The lounge area

This new King West hotspot takes over the Brant House space and boasts specialty craft cocktails, home-cooked style classic comfort food and plenty of TVs for watching sports.

I was lucky to be invited for the opportunity to sample the new space, dishes and cocktails. The Brant House was already a hotspot before it closed so it’s good to see the space being used once again (and I still had a gift card to the Brant House… but, oh well!)

While the Brant House was more of a formal supper club followed by a nightclub scene, The Citizen differs by being less formal and offering more of a casual sports bar atmosphere supplemented with thoughtfully refined comfort food and drinks for locals to kick back and unwind. The venue takes influence from the 1930s with original wooden beams from the Gooderham and Worts distillery.

The seated dining area at the back

The seated dining area at the back

The Executive Chef at The Citizen is a young Amanda Walti, with credentials including chef de cuisine at Origin’s St. James location.

She aims to provide her own unique take on contemporary bar snacks such as these grilled cheese bites.

Grilled cheese bites topped with apple butter and a chip for appetizers

Grilled cheese bites topped with apple butter and a chip for appetizers

One of my favourites was this dish which included a thin and crispy deep fried kale in this warm butternut squash salad.

A warm butternut squash salad with crispy deep fried kale, and king oyster mushrooms. Loved this!

A warm butternut squash salad with crispy deep fried kale and king oyster mushrooms. Loved this!

And this slow braised pork belly on top of a bed of crusty smoked mac & cheese was comfort food to the next level. The pork belly was divine. Great job, Amanda!

Slow braised pork belly with fried and crusty smoked mac & cheese, pickled chili and BBQ demi

Slow braised pork belly with fried and crusty smoked mac & cheese, pickled chili and BBQ demi

With The Citizen joining good company with other hot spots in the near area such as Cibo Wine Bar, Valdez, Buca, Bloke & 4th, you can be sure King West will be bustling with action this summer in Toronto.

One of the first parties to be hosted at The Citizen was the World Mastercard Fashion Week after party for Mackage with photos by Spiro at It’s All Style to Me

The Citizen is Open from Tuesday to Friday 5pm to 2am and Sat: 6pm to 2am.
There is a happy hour for the after work crowd with “Thirst Quenching Specials” from Tuesday to Friday 5-7pm

Located at 522 King St with the entrance at Brant St
416.703.2800

For more info about The Citizen:
Website: TheCitizenTO.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thecitizento
Twitter: twitter.com/thecitizen_to

More photos here by Nick Lee

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Nick Lee

Editor and Photos at BestOfToronto.net