Awesome drinks, chill vibe, friendly bar, cozy spot great for dates and the bartender really knows what he is doing! With a visit!

I came here the other day for drinks with a girl friend and couldn't *believe* I hadn't written about it yet! For all my years in Toronto, Northern Belle has been a little lighthouse. The very first day I moved to Toronto in 2015, I was in an apartment around the corner and came here for access to wifi and a glass of wine to wind down after a long day of driving. I was charmed by the cozy interior (and the cheese boards). I made it a regular spot for coffee or cocktails until I moved up to Bloor and discovered the OG location, Northwood. Years later, I got a job in the neighbourhood and made Northern Belle our after-work watering hole. Our friendly banter with Brian the bartender combined with the onset of summer made Northern Belle's patio our go-to. Now, the Belle is a little out of the way but worth the wander for a great cocktail, a tasty snack, and a trip down memory lane. :) read more

It is not often you find a chill cocktail bar, but Northern Belle nails it perfectly. They have a very welcoming wood bar inside with a small patio out front. Can't go wrong with either. We grabbed a couple seats inside and perused the menu. It looks like they rotate frequently - love that - and they offer perfectly mixed unique cocktails to boot. We tried two. To start came the L'eclisse, featuring courvoisier, cold brew coffee, fernet, house vanilla liqueur, and cointreau. Absolutely delicious. All of the ingredients complimented each other perfectly. I never had anything quite like it. We also sipped on a diablo II. I don't know what diablo I is, but numero dos delivered the goods. In sum, one of Toronto's top spots. read more

I know this place is probably more known for its beautiful cocktails, but I visited yesterday afternoon for its quiet cozy atmosphere in which to do some work. I work remotely, so met a colleague around 1:30pm on a Monday afternoon to have some coffee and a snack* while plowing through some emails and other writing I needed to finish. At that hour the space was virtually empty, so we had space for both of our laptops, our coffees, and the cheese plate with bread we ordered. Both were delicious and served with the prettiest plates/flatware. I'm not always one to take food pictures, but this setup, with the little vase of roses on the table, was begging for it. Mackenzie, our server, was also lovely and super chill. And her playlist for the day was killing it. The whole situation made for a very productive few hours. My colleague and I both hit a point where we needed to take a break around 4:30/5, which was perfect because that's when the space started to fill up with people doing post-work drinks. *I'm told they are phasing out the food aspect of their service, so I make no guarantees snacks will be an option on your visit. read more

Northern Belle - two plates of food on a table - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

A review of Northern Belle from a (sorta) Southern Belle? Indeed, friends. Well, I just adore this place. ADORE. It's perfect in every single way. Say you're looking to set up with some work and a cold brew coffee one afternoon... say you drink two of them and realize it's 5 o'clock somewhere, HERE, in fact, and so easy it is to ease into that glass or two of Cava. You'll feel like you're in a sweet lil Euro cafe if you're sitting inside, which I prefer, with its old theater posters, classic painting repros and weathered wood, making you feel like this place has been here forever. The bar is well-stocked, also seems like it's earned its stripes. Surely people have sat and enjoyed here for decades, since the 1920s, perhaps? But no, it's a just a couple weeks old. I think I've seen a glimpse of the future, despite the nod to the past. Note: the side patio was pretty packed this evening and if I were a regular, I might be swayed into sitting out there to enjoy the sunset, too. read more

Today at 1pm the best thing ever happened. A second Northwood location, Northern Belle, opened near my house. I used to live near Northwood and frequented it far too often. I had my first coffee of the day there, I used their wifi for hours on end (some work, some wikipedia spiraling) and then would transition into night with a cocktail around 5pm. I can't fucking wait to start to do the exact same thing here. Same candlelit-wooden vibe, incredibly curated cockatil list and amusing cast of characters. This time with a patio a stone's throw to Trinity Bellwoods. A goddamn delight. read more

Northern Belle - a dimly lit bar with wooden chairs - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

If you enjoy cocktails, this is the place to go! I'm a beer person and cocktails are the way to go. They're works of art. If you're there, go to the bar and watch the bartender make a cocktail...it will make you feel bad for ordering beer when you see them make one in front of you. It's small and I wasn't able to find a sign out front, but I made it there either way. Service was not great sitting at a table, maybe the bar or patio gets quicker service. They don't have A/C, so if it's a hot day, try to get a spot on the patio! read more

I mostly come to Northern Belle during the day. The vibe is cozy and quiet. It is the best spot for dates or some intimate conversations. I take it as a place to relax and sink in. You can read here for hours. Definitely an alternative to most of the nearby cafes where everyone is looking down at the laptops. As for drinks, apparently there are various types of drinks for you to choose from if you are in the mood for boozes. If you are not, they also serve drip coffee and herb tea that I think they are both decent. read more

