The Only
The Only Cafe is a one of a kind little pub in eastern Toronto, just steps from the Donlands subway station, right on the Danforth. A short walk from the restaurants and shops of Greektown, the Only is a place I get to at least once every few weeks - it sits almost halfway in between my place and the home of one of my best friends.
Like the Dora and McVeigh's the Only used to be the type of place where the air was blue with smoke. You'd open the door and it would billow out. Just the type of place where a smoke went hand in hand with a pint. You can still light up on the tiny patio but inside its nonsmoking all the way, like the rest of Toronto. (Interesting to note - you could not smoke in bars in Sudbury, my hometown, before the same law came into being in Toronto. Dublin also preceded T.O. in that respect. Interesting that Toronto, a bastion of politically correct foolishness, came after these two places when it came to this law, which is pretty well standard now, though not in England. As an ex-smoker who still enjoys one now and then, I don't really miss coming home reeking of smoke. I can see both sides of the argument and certainly like to have it both ways to be honest. I don't miss the stink but when I was in England this fall I lit up every chance I could get.)
Anyhow, walk into the Only and there are a few tables at the front. Then a long aisle. On the right a line of two person tables, each lit by an old lamp. On the left the long bar. At the back of the bar, more tables, including two of fair size. Bathrooms are downstairs, as at McCarthys, McVeighs and many Toronto bars and restaurants located in the older part of the city. Graffiti abounds.
A small TV over the bar that is visible at the back end. Saturday nights hockey will be on.
The main attraction - the beer. A great selection of bottled beer. Seventeen beers and ciders on tap. Guinness (decent pint) and Kronenberg 1664. Strongbow cider. The remainder - local and regional brews as well as other microbrews from around Canada - Steamwhistle, Mill Street's Tankhouse Ale and Amsterdam's Raspberry Wheat from Toronto. From Ontario the Niagara Brewery's Gritstone (a personal favourite), Black Oak's Pale Ale, Creemore and a Wellington. Also Grasshopper and Traditional Ales from Big Rock, an Alberta brewery. I would list the rest but damned if I can remember a one.
The walls are lined with photos and posters of everything and everyone. The crowd is relaxed - mellow and friendly. The staff too.
Check it out.
Labels: Toronto pubs
posted by Black Dog at 7:27 PM
6 Comments:
Great local spot - good beer and great "atmosphere" (that mysterious hard to define quality that all of the places you have featured so far seem to have!). I'd be here more often if I lived out this way.
Does England not have a law against smoking indoors? I was under the impression that a law came into effect last year across Britain. Or at least there was a fuss made over one.
Ireland went smokefree a year or so back but I was in London in October and you can still smoke in the pubs there.
This article explains it:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6196910.stm
Apparently the law was passed last February but it won't come into effect in England until July of this year.
Pretty sure they've gone entirely smoke-free by now, but for a few years there, Calgary banned smoking on patios yet allowed it indoors.
I always try to get out to the Ship & Anchor (my favourite pub in Canada, though it's gone a little downhill since the glory days (yeah yeah)) when I'm back West and the idiotic bylaw meant I had to either go into the bar for a puff, or step off the patio onto the sidewalk.
Bizarre.
smith - serious? that is beyond weird
I think I have actually been to the Ship and Anchor - one boozy night with a couple of cousins of mine a few years back
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