The Global Drinker — World Bar Guide

Bar Pompette

Toronto, Canada

'Pompette' means tipsy in French – fitting for a French expat-owned cocktail bar that could easily sit in Paris's 11th arrondissement. Instead, Bar Pompette is in the heart of Toronto's Little Italy, where its joie de vivre and precise mixology have earned international attention. Yet, Pompette remains an unpretentious neighbourhood spot that's as inviting as its open French doors in the summertime. Cocktails are treated with chef-level discipline. Try the crisp Cornichon martini with dill pickle distillate, or the playfully coined 11am in Marseille, a signature sour with French pastis. What appears effortless and distinctly French is in fact the result of serious technical rigour: Beneath the worn wood floors and leather banquettes lies a futuristic basement lab of modern equipment, tinctures, and a meticulous ice programme that gives each drink its edge.

607 College Street, Toronto · $$

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