A great place for happy hour drinks ($2 off between 5-7pm) and long chats. Service was a bit lacking - we seated ourselves and had to wait for someone to serve us. Their outdoor patio is small and cozy. read more

Northern Belle - Happy hour drinks - $2 off! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

If you like cocktail bars, especially cocktail bars where the bartenders are friendly and don't side eye you because you aren't wearing suspenders, a handlebar mustache, and a derby hat, then you're going to love Northern Belle. In this age of cocktail culture, you pretty much see something like this in every major North American city. Dark, a stocked bar full of boutique spirits, drinks with a lot of bitters in them, etc... It's a good thing that bar culture has reached this level of enlightenment, and these guys are right in step with the trend. I haven't been to their original location, but if its anything like this second outpost, I won't be surprised if they have a third or fourth on the horizon. read more

This place only has four (4) food items listed on their menu but does not keep them in stock?! My friend and I wanted a vegetarian (non-cheese - ya i'm lactose intolerant, boo!) snack to have with my cocktail but they ran out of the hummus. Disappointing. I like to nibble when I drink and with the limited vegetarian/dairy free options I'll have to pass on this place. Very cool vibe and drink list. read more

Lovely place that serve great drinks! Its small and perfect when you want to reconnect with a friend. Not much option for food tho. Will come back! read more

Northern Belle sits at a corner which has seen quite a bit of turnover in the last few years, but luckily, this one looks like it's here to stay. It's got a great sunny patio for the warmer weather, but the interior is also a draw with its hanging ball lights and Parisian-bistro furnishings. Healthy variety of beers on tap (many from local breweries, including seasonal specials), as well as a thoughtfully curated array of cocktails. The ones I've tried have ranged from good to great. Food menu is very lean, so don't come here on an empty stomach. Their pate spread is quite tasty, though. What keeps this place from reaching excellence is probaly its service. With some exception, the waitstaff like to operate on their own time and don't seem really invested in making sure you have a pleasant experience. It's never been egregious for me, but it's also somewhat disappointing to see a place with so many pluses get taken down a notch by the general attitude of its employees. That being said, I still try to come here whenever I can for the aforementioned positives. read more

Evelyn W said it well. Northern Belle is a fantastic new location from the bran-trust that brought you Toronto's original best bar, Northwood. Northern Belle has a mix of Canadiana / French (not Quebec French, real French) in terms of the decor and cocktails and it's in a great location being so close to Trinity Bellwoods. I can't wait to pick up some cold brew coffees and stroll over to the dog park for a nice sit on the hill. They open at 1pm, so go get a nice afternoon coffee, stay for a cocktail, and enjoy a really nice place without tacky wood panelling or pretension. read more

I love it when a waitress rolls their eyes(more than once) when I ask a basic, simple, normal question. It's they way I like to be treated when I'm paying for expensive cocktails and over toasted sammiches. I know people go gaga over the northwood hype connection but damn, BS service. If it was a dive bar I wouldn't give a sh*t. read more

I absolutely love this place. The servers are always incredibly warm and inviting. They are quick to offer up suggestions on cocktails and liquid ideas to meet everyone's needs. The location is absolutely ideal. Its close to Trinity Bellwoods park and so you can spend an afternoon vegging in the sun and grab a pint afterwards. The only downside is that the food selection is limited on account of them not having a kitchen but the cheese selection is normally bang on. Cozy, wonderful watering hole with a great patio for all of your patio drinking needs. read more

A very nice addition to the 'hood. Northern Belle is a coffeeshop cum bar with bites. Right now, they've started their menu with a selection of sandwiches and snacks. The BBQ Swiss and Avocado was a damn tasty sandwich. Lots of flavor, filling, and quite a deal at $9. It came with a side of pickles which were excellent. Cocktail list looks amazing. Very well-curated. Smaller beer list with only 2 beers on tap, but some bottles to supplement it. Very good pour-over coffee during the day. Nice patio. Plenty of room to hipster watch. Well, it's hipsters plus the occasional old Portuguese guy shouting at someone who took his parking space. If you go to the washroom, DUCK! read more

Listen...! You are missing out if you visit Toronto and you do not visit this bar.. It's a very quaint place and very low key...It's not in the mist of all the hustle and bustle of Toronto! Prices are reasonable and drinks are delicious .! BtW... Thank you Makenzie for being amazing , and jamming out to Amy Winehouse.! read more

