The neon “Cocktails & Dreams” sign hanging in the front window is a great example of truth in advertising. And success has kept Canada’s Best Bar — for the second year in a row — honest. One of the very few Canadian bars dedicated to custom cocktail service, Civil isn’t fancy. Parts of the floor are painted plywood, its “copper” bar is made from pennies, and food comes from a Vietnamese restaurant down the street. The vibe ranges from alcohol-nerd symposium to full-on party bar, depending on the time of night. Since last year’s awards (it also cracked the top 10 on North America’s 50 Best Bars list), Civil has pushed its drinks program forward with new cocktails on tap, a shelf-stable margarita from its micro-distillation project and an ambitious pop-up program, which has already hosted Mexico City’s Hanky Panky. And it will always “choose kind over cool.”

A RICH AND CREAMY KEGGED ESPRESSO MARTINI WITH NOTES OF ORANGE, CACAO AND COCONUT.

Photos: Ashley van der Laan

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