With the popularity of Squid Game and KPop Demon Hunters and the rise of K-beauty and continued success of BTS, the hospitality team behind some of Toronto’s most popular Japanese-inspired spots is leaning into the Korean wave by returning to its own roots.
What was once a laundromat in Little Portugal is now Gyopo Makgeolli Brewery, a nostalgic hangout serving Korean-inspired dishes alongside house-brewed makgeolli poured fresh on tap.
“We always feel that in Toronto, the Korean culinary scene is behind a couple steps compared to some other cities.” says co-owner Hansang Lee.
Hansang Lee and his brother Juwon are no strangers to Toronto’s dining scene. The duo are behind popular Japanese spots Gonzo Izakaya and Kensei Bar, and now, alongside partners Hyunchan Jo and Dohyon Lee, they’re turning the spotlight to their own Korean heritage.
“It’s the best timing because the whole city is packed with Korean things like drama and other culture and food,” says Hansang. “Compared to five years ago, Korean is not minor anymore and we felt this is really the best timing to get in the market to introduce more Korean food.”
Korea’s oldest alcoholic beverage, makgeolli is a fermented rice wine. Though made from similar ingredients as soju, makgeolli is sweeter with a milkier texture and refined through “beer-inspired brewing methods.” Makgeolli is often different in regions across Korea, and similarly the team at Gyopo want to make theirs unique.
“We thought if we bring our own house-made makgeolli, we can add our characteristics and our spirit into our drinks,” says Hansang. “This is a very traditional way and then we wanted to add something modern and a young vibe, so we decided to serve it on tap like draft beer.”
Drinks are poured from a stainless-steel bar designed to resemble a South Korean street-food tent known as a pojangmacha, or pocha. To complete the atmosphere, the space features graffiti-covered walls and decor sourced directly from Korea, giving it the feel of a back-alley hangout in Seoul. The open kitchen makes for an inviting space built around conversation and comfort.
“We try to set it up so the chefs are facing guests seated at the kitchen counter, allowing them to see exactly how we cook,” he says.
As for the menu, Gyopo’s intention was always to add some Toronto influence to Korean cuisine, with a focus on the traditional fermented seasonings of doen-jang (soybean paste), gan-jang (soy sauce), and gochu-jang (chili paste).
A menu highlight in the weeks since Gyopo has opened has been a creamy acorn noodle, made with a Korean seaweed puree, gan-jang and toasted cashew. The menu’s barbeque section features short rib, chicken thigh, and pork back, among others.
“We wanted to keep the structure of Korean food, but with a little bit of a twist with some Toronto’s diversity,” he says. “We have Vietnamese points in our dishes. We have some Japanese points, some Chinese points, but we don’t break the structure of Korean dishes.”
Gyopo Makgeolli Brewery is open at 1456 Dundas Street West.
