The top 5 tequila bars and restaurants in Toronto

Tequila bars in Toronto are where to get your reposados, anejos and blancos, often with a healthy selection of mezcal to top it all off. Truly appreciate their finer differences or just get the party started at these well-stocked watering holes. 

Here are my picks for the top tequila bars and restaurants in Toronto. 

Reposado

There are over a hundred tequilas to try at this Ossington haunt, including mixto tequilas and flavoured tequilas like Patron XO Cafe and pineapple-infused mezcal. You can also do tequila flights of three 3/4 oz samples that are either vertical (all the same brand) or horizontal (three different brands), all served with non-alcoholic sangrita and chocolate.

El Catrin

There are easily over 50 options each for mezcal and highland or lowland tequila at this Distillery District Mexican hub, subdivided into blanco, anejo and reposado categories, including a couple anejos priced in the $200 range. These are used to make a wide variety of mezcalteles and cocteles, and four varieties of 60 oz margarita pitchers.

Playa Cabana Hacienda

Select from over 50 blanco, reposado and anejo tequilas at this Dupont and Avenue Mexican bar for one of their classic build-your-own margaritas. Opt to add house triple sec, Grand Marnier, Cointreau or Louis Alexandre, and finish off with your choice of basil, fig or honey. 

Chula Taberna

Over 65 tequilas on the menu at this Leslieville Mexican hangout include not only blancos, anejos and reposados, but also a couple extra anejo choices. This is where to go if you’re looking to drink massive, clunky, colourful margaritas on multiple patios.

La Carnita

There may only be 16 tequilas on the menu at multiple locations of this mini-chain, but they’re well chosen, not at all boring, and for once not everything centres around baller bottles of Patron. Far less intimidating to a fledgling tequila enthusiast, each is described with a couple accurate notes like “fresh,” “cola,” “pepper,” “sultry.”