A new Roncesvalles bar is giving diners the chance to try hundreds of wine and beer from around the world while experiencing one-of-a-kind pop-ups from local culinary creatives.
Bar Bossanova is the expansion of a popular bottle shop owned by beer steward Dan Grant and wine principal Ben Plisky-Somers. Opened during the pandemic lockdowns, Bossanova supplies the neighbourhood with hundreds of unique wines, beer and cider—many of which cannot be found in the LCBO — while also offering wine tasting, beer flights, and snack bites in the casual bar area.
But as businesses have opened up beyond the pandemic, the owners have noticed less of a demand for the grab ‘n’ go bottles and more demand for a larger bar space — and, thus, Bar Bossanova was born.
“A lot of people were coming in and enjoying drinks, whether it was tasting flights or glasses or a can of beer, and there were times when we had to stop people from coming in to shop because of our capacity,” says Grant. “There’s no other place to have a nicer glass of wine or good craft beer that you’re not going to find at the LCBO.”
Luckily, the regular shoppers don’t have to go far, as Bar Bossanova is located at 101 Roncesvalles Avenue, right next door to the bottle shop where a law firm operated for more than 50 years. Transformed to match the vibe of the bottle shop, the bar offers an intimate space encouraging of connection and free of televisions and loud music.
“I love sports bars, but we have great ones here, and that’s not what this neighbourhood was missing,” Grant says. “Bar Bossanova is just a place where people can come and converse and have a pleasant experience without a lot of distraction.”
With over 400 wines and craft beers, Bar Bossanova lets guests sample something new before grabbing a full bottle next door.
“It might be a big investment for people to buy a higher-level wine, but if they come into the bar, they can have a glass and decide if it’s something that is worth the bigger investment to them later on,” says Grant. “We see people who shop the racks, but they don’t want to spend $120 on a bottle of Barolo, but they might spend $25 on a glass.”
The wines and craft beer can be paired with a wide selection of affordable and approachable snack items, from finger foods to pâté spreads and conservas (canned seafood from Spain). There are also cheese spreads with rotating features from Thin Blue Line Cheese, a Roncesvalles specialty cheese shop. One week guests might find Spanish cheese on the board, while the next could see French or Canadian.
A long time vegan, Grant adds it was important for him to include plant-based cheeses on the menu, as well, to make the snack offerings just a bit more welcoming to all who visit the bar.
“I know how hard it is to sometimes go out to a place where you want a glass of wine but you don’t want the mussels and oysters,” he says.
Those who do prefer the seafood can drop by Bar Bossanova every second Sunday for oyster shucking and champagne pairings, led by neighbourhood local Mike Kash, former principal shucker at Rodney’s Oyster House and owner of the now-closed Smoked & Cracked.
“Not everyone wants a cheese plate every week, so we wanted to invite other people,” says Grant. “As much as it’s an opportunity to try different things, it’s also an opportunity for us to do something different in our space and welcome the neighbourhood.”
With the opening of the bar, Grant says the bottle shop will continue to offer the wide selection while leaning towards operating as “more of a market.”
“People can have a small glass of wine and wander around and browse the shelves while they’re sipping a drink and just have a little bit more of a relaxing space than just a retail store,” he says. “We want people to come in and feel relaxed and enjoy something while they’re shopping.”
