ne night, Kim Saunders, owner of Verveine, walked her dog along Queen Street East, which is her routine. She couldn't keep her eyes off one particularly dusty welfare pub languishing mid-block, a grim veneer with an even grimmer interior, a sad parade of regulars coming and going.

All that potential, wasting away. The next day at her restaurant she told Verveine partner, Michael Larmon, about her latest lounge fantasy, a mere olive tossing-distance from the mothership. As it turned out, a mutual friend owned the building.

The persistent duo eventually took over the neighbourhood bar, called, er, Neighbourhood Bar, and boarded it up for overhaul. As fast as you can say 'with a twist', the space was redesigned, polished and given back to the ‘hood as cute-as-a-button Barrio - neighbourhood in Spanish.

It didn't take long for east-end lounge denizens to notice the major face lift at Queen and Logan. Open barely three weeks with its urban-cool facelift, Barrio has already garnered it’s own stream of hip regulars - a motley group that include nearby residents, club kids and local dog walkers alike - throwing all previous drinkers into fits of confusion.

Wood grains and bleached tones cast a sexy mood about the room, and soulful lounge beats provide the Barrio soundtrack. But someone's set reasonable limits on the volume knob, controlling the subtle mood that Barrio is clearly angling for.

Four gold stars now shed light over the cocktail lounge’s shimmering new counter, beckoning patrons to the eight stools and stylish tables about the room. Behind the counter is a narrow bar now focused on supplying signature cocktails and glasses of Chardonnay, not a two-dollar beer in sight.

There’s another treasure behind the bar (besides the bar staff) abandoned by tenants past; a ‘40’s wooden Curtis refrigerator; an original ice box that, in its day, would have necessitated blocks of ice to keep things cool. Now polished, refurbished and electric, the unit is a hard-working beauty.

With a separate, tapas menu featuring Verveine staples in bite-sized portions, Barrio could be that little touch that Leslieville needed. The polished, DIY design and the lack of of-the-moment turntablists add to that neighbourhood – sorry, barrio - feeling.

Upshot: totally unpretentious and timidly sophisticated.
- Don Ellis, Martiniboys.com



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Reader Reviews

what the doctor ordered
G. Suvari, Toronto
September 12, 2003
I'm a bit biased, as you can see by my rating - I love this place! Just what the doctor ordered; great place for the neighbourhood. On Sundays they do a set menu that is superb... check iit out.


top notch
August 10, 2003
alex, Toronto
Four of us went visited Barrio on a Friday a couple of weeks ago. It's a perfect sister to Verveine. Pretty quiet around eight, busy by nine. We sat for four hours, drank several jugs of pretty good sangria (they don't have it on the menu), ate eight wonderful sharing dishes (Kristapsons smoked salmon, interesting cheeses, tenderloin), and chatted with the charming server. As with Verveine, anything served is top notch. The check was around $200. I'll be back this Friday.


My favourite new place
August 10, 2003
Kiste Lietus Toronto, ON
Barrio's one of my favourite new places to go for a drink or a quick meal, especially with friends. The atmosphere there is fun and friendly. Not to mention the huge Martinis that are absolutely delicious. Even though I've never been crazy about the area, I'd make sure to come back.