A wine bar blooms in Corktown

Dear reader,

For years, I’ve been watching the building at 498 King East. Abandoned since at least the mid-aughts, it once housed the Kingsbrae, a Corktown diner with a fun blue-and-white striped façade, its name spelled out in ketchup-red capital letters. My food-editor predecessor, Alex Baldinger, brought it to my attention—he, too, was taken with it. We’d have loved to restore it ourselves, but because of finances, life, etc., we were unable to do anything except dream of its possibilities and hope that whoever eventually took it over turned it back into a restaurant, updated it lovingly and—most importantly—kept that original signage up.

Our dreams have, at least in part, come true. The team behind Mira Mira, a much-loved Beaches diner, very smartly snapped up the space, turning it into the Rosebud, a wine bar with a menu that skews French. The inside is unrecognizable (which is a good thing because its previous aesthetic had an air of bowling-alley lounge), but they did a bang-up job of sympathetically revitalizing the exterior. The window bars and corded metal blinds have been replaced by lacy café curtains, and the sign remains, softened with a new brick-red-and-butter-yellow palette. I can’t wait to go.

Also in this week’s issue: a chef’s gastronomic tour of his favourite Scarborough spots and a look inside the home kitchen of chef Michael Hunter.

Amira Becarevic and Justin Cheung, the husband-and-wife team behind the excellent Beaches diner Mira Mira, have blessed Corktown with the Rosebud, an adorable wine bar with a Schitt’s Creek connection. Take a look at what’s on the menu.

When chef Dwight Smith isn’t filming recipe demos for his social media followers or catering private events, he likes to check out the food scene in Scarborough, where he grew up. Smith took us on a tour of his favourite spots for Jamaican patties, Cantonese chow mein and Michelin-approved smoked meat sandwiches.

If there’s a chef in this city who lives up to their name, it’s Antler’s Michael Hunter. Exhibit A: his garage freezer. (Content warning for any vegetarian or vegan readers: this edition of Kitchen Diaries is particularly meat heavy.)

In case you missed it, last week we unveiled our annual ranking of Toronto’s most influential people—50 smart, powerful and talented folks who are making an impact in this city and beyond. The list includes some of the city’s top restaurateurs, including Matty Matheson, who in the past year managed to open a top-notch steakhouse (supplied with produce from his own Fort Erie farm), start two product lines (clothing, barbecue sauce) and star in an Emmy-nominated series. See the whole list here.

In the latest issue: our annual ranking of the people whose courage, smarts and clout are changing our city—and the world—as we know it. Plus, the ultimate holiday gift guide, memories of 888 Dupont, a Q&A with prog-rock icon Geddy Lee, and more. Still not receiving Toronto Life at home? Subscribe today.