Bar Raval

"If Bar Raval was a person, it’d be a perfect 10. The newest place on College St. owned by national treasure Grant Van Gameren, this tapas bar not only has incredible eats but has the most incredible decor the city’s seen in years. The beautiful and hypnotizing woodwork that goes from ceiling to floor perfectly complements their many original cocktails and exquisite plates that wow the tastebuds. (We never talk about food this way, but you will once you've gone here.) Open for brunch, happy hour, straight through to last call. Always buzzing, a place to see and be seen. No reservations and mostly a standing bar with a few seats if you can steal them. Must eats: Octopus, Grilled Pork Belly, Stracciatella & Boquerones. Oh, and house-canned sardines. Need I say more?" - Sid Lee

"Are we in San Sebastian or Toronto? Open day and night since 2015, Grant van Gameren’s ode to Spain continues to be just the kind of place to get lost in and lose track of time. The cozy room is a vision, a stunning cocoon of curved, South African mahogany that wraps around every surface. The menu is equally small but offers a striking roster of conservas and pinxtos. Briny boquerones laid over stracciatella are a must, as are the plucky shrimp a la planxa coated in a riot of smoked paprika, cumin and garlic. Indeed, guests will graze and graze until they’ve run out of things to order. There’s plenty to drink here, too, with a host of talented bartenders ready to mix and pour sherries, highballs and smart cocktails." - Michelin Inspector

"Toronto's in-the-know food obsessives clamor for tables at Bar Raval, a warm and bustling joint known for its stellar tapas and pintxos. If the dining room feels like something out of Barcelona , owners Grant van Gameren and Robin Goodfellow has done their jobs; after all, they used Raval , a neighborhood in the Spanish city, as inspiration for the sexy vibe and colorful decor. Be prepared to order lots of stuff off the pinxtos menu and share it, from the house-smoked mussels with chili and fennel to the pancetta with rhubarb." - Todd Plummer

"Some details that make Bar Raval our favorite Spanish restaurant in town: the Gaudi-inspired wooden bar, great cocktails like the Magic City with rum, sherry, cinnamon, raspberry, lemon, and absinthe, and tapas that includes warm octopus and canned seafood. The menu is full of snacky drinking food that ranges from simple chips and olives, to (slightly) larger pintxos like a mushroom tower and jamon croquetas. It’s a nice spot for pre-dinner drinks, but if you end up staying for a whole meal, know that you’ll probably eat your whole meal standing up shoulder-to-shoulder with a stranger (who you’ll probably befriend). This is absolutely a good thing." - julia eskins

"Grant van Gameren’s ode to Spain is the kind of place to get lost in and lose track of time. The cozy room is a stunning cocoon of curved, South African mahogany that wraps around every surface. The menu is small but offers a striking roster of conservas and pinxtos. Briny boquerones laid over stracciatella are a must, as are the plucky shrimp a la planxa coated in a riot of smoked paprika, cumin, and garlic." - The MICHELIN Guide