The maple leafs are hanging, the poutine is steaming and the Caesars topped with ketchup chips are ready to be poured at Toronto’s newest all-Canadian restaurant and bar.
Jason Kapalka and his wife Jessica Langer are about 24 hours away from celebrating the best of Canada at their revamped Grizzly Bar on Queen Street West.
Formerly known as Offworld Bar, the Grizzly Bar will be celebrating the foods, drinks and pop culture of a country its owners are proud to call home. The space is decked out with all kinds of Canadian photographs, posters and memorabilia.
Meanwhile, the menu showcases a wide assortment of Canadian dishes and fresh takes on the country’s classic eats.
TorontoToday had an exclusive first look at the interior of the upgraded space and all its wacky Canadian-ness on Thursday afternoon.
The couple produced the idea in response to the ongoing trade war between Canada and the U.S. While there’s been no shortage of negativity regarding the political and economic relationships between the two nations, Langer and Kapalka wanted to bring some positivity to the conversation.
“We hoped our idea would do well, but none of us expected this amount of excitement — we’re thrilled about it,” she said. “There’s so much negativity out there and it’s easy to doom scroll. But we wanted this to be a place where you could go and be happy to be Canadian.”
Customers can order items from a diverse menu, like Montreal smoked meat and calamari from the Maritimes. Items can all be paid for by cash, card or the country’s long-lost currency: Canadian Tire money. Canadian Tire is even giving customers some swag if they purchase food or drinks with the currency.
Popular Canadian bands like Blue Rodeo, Rush and Loverboy will be playing in the background every evening, while a "Hoser Olympics" will see customers face off in a series of challenges like the “loonie toss,” “hockey tape escape,” “Timbit tower challenge” and “sorry-not-sorry” Canadian apology competition.
Attendees can enjoy a games room and play shuffleboard or bubble hockey while gazing at the Canadian hockey and baseball memorabilia that lines the walls.
Patrons making a trip to the bathroom will also notice more than 30 of Canada’s most iconic faces in pop culture — past and present — pictured together in a massive hall of fame.
A real canoe that was donated to the Grizzly Bar hangs from the ceiling, while all the provincial flags are lined next to it in geographical order.
The couple is hosting a private event on Thursday night before opening their doors to the public on Friday. Canadian retired astronaut Chris Hadfield is among the big names stopping by Thursday evening.
“He’s done so much to get people interested in the Canadian space program and science,” Langer said. “He’s so inspiring, and we’re honoured he’s going to be here.”
Langer noted that bar goers don’t have to be Canadian to visit the space.
“As long as somebody respects Canada as a sovereign nation and loves Canada, they are welcome here,” she said. “It’s a great way to learn about us and our culture.”
Langer joked they will run this version of their bar until 2028 when the U.S. elects its next president.
