Grey Gardens

THE STEELY GATE that separates Grey Gardens from the rest of Toronto’s Kensington Market makes the restaurant feel like a fortress. Which, in some ways, it is.

Named after the grey bentwood chairs and soothing grey details inside the dining room, the wine bar offers a peaceful escape in the heart of the bustling market. Towards the entrance, casual bar stools are reserved for walk-in guests. Beyond this, a main dining area—complete with cushy, charcoal-hued banquette seating and an open kitchen—is the star of the show. It’s here that chef Mitch Bates (ex-Momofuku Shoto) creates luxurious sharing plates, often based in Europe but spiked with Asian influence. Start with a bar snack of rillettes-textured, applewood-smoked Spanish mackerel and potato chips dusted in caper powder. Then graduate to a plate of springy mafalde pasta ribbons served with crisp daikon and red miso, followed by a buttery fillet of skate bathed in rich black truffle-enhanced meunière sauce.

Then graduate to a plate of springy mafalde pasta ribbons served with crisp daikon and red miso, followed by a buttery fillet of skate bathed in rich black truffle-enhanced meunière sauce. But the wine list is at least as important. Sommelier Jake Skakun’s cellar is rich and varied enough to warrant its own visit. Skakun crosscuts between classic Burgundies and playful, sherry-like bottles of savagnin from France’s trendy Jura region with the fluency of an experienced director who knows how to captivate an audience. There is also an extensive cider list and a not-so-secret sake menu, which is not listed on the Grey Gardens website but is written out as “secret (lol) sake list” on the drinks menu inside.

Sunday to Wednesday
5:00 PM until 12:00 AM

Thursday to Saturday
5:00 PM until 1:00 AM

Photos by: Alix Critchley

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No. 43

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