Where the one-of-a-kind, vibrant Cold Tea bar’s closure left a hole in Queen West last year, a new dual-concept destination will soon be opening its door. A European-inspired café by day and lively Tex Mex cocktail bar by night, Cafe Gigi and The Dirty Laundry are coming to 1186 Queen Street West this month with the goal of getting people out and on the town.
“Both concepts are rooted in the belief that we’re bringing affordability back to going out,” says partner Aldo Pescatore. “We understand that spending habits are different, the cost of living is different, and the cost of goods is different. But we think we can achieve a place where people can come multiple times a week, whether that be just for a drink, dinner, or a whole night out.”
With a background in operations for iconic local venues like La Carnita and Sweet Jesus, Pescatore has partnered with Robin Goodfellow of Bar Raval and Prettyugly fame. Together, they each bring 20 years of industry experience to the new project.
Just like the other venues on his resume, Goodfellow says Cafe Gigi — named for his daughter — will similarly “blur the lines.” In the expansive industrial space which will boast a summer patio, guests can sip a coffee before work, bring their kids in for a breakfast pastry, or have a spritz with a sandwich for lunch.
Then, they can return in the evening when The Dirty Laundry takes over, serving up cocktails and Tex Mex bites while screening the Leafs game and the World Cup. On the weekend, the music is turned up and the party takes over.
But don’t be fooled by Pescatore’s La Carnita connection — there will be no tacos on this menu. Think enchiladas and nachos, and a heavy focus on being as gluten-free as possible.
As for drinks, Goodfellow says we can expect affordable, suggesting the trend of rising cocktail prices does not help bring customers into bars at a time when people are tending to stay home.
“A lot of people who are in the age group to go out now really have never been given a reason to go out,” he says. “They were 18 years old when the pandemic hit, now they’re 24 and everything has been outside of their price range and not fun because there’s no volume of people with the rise in prices.”
He says The Dirty Laundry is prepared to adapt with this “new world” by pushing for an efficient bar. Affordable cocktails come out quickly, as seen at the high-volume cocktail bars in the U.S. and London where guests dance with their drink in hand.
The owners suggest Cafe Gigi and The Dirty Laundry give a nod to iconic establishments like San Francisco’s Trick Dog and Toronto’s own Sneaky Dee’s, while the latter’s name pays homage to California’s fine dining restaurant The French Laundry.
“Thomas Keller (the owner and chef of The French Laundry) has an amazing outlook on hospitality,” says Pescatore. “I understand that it’s an expensive place to go and we’re not going to be an expensive place to go, but I think some of our philosophies are the same —you can experience quality in a cozy format and in an approachable format.”
“The Dirty Landry is basically what if a dive bar had the same philosophy as a fine dining restaurant and I think our service and prices will reflect that,” adds Goodfellow. “A dry negroni doesn’t need to be 20 bucks because our bartenders are well-trained. In fact, I believe the opposite. I think we can make it fast and sell it for 13 bucks and pack the place and give people a reason to come out again.”
Though The Dirty Laundry will be a one-of-a-kind venue like the one that filled the space before, Pescatore and Goodfellow say the goal is to make a brand of Cafe Gigi and introduce more locations to Toronto and beyond.
“I think the city needs a place that’s a neighbourhood bar, good for locals, good for the industry, but that might draw international attention because of our creativity and the staff’s skills,” says Goodfellow. “I think this is something that could be really good to help heal this post-pandemic hangover in the city.”
