite dressed head to toe in sequins. Her concierge will take your bags and give you a key, but you won’t be going to bed anytime soon. 

Late last month, a long-standing cocktail bar, best known for its secret second space, swung open its doors to a brand-new concept and welcomed over 400 people over the course of a decadently bourbon-alternative-laced evening. 

“We had a lineup at our doors from the moment we opened until around 10:30 p.m., and the energy never let up,” Sanjay Singhal, the founder of the Toronto-based Forthspace Hospitality Group, told YourCityWithIN in an email.

Prior to the official unveiling of hotel à toi, a lively bar that offers the trimmings and mystique of a Parisian boutique hotel without rooms to rent, Singhal told YourCityWithIN that he was taking a leap of faith by reinventing Coffee Oysters Champagne, a restaurant that had long (in Toronto years, at least) occupied a small but notable storefront in the city’s King West neighbourhood.

While COC was a popular spot for anyone hankering for an espresso martini, the true draw was à toi, a secret speakeasy that guests couldn’t simply stumble upon. 

Despite the thematic rebrand and elegant facelift, à toi’s allure remains fully intact. Guests who wind their way through display cases filled with champagne bottles, crystal martini glasses, room keys, roses and pearl necklaces will find themselves in a much darker, larger and, on a good night, rowdier space anchored by a sprawling bar serving up modern and old-timey drinks.

Singhal says diners and revellers who loved the original COC and à toi will get to enjoy a revamped experience in a familiar spot, one that has doubled down on the drama and upped the ante on libations. 

“Our entire Lobby Bar menu is brand new. We took inspiration from some of the world’s most iconic hotel lobby bars, focusing on timeless classic cocktails, then gave each one the hotel à toi treatment,” Singhal says.  

“Every cocktail is paired with an edible component designed to enhance the drink and create a more immersive experience. The menu is all about elevating the ritual of enjoying a cocktail while staying true to the sense of hospitality and discovery that defines the space.” 

At the opening, cocktails were indeed the main event. Skilled bartenders in daring-ish bellhop attire (this is a place where men don’t shy away from deep V’s) expertly shook martini shakers with aplomb, turning the wait for a mixed drink into a show. Old Fashioneds, made with bourbon alternatives to honour the province’s restrictions on American booze, were filled with monster king ice cubes and set alight. 

When guests asked to see the gift shop, they were escorted into the old à toi space for more drinks (including a guided tequila tasting in another hidden room) and a glimpse through the two-way mirror into the lobby of the ‘hotel.’ 

While Singhal has always had a flair for the dramatic–his last project, the now-closed Runway 06, was an immersive restaurant that featured five airport-themed experiences under one roof–he previously told YourCityWithIN that in a town that’s notoriously tough on restaurateurs, you have to lean into experiences to truly wow your guests.

“We’ve lost the depth of the experience. There are a lot of secret doors; that’s not novel. But when you feel like you’ve gone somewhere, we did that better than anyone.” 

Hotel à toi is indeed immersive. Both the ‘lobby’ and speakeasy feel like the fictitious French establishment that, legend has it, was built by the Parisian husband of a Canadian woman in 1920. 

“There’s a giant Eiffel Tower on the patio that was custom-made in Europe, a reception desk, new seating; it feels exactly like a French boutique hotel,” Singhal says, adding that he hopes the cozy front becomes a destination on its own. 

“We have more seats now and can create more of a vibe, more of a loungy atmosphere. It’s an experiment. The basic concept was successful, but we had to tweak it.” 

Prior to the opening, Singhal said that his brand aims to reach 8/10 on food and drink, but 11/10 on experience. That, he says, is what brings old and new guests through the door. 

“On our busy nights, even [before], the experience people are looking for is the transition. They want to be in a rowdy place with drinks. If you come in on a Wednesday night for dinner, we’re going to blow your mind. People say it feels like London or New York City or Lisbon, like they’ve left the city of Toronto.” 

Since the grand opening, Singhal says the response has been glowing. 

“The response has been overwhelmingly positive from both new guests and longtime regulars. Guests have commented on how much more comfortable the new lounge-style seating is, making the Lobby Bar a place they want to settle into and spend time in,” he says. 

People have also responded well to the introduction of a little extra drama. 

“People have also embraced the storyline behind the concept – checking into a grand hotel lobby, exploring the boutique, and then discovering a hidden 1920s speakeasy tucked behind it. The darker colour palette in the Lobby Bar was intentionally designed to complement the existing speakeasy, and many guests have mentioned how naturally the two spaces now flow together. It feels like one cohesive experience, encouraging guests to linger in the lobby before continuing their journey into the back.”

With the Toronto International Film Festival just days away, Singhal, who says TIFF has always been a boon for area restaurants, is something hotel à toi is delighted to support as a restaurant partner. 

“We’ll be hosting several premiere parties on key festival nights, along with a limited-edition TIFF cocktail menu created in partnership with Breakthru Beverage. 

Singhal says the cocktails will be available in the speakeasy from September 10–19. The restaurant is also sponsoring the new TIFF Garden Gala at Roy Thomson Hall.

“As the evenings continue, we expect many filmmakers, industry professionals, media, and talent to make their way to hotel à toi after walking the red carpet. If you manage to grab a seat, there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself enjoying a cocktail alongside a few familiar faces,” he says.