Peter Pantry is a cafe, bar and retail store for lovers of wine and those just looking for a cozy retreat on Queen West to grab a drink and bite to eat.

The intimate bottle shop is an extension of Peter Pan Bistro which first opened in Toronto back in 1936 and has since become a fixture of the neighbourhood.

Occupying the eastern storefront of the restaurant's heritage building, Peter Pantry is both a gateway into the world of international fine wine and a pit stop for quick tasty bites served up from the neighbouring kitchen. 

Inside Peter Pantry, Queen West's very own wine destination. 

"Queen West has become a lot more impersonal and less about the neighbourhood," said Georgette Donnely, Peter Pantry's resident sommelier.

"The shop is a great addition because it offers something different."

Peter Pantry sommelier Georgette Donnely (left) and assistant general manager Lucien Palleguery (right).

Whether it's wine, a reliable cookbook, or even a small gift for that friend who has everything, the shop will impress you with its curated selection - so much so that you might want to stick around for a bite. 

Along with cookbooks and wine, the shop also stocks a range of house-made preserves.

Anchoring the shop's front half,  a long bar lined with stools on both sides also invites you to sit and taste wines with a sommelier on-site for guidance. 

Sit next to shelves of wine you can also purchase at Peter Pantry.

Being connected to the Bistro next door, the shop is also able to offer a number of shareable dishes that turn tasting into a full dining experience and can be booked for private events.

The Bistro's second-floor patio can also be booked for private wine tastings. 

One of the favourites on the food menu is the four layer dip, a tried-and-tested crowd-pleaser from the Bistro composed of smoked trout, trout roe, avocado mousse, and crème fraîche, which goes for $22.

Peter Pantry's four layer dip, a favourite from the Bistro. 

Of course, you can't go wrong with a classic charcuterie plate, either, and this one is served with the Bistro's house-made preserves, which are also available for purchase at Peter Pantry. The meat-only assembly is priced at $32, while the addition of artisan cheese takes it up to $44.  

Charcuterie plates also feature house-made preserves. 

They even offer a coffee menu, a feature which Donnely says caters to the weekend foot traffic more than anything. Espressos start at $3.50.

The shop also serves espresso and tea from the front counter.

Born in the pandemic and armed with a temporary permit to sell wine while the Bistro was closed, the response from the neighbourhood convinced the owners of Peter Pan to turn Peter Pantry into its own entity. 

As an independent local business, the Queen West community has been very welcoming. 

With many sharing the sentiment that Queen West has lost its edge, something independent, unique, and —above all— local, was a breath of fresh air. 

View of Peter Pantry's charming storefront from Queen Street West. 

Now, with business mostly back to normal, Peter Pantry has become one of the go-to destinations for the local community, allowing the revered restaurant to have a wider impact — one glass of wine at a time.