The Bristol Toronto
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The Bristol

The Bristol has invaded West Queen West , relocating and rebranding after its previous incarnation - the Bristol Yard - reached rockstar popularity that would see fans of big British breakfasts clamouring for a table during peak hours. Now inhabiting the former site of the Samuel J. Moore within The Great Hall , the new incarnation has more than triple the capacity.

Owners Davy Love and Nav Sangha have taken over the 93-seat dining room, warming it up with Victorian wallpaper, leather wingback armchairs and commemorative regalia. The room is more polished and less cluttered than the original; it's brighter, too, and less brooding. A week after opening, the pub has embraced World Cup in full force but pre-game, I spot Coronation Street playing silently - truthfully, this might have been a coincidence.

The Bristol Toronto

The brunch menu reads like a J. Peterman catalogue , where each entry is accompanied by a lengthy description or anecdote. Fans of the former Christie Pits location will find that nothing has changed. A sure-thing is The Glasgow ($13), a breakfast burger built with a thick sausage patty, a poached egg and smoked cheddar sandwiched between house-baked tatties (potato scones) and smothered with sausage gravy.

The Bristol Toronto

The Maradona ($15), essentially steak and eggs over South American-style torta, are doused in chimichurri and served with a pile of roughly chopped potatoes fried to a deep gold. Like all the dishes, it's an unapologetically brash dish accompanied by a generous side of home fries and a halved grilled tomato to offer some semblance of vegetable.

The Bristol Toronto

Brighton Toast ($12) is the house take on French toast, made of extra-thick sliced bread coated in vanilla egg wash and rolled in puffed rice cereal that makes for a crunchy, golden exterior once griddled. A dusting of confection sugar crystallizes each slab; douse some maple syrup on top for a sweet-tooth-satisfying dish.

The Bristol Toronto

Aside from brunch offered on weekends, the menu boasts savoury pies ($12.50-$14), pub favourites like fish & chips ($14) and bangers & mash ($12.50), as well as a newly introduced selection of British style curries ($15). From behind the bar, meanwhile, draught beers are the favourite. A dozen taps feature the whole line of brews from London brewery Fullers .

The Bristol Toronto

The Bristol is open daily from 11am to 3am. Currently, the kitchen is open 'til 11pm but a late night menu is soon to launch.

The Bristol Toronto

Photos by Jesse Milns


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