Saint John’s Tavern has brightened the corner of John and Adelaide Streets in Toronto’s Entertainment District with elevated pub food and a much-needed hangout space for late night drinks with friends.
This is the latest of owner Brian James’ hospitality ventures, as he also successfully runs Piccolo, an Italian wine bar, and the intimate, contemporary cocktail bar Melrose on Adelaide––both just around the corner from the new British pub.
“When you discover it, you don’t feel like you’re in Toronto, and we want to be able to create that element of community through that and through our service,” Brian says about Melrose on Adelaide.
Brian wants to inject that very same spirit and intimacy into Saint John’s Tavern. “We want to connect with our guests a little bit differently than most people; a little bit more casually, and include people in our jokes,” he says. “I want people to feel welcome any single time that they walk in.”
On top of a vast beer, wine, and cocktail list, the British-inspired food menu has all of your favourite classics, including Bangers and Mash, Fish and Chips and the famous Scotch egg, each with an elevated twist. It was designed collaboratively by Brian and Chef Kyle Kadas, and was inspired by the meals they loved to eat growing up.
Brian admits he hadn’t previously thought of British food necessarily as a cuisine, and is happy to now be able to bring back his childhood favourites in a more rich and accessible way, using quality ingredients and crafting each dish from scratch.
Their menu also features a number of vegetarian and vegan dishes, such as their Forager’s Pie, made with lentils, carrots, corn and wild mushrooms, and topped with a delicately piped potato soufflé. Another option is the ‘Chish and Fips,’ in which beer battered oyster mushrooms replace your traditional haddock or halibut, and are paired with a vegan tartar sauce and chopped salad.
Alternatively for the meat-lover’s, their Roasted Bone Marrow, topped with English chimichurri is a must-try dish, and the French Onion Soup Dumpling is a crowd favourite, filled with braised beef and Vidalia onion soup, and topped with melted gruyere cheese.
The main floor of the pub is laid out around an oval bar that’s pierced through the middle by aged, red and brown, brick arches, and is illuminated by glowing lights in the golden hues of whiskey and scotch.
Although only one floor is open at the moment, two other floors with slightly different concepts are in the works, as well as a back and front patio that are slated to open with the arrival of warmer weather.
The second floor will likely focus more on cocktails specifically, while the third may be used as a private event space, however Brian’s intention is to cater to different guests depending on their mood or plans for the night, so roaming will be encouraged.
“One of my biggest things with this area––and I've said it since day one with Melrose, about four years ago––was to build a community. A space for people to come, especially industry people, and share a moment,” Brian says.
Although pandemic restrictions shut down restaurants, bars, and cafés across the board, with higher funding available more of the city’s corporate-run spots were able to survive the gruelling lockdown periods, while smaller businesses were forced to close their doors.
“We want to give the neighbourhood a little bit more of a kind of independent vibe for different people, and that's what we are. I'm just a regular person, and we wanted to build something with that more personal feel,” Brian says.
Swing by Saint John’s Tavern this weekend and onwards from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m., for a nightcap or a rich meal, located at 117 John Street.