See all

Best bar the customer service is on the ball without it being fake Makenzie is Awsome and makes the best drinks Cheers S read more

Excellent local bar. Warm and dim and cozy and timeless with great little wine list, nice cocktails, chill diverse clients and most importantly perhaps, a truly kind and welcoming staff. Not much more to say about this experience, I felt like I could have sat here for hours and as it was when the time came I didn't want to leave. read more

We moseyed on into this spot early Friday evening and were immediately greeted with a smile. We came from Odd Seoul previously, so it was a relief to see a more elegant, quieter spot that hasn't been hipster-fied. We ordered the chicken liver pate, which was yummy, but the cocktails is where it wins. We had the High Fives and the No Suspenders, and damn! Both were extremely unique in theory, and the execution was on point. The cocktails were balanced and delicious - I've never seen these flavours combined before. And the guy serving us was a sweetheart, checked in regularly, made suggestions and just seemed very easy going and personable. We'll definitely be back to try the rest of the cocktail list. read more

Went in for lunch because me and my friend wanted a quiet place to just chill. Espresso/avocado sandwich I ended up having was delicious and the vibes were unreal. read more

A wonderful little spot for late night cocktails. Everything on the cocktail list is worth trying-- budget accordingly and look forward to watching the bartender craft your drink with the utmost care. My partner and I wandered down here after dinner in Little Italy, and it was a superb topper to the evening. I'll certainly be back. read more

This bar is really adorable, and great for dates, however I'd have to agree with the person's review a few below. The bartender at the bar, blonde girl, was extremely rude. She made it look like we were offending her with our presence. It made us very uncomfortable, so we left. I understand bad days, but not even making eye contact and rolling your eyes??? We can see you! Totally unacceptable. read more

Bryan was an amazing bartender! An off menu cocktail called the lady grey sour was stunning. Bourbon, lemon and earl grey. Great atmosphere in the afternoon. read more

My friends and I were visiting Toronto for the long weekend and stopped in the bar after eating brunch. Our bartender Brian was great! He made great suggestions, and handled our crowd of 10 plus others sitting on the patio with great ease. The drinks were also made with very fresh ingredients and Brian knew what he was doing. I would definitely go back on a day when Brian is bartending! read more

The drinks are great. But the service is garbage. The ppl at the bar are rude and unprofessional. And they double charged us for our drinks! Horrible experience. read more

Stumped on this place by chance since they had $2 off beers from 5 to 7 pm. They have a good selection on bottles which is rare to find in Toronto. With the discount you get to explore the beers they have. Come check this intimate and chill place out hidden away on ossington. read more

Beer selection is great, cute decor, and people with 50's style hair and browline glasses frequent here. But every time I come here, it's to break up with someone, so I don't think I'll come here anymore. The place is cursed. read more

Lovely bar! Was looking all over yesterday for a bar with a more grown up, speakeasyesque vibe and one not filled with 20 year olds. I'm visiting Toronto so maybe it's because I have no clue where to look, but it seemed I would not find what I was aiming for. Until I literally stumbled upon this bar! Very cute and cozy atmosphere. Nice music, but low enough that I could hear my friend. Our drinks were very good and the bartender even made me a fruity/cold conniption based upon my likes. He was a very cool/chill guy and made the night that much better. I would certainly return! read more

Let's keep this simple: Innovative, exquisite drinks. Beautiful, inviting decor. Darling, polite staff. And the food ain't bad either. This place is simple and complex in the most complementary way. read more

Because I love Northwood so much Northern Belle can only take second place in my heart. Sorry. But the quality, ambience, decor and the correct amount of sleek vs rustic is all there. Great rotating tap and cocktail menu just like the little sister on Bloor. Still I'm happy that Northern Belle exists in this part of Toronto, solidly representing Ontario craft beer and all the other good stuff. read more

A good night spoiled by a negative experience at the end of the night. After a misunderstanding with the bartender, we were charged for two additional drinks we didn't order and also given a serious dose of attitude over the misunderstanding - what a pity, since the drinks were pretty good. read more

best service good attitude. every one is so friendly. I feel like I'm at home here. good cocktails. mackenzie is my favorite

We were doing the queue for saving grace and this place is even better to go. Nice patio, fresh food and very affordable. It's a good spot for a brunch with friends read more

Eclectic beer selection and quality first-date ambiance. Had the coffee one Sunday; excellent. Only complaint is that the patio shuts down quite early. read more

We went in for a quick dinner knowing this was a bar/cafe and were impressed! A choice of four sandwiches with a side of house pickles was the perfect compliment to our beers. We will be back to try some of the interesting Quebecois beers and to test out their cocktail-making skills. We highly recommend! read more