ALMA+GIL has been hosting an outdoor holiday food market on their Dupont Street patio, Thursday through Sunday this month. After a successful summer of various barbecue ventures and a food-focused Fall Fair, the team brings their favourite festive eats to the neighbourhood.
While running their holiday market at 1543 Dupont Street, ALMA+GIL is also still running their produce delivery service, a special Tamaliza Feast in honour of those who celebrate the holidays with tamales, they're offering their monthly feasts -- upcoming ones being a Holiday Feast delivered on the 23rd and 24th and New Year's Eve snacks or brunch delivered on the 31st, their monthly Pie Drop that's available for the 18th and 19th, their weekend brunch pop-up at Hot Black Coffee's Yonge Street location and even a new promotion: holiday Advent website deals where there's a different deal a day until the 25th. Plus, above all that, portions of proceeds from purchases from ALMA+GIL always go towards their weekly meal donations to community fridges.
At the market, the focus is on food. Though the space is small, they have it decked out with fun festive decor and upbeat holiday music, making it a great time with friends and family. In fact, if you're lucky, you could even snag a seat by the fire, but regardless, they've got plenty of blankets available on site to keep you warm.
Food options include a rotating option of chef Gerry Quintero's famous tamales, mash potatoes with gravy and their popular smash burgers -- including a veggie option, of course -- from their summer pop-up.
This is one drink you definitely don't want to miss out on if you're a hot chocolate fan. It's worth dropping by just for a serving of this decadent cup. Rich and creamy, topped with a giant torched homemade marshmallow, clinging to your lips with every sip, chef Mandy Sou says it's so thick you'll need a spoon to properly enjoy it. After all, it is made with three ounces of dark chocolate and whole milk, no water fillers here.
You'll also be able to order their kombucha here, which arguably started it all for them. In terms of hot drinks that aren't chocolate-related, they have apple cider and non-alcoholic mulled wine, available in larger bottles to take home too.
Pulling out the grill again from the warmer months, they're using it to keep their rice cakes toasty.
Taking a unique spin on the classic Mac and Cheese, theirs is topped with shredded cheese and a squash cheese sauce, crispy sourdough crumbs, and is made with rice cakes to give it that extra chew. You'll be addicted to the texture of the rice cakes under that generous layer of cheese.
Pozole Rojo-Stew is on the menu. A dish beloved by chef Quintero and his family, this chicken broth is warm and acidic thanks to fresh limes and made with pork, cabbage, radish and oregano, making it a hearty treat.
For dessert, find their house-made sticky toffee pudding. It's a date cake covered in toffee sauce with a side of cream. Eat it warm and buy two, so you don't leave with any regrets.
Speaking of leaving, before you go, you'll have to grab a tin of freshly baked cookies. Offering their third annual holiday cookie tin box filled with an assortment of cookies, they're also offering them individually this year. Find single varieties including snowball cookies, candy cane bark, mole brownie, matcha almond sesame that's accurately nicknamed christMAS and Mom's biscotti.
"Mom's biscotti is literally made by my mom," says Sou. "Because no one can make it as good as her."
It's not too late to warm up by the fire and catch ALMA+GIL's holiday market in action at 1543 Dupont Street. Open Thursday and Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m., they'll be closed from December 20 to 26 to prepare for their Holiday Feast deliveries, but will reopen again from December 29 to 31.
It's also not too late to look into ordering their Holiday Feast, which is available for solo diners, or two to four people. Delivery for these is the 23rd and 24th, with meat, vegetarian or pescatarian options.
Be sure to stay up to date with all of ALMA+GIL's fun food plans by following them on Instagram. You'll want to turn your post notifications on for them in the New Year to find out when they finally open for takeout, five days a week, to serve the neighbourhood with groceries, power bowls, baked goods and even brunch on a consistent basis.
