The Global Drinker — World Bar Guide
Bar Raton Laveur
Toronto, Canada
Search 'bar raton laveur' on Google Maps and you'll get a whole lot of nothing. But head south off the buzzy Ossington Strip along Argyle Street, hang a roger (Canadian for take a right) on Foxley, and you'll spot this inconspicuous wine bar. Named after the city's unofficial mascot, 'racoon bar' is the brainchild of long-time industry veterans. Barely bigger than a shoebox, its design evokes the sense of being inside a wine barrel, with a curved, vardo-like wooden ceiling. The space is warm, rustic and pared back, as though it's just getting started, or could just as easily pack up and disappear. No cocktails, no reservations, open just Thursday to Saturday, it runs like a travelling popup. Rotating wine lists include collaborations from Toronto producers such as Paradise Grapevine (who make their own low-intervention vinos on Toronto's Geary Avenue). Much like a racoon, it encourages you to linger, sipping on cool back vintages, salty whites or rare single plot reds from the oldest vines on a French estate. Don't skip the pie.
130 Foxley Place, Toronto, ON M6J 1N9 · $$
Awards & Rankings
- Roadbook 2026 — #7