Toronto on Tap for CRAFT Beer Market

TORONTO– CRAFT Beer Market is building on its national success, announcing the opening of its first Toronto location. The premium casual restaurant, with its emphasis on fresh local food and a wide choice of craft beer, will open its doors on the corner of Adelaide and Yonge in early 2017.

"Toronto has always been on our radar. We already have some really good friends and partners here in the city so it feels like a natural fit for us," says PJ L’Heureux, President and Founder of CRAFT Beer Market. "There are great things happening with craft beer in Ontario and we look forward to being a part of the community and helping to grow the craft beer scene in Toronto."

CRAFT Beer Market opened its first Ontario restaurant in Ottawa last year, building on success in Western Canada where the company operates three locations in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.

"After years of limited choice when it comes to beer, Canadians are jumping at the chance to try new options," says L’Heureux. "That’s why we’re excited about bringing our concept to the country’s largest city. Torontonians are already embracing the craft beer culture and we think they will like what we have to offer."

Each CRAFT location has more than 100 beers on tap, giving customers options ranging from small neighbourhood breweries to well-established North American and European favourites. Vancouver, for example, boasts 140 taps – pouring everything from rare Imperial stouts to sour ales, alongside more traditional lagers and pilsners. CRAFT strives to have a minimum of 50% of their taps pouring Ontario beers.

"Today, more than ever, people want choice. We take time and care to build our menu, because it’s important to us to have a list of beers that is as diverse as our clientele," says Rob Swiderski, in-house beer expert and Certified Cicerone for CRAFT Beer Market. "We’ve got something for every beer enthusiast, from the adventurous that’s keen to try something out of their comfort zone, to the curious, who is looking for the most obscure brand or style they can find, to the traditionalist who wants a particular taste."

Beer is obviously important to CRAFT Beer Market but the restaurant’s food program is equally vital to the concept.

The restaurant is proud to offer a menu billed as "New North American Classic Cuisine".

"These are timeless comfort dishes and traditional pub favourites mixed with modern fare and innovative combinations," says L’Heureux. "We pride ourselves on making all of our dishes in house from scratch and work with local producers and farmers as much as possible to serve only the freshest and most sustainable ingredients available."

Great food and craft beer, presented in a beautifully designed room, is the formula that has achieved national success for CRAFT Beer Market. Each location features a central island bar with a vast array of taps and steel draft towers cascading from the ceiling. This design element has become part of the signature look for the restaurant.

While a similar look and feel is central to CRAFT Beer Market’s approach, each restaurant is different.

"We are very community focused," says L’Heureux. "We learn the unique attributes and needs of the community where we open our restaurants, and make sure we fit into that space. Most importantly, we strive to contribute positively as a business."

Venue Features

· Open architecture, high ceiling and casual vintage feel

· Open concept kitchen

· Private room and mezzanine level for special events and corporate functions

· Indoor seating capacity of 400

· 300 seat outdoor beer garden

· Located on the corner of Adelaide and Yonge in the Financial District

Beer Features

· Canada’s largest selection of draft beer with 160 beers on tap

· Beer operations are Bullfrog powered with 100% green electricity

· Central island bar with steel draft towers that connect the bar to the keg room

· Custom built, glass enclosed keg room that holds up to 300 kegs

· Twinned, thinner than average, draft lines to maintain the freshness of the beer

· State of the art draft system

Menu Features

· New North American Classic Cuisine

· Locally sourced produce and meats

· 100% Ocean Wise seafood program

· Gluten free, lactose free and vegetarian options

· Signature menu items like Fast Food Sushi and Beer Can Chicken

· All menu items handcrafted in house from scratch including bread, pastas, sauces and more

· Weekend brunch

· Family friendly dining experience with a Half Pints (kids) menu

· Extensive wine list and cocktail menu

· Kombucha, cold pressed coffee, soda and wine on tap

Community & Sustainability Initiatives

· More than 10,000 meals provided to at risk youth in local communities across Canada through the Mealshare program

· Largest LEAF Certified restaurant in Canada (Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Food Service)
· Team has volunteered more than 5,000 hours to the Home for Dinner program at Ronald McDonald House

· More than $200,000 donated to charity and community initiatives
· 60+ tonnes of waste diverted from landfills through Bullfrog Power program
· More than 2,000 shoes donated to kids in need through TOMS One for One program

Calgary-based CRAFT Beer Market opened the doors to its first location in Calgary’s Beltline district in 2011. They followed up with locations in False Creek, Vancouver and downtown Edmonton in 2013, and Ottawa’s Shops of Lansdowne in May 2016.