Assembly Chef’s Hall is about to change the way we eat, drink and play in Toronto’s Financial District.
Set to officially open its doors today for a sneak peek soft opening, Assembly Chef’s Hall (111 Richmond St. W), is a culinary experience that’s unlike anything Canada has seen before. Think: New York City’s Chelsea Market meets Eataly (minus the grocery component and all-Italian fare): It’s an 18,000 square foot, chef-driven community market focused on fresh ingredients and food prepared by some of Toronto’s best chefs and restaurateurs.
It may also become your new favourite place to party.
From whole lobsters and artful Mediterranean tapas, to vegan ice cream and a quality caffeine fix, Assembly offers fast-casual service of upscale, fresh local food in an environment that’s a far cry from the food court at your local mall or office building. Instead, picture a refined, reimagined food hall where wine, spirits and craft beer flow freely, and where you’ll want to stay and mingle after the last bite.
The sleek, well-designed space takes over real estate in the Richmond-Adelaide Centre and houses local vendors like Resto Boemo, Hibiscus, Cherry Street BBQ, Love Chix, Tachi, Shari, Mira Mira, DaiLo, Ramen Isshin, Little Khao, Colibri, The Good Son, Reyna, Bluenose Lobster, Bulldog Coffee, nutbar, Tokyo Smoke and Short & Sweet Bakeshop. We told you it involved some of the city’s best.
Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks and coffee, the spot is open early (7 am) until the late hours, and all day on the weekend. Each of the 17 vendors will serve up their signature crowd-pleasing dishes, and an 18th spot is allocated to a rotating pop-up for local and visiting chefs to test new concepts, doubling as an incubator.
“Assembly will transform Toronto’s gastronomic landscape by bringing together seventeen acclaimed local chefs under one roof,” says Andreas Antoniou, Developer and Principal of Assembly. “For a city that loves authentic experiences, our design-forward, fun and fully liquor licensed environment offers an unrivalled collection of Toronto’s best.” While food hall concepts have grown in popularity globally in recent years, they had yet to appear in Canada until now. They make a lot of sense: Not only has the craving for healthy and local food never been stronger, so is the need for convenience – especially in Toronto’s always-bustling financial district.
In addition to quick, restaurant quality food and drink, dining at Assembly also means that you’re supporting the local community – always an added bonus. One of the best parts about the concept is that it offers some of the city’s top culinary talent the exposure of thousands of downtown workers and dwellers in prime commercial real estate that would otherwise be too pricey for independent chefs. Assembly solves this problem by offering shared services, while minimizing the responsibility of running a restaurant at the same time.
On the letting loose front, Assembly also makes a solid option for group gatherings – one that will accommodate the dozen different dietary restrictions and tastes of all of your friends. Furthermore, the fact that services charges are eliminated from the equation in the self-serve spot means the occasion makes less of a dent on the wallet of those on tighter budgets. Oh, and let’s not forget that – thanks to its interactive nature – Assembly will also likely serve as the breeding grounds for connection-making among Toronto’s single young professional set.
Perfect for celebrating anything from work wins to birthdays, you’ll find a wine bar, a massive beer hall and two patios that have 3,000 square feet of space. With its location and sprawling size, it likely won’t be long before we see the venue doubling as an event space. Of course, it’s also great for a quick coffee break with a coworker.
Either way, we’ll see you there.