Tacos al pastor, pitchers of margaritas, and nothing but open sky.
La Libre is a new 90-seat patio-only restaurant from the Playa Cabana family. In fact, it’s situated directly behind Playa Cabana Hacienda on the corner of Avenue Rd. and Dupont (14 Dupont St.).
And it’s an oasis.
Bright red and blue benches fill the space and a long, yellow bar stretches along one side of the restaurant acting as both wall and window (the shelves are without backing). It’s where street food meets sit-down. Everything is served on paper plates and in plastic cups (all biodegradable). The smell of a charcoal grill wafts through the night and for an hour or two you forget you’re in Toronto.
The menu offers a collection of small items that encourage sharing and swapping. Start off with a basket of tortilla chips to fill with fresh guacamole and ceviche Yucateca. Move on to enjoy the aforementioned tacos al pastor filled with tender pork shaved off of the nearby spit. There are red snapper and chicken taco options, as well as cactus salad, seafood Chorizo, and a whole smoked pig. Of course, it’s the bacon-wrapped hot dogs that manage to perfectly blend our idea of street food with a little Latin flair.
Four cocktail options are available in full pitchers that include up to nine shots of alcohol – the perfect way to share the La Libre experience. Choose the Tierra Yucateca (Tromba Blanco, Cointreau, Don’s secret mix, lime) and watch the bartender burn cinnamon with a blowtorch before finely grating it over the drink as a last garnish.
For those not feeling the need for an entire pitcher there are plenty of single glass cocktail options, several tequila choices, a few mescals, and a number of Mexican beers. Not to mention wine available in 5oz, 9oz, or bottle form.
It’s La Libre itself, however, that’s the main draw. In the day it offers a shady retreat, somewhere cool to sip away the afternoon. (Awnings can be rolled out so rain will never be an issue.) At night, the restaurant comes alive with a casual vibrancy that takes you away from Toronto and makes you forget that you’re actually sitting just steps from Summerhill and not some exotic beach.
In fact, the only disappointing thing about La Libre is that it is in Canada – and thus, we won’t be able to enjoy it all year round. However, starting tomorrow, June 17th, La Libre will be open seven days a week from noon-11pm.
We suggest you start getting your summer’s worth now.
#LYNL | (Live Your Notable Life)
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