At Frankie Solarik’s original theatrically dark lounge on Queen West, the modernist drinks are multi-sensory art installations. Fig Americano, for instance, comes with a side of edible cacao pearls, plated on a balsam-fir-covered serving board. Solarik puts on a riveting show, occasionally behind his own bars (including Prequel & Co. Apothecary, Compton Ave.) and as a judge on Netflix’s Drink Masters. Beverage director Gianluca Passuello oversees new cocktail creations, including the King of Kensington: bourbon with toasted poppy seed, infused maple, black tea, oat milk and whey, served with tableside orange-blossom fog.
Back seat
Request Seat 414 for the best views of the bar; it’s Frankie’s favourite.

King of Kensington cocktail.
Big apple
Coming soon: a New York outpost.
Photography by Eugenia Zykova (drink), Matt Nixon (barchef chef)
Share: Facebook, X (Formerly Twitter)