From the outside, Bar Prima is about as nondescript as any of the dives and dodgy spots along Toronto’s Queen West strip. Inside, it’s a glamorous ode to a time when diners dressed up for a long and luxurious meal, a time when décor and design played a vital role in the dining experience. There’s glitz here — deconstructed mirrors reflecting the dim lighting, flowy deep-hued curtains and a vaulted ceiling lined in gold leaf — but somehow it all feels elegant and refined. Chalk that up to the careful direction of Ali McQuaid at Future Studio, who has a keen eye for balance and colour. Ultramarine Klein Blue draws the eye to the banquettes and bar stools. Light is carefully directed, via subtle sconces and a wall of Murano glass blocks that permit just enough of it to seep through from the street. Deco-esque antiques populate the space, such as the antique clock light punctuating the cozy marble-topped bar. Attention to detail follows right through to the end of the evening, when the bill is presented in an antique cigarette case, from chef Craig Harding’s personal collection. A cigarette case…now there’s a throwback to a bygone era.
—Dick Snyder
Glamour, beauty and balance treat the eye at Toronto’s Bar Prima.
Photography by Rick OBrien (interiors), Britney Townsend (mirror wall)
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