By Elspeth Chalmers –
Nestled in Toronto’s Downtown East, Buvette Pacey is more than a bar; it’s a vibrant cultural intersection with a casual, friendly vibe.
Owned by the dynamic Shabri Kapoor, Buvette Pacey is a spot where patrons can expect the unexpected – a place that encapsulates European casualness while offering top-notch products.
Hailing from Montreal, Kapoor has a rich background in the restaurant industry. Her father still owns and operates the oldest Indian restaurant on the eastern side of Canada. Although Kapoor originally ventured into academia, she found her true passion for hospitality amidst the pandemic.
“I realized that my favourite thing in the world is to sit at a bar with a glass of wine and my book or my journal, and just be,” says Kapoor. After moving to Toronto from Amsterdam in 2019, Kapoor was missing the European vibe, something that offered a “really elevated quality of product, but was still casual and fun.” It was the kind of bar she’d also known in Montreal , and in 2023 she’s decided to bring a piece of her vibrant hometown to Toronto.
The colour palette inside Buvette Pacey gives the place a fun, relaxed vibe. “It’s named after my dog Pacey, so I decided to make it kind of whimsical and fun.”
But the drinks are more refined. “Drink-wise, we’ve got selections of wine, both by the glass and bottle, with a goal to balance Old World and natural wines.”
Patrons can also choose from high-quality cocktails and a wide selection of local beer. “Our female bartender is phenomenal. We do everything in-house, from infusions to milk punch making, offering a diverse range of flavours, including Asian-inspired ones like Indian mango chai.”
But it’s not just about the drinks at Buvette Pacey; it’s about the experience. Kapoor emphasizes, “We’re all focused on being genuinely friendly. We really want to create that East End neighbourhood environment.”
Looking for the best location to bring her vision to life, Kapoor decided the Downtown East felt like a perfect fit. It reminded her of growing up in Montreal’s evolving neighbourhood of Little Burgundy. “I’ve been part of gentrification on both sides, and there’s something kind of exciting about that to me.”
Buvette Pacey is a celebration of diversity, a blend of global influences with a local touch. Kapoor has crafted an experience, an oasis where the community converges, stories unfold, and friendships are made over whimsical decor and carefully curated beverages.
Visit it at 141 Berkeley Street, just south of Queen Street East, from Thursday through Tuesday evenings.
