Evangeline officially opens this Friday, October 21. The all-season rooftop bar and lounge crowns the recently opened Ace Hotel Toronto, sitting 14 stories high and offering sweeping views of the surrounding skyline. The 80-seat lounge, designed by acclaimed Toronto studio Shim-Sutcliffe Architects with interiors by Atelier Ace, is spread across a cozy indoor area framed by two fireplaces and a sprawling outdoor patio. As he does downstairs at Alder and the Lobby bar, award-winning Chef-Partner Patrick Kriss helms Evangeline’s menu of snacks and small plates.
With energy swinging from sunset cooldowns to late night revelry, Evangeline celebrates creativity through a keen eye for curation – drinks, bites, sounds and sights. Its name is an ode to the first feature film out of Canada and its atmosphere influenced by the creative spark of the silver screen.
Evangeline offers a cocktail party-inspired menu of small plates that are easy to eat and share between friends. Charcuterie, chips & dip, ‘nduja-stuffed olives with halloumi, shrimp cocktail and freshly shucked oysters are among the offerings. From the bar come craft cocktails such as the Hummingbird (vodka, melon liqueur, Manuka honey, lime, bitters, cava), Punch Lafitte (rhum agricole, white rum, absinthe, brandy, gunpowder tea, coconut milk, lime), Meiji Restoration
(Japanese whiskey, Cocchi Rosa, plum wine, yuzu bitters) and the nonalcoholic Good Vibes Only (zero-proof tequila, fermented pineapple, citrus, chili). Local beers, wines by the glass and a list of sparkling bottles round out the beverage list.
Evangeline is bookended by warming fireplaces, one of which is framed by sculptural ceramic works created specifically for the space by Montreal-based artist David Umemoto. Toronto design studio MSDS also custom-crafted light fixtures for Evangeline. A lush display of plants moves from indoors to outdoors, where the furnishings adopt a more casual, contemporary tone. The outdoor deck faces west and south, offering optimal vistas of downtown Toronto, glorious sunsets and St. Andrew’s Playground Park as it evolves over the seasons.
Continuing Ace’s longtime commitment to supporting local arts, cultural and entertainment communities, Evangeline is partnering with a vibrant cast of DJs, record labels, dance party producers and more to build a calendar of open-to-everyone events that will keep spirits high late into the night. The space also features an art gallery where rotating works from Canadian artists will be exhibited.