Kateryna Topol –
Steps from Yonge-Dundas Square (soon to be Sankofa Square) and Toronto Metropolitan University is the historic Imperial Pub.
The Imperial has been owned by the Newman family since 1944 – making it, by Toronto standards, very old. It began as a hotel beverage establishment, with six rooms upstairs and the beverage room on the ground floor. The current ground-floor Aquarium Bar was built in the 1970s when Ontario liquor laws relaxed enough to allow women patrons without male chaperones. The pub still maintains its vintage charm and many of its original finishes while the live plants give it a quaint and homey feel.
Richard Newman, a fourth-generation Newman to work at the Imperial, grew up in the pub. From a young age he joined his father, Fred, on Saturdays playing at the pool table and watching TV. Richard officially joined the team in high school and was the first cook at the bar: “We had pickled eggs and hot dogs in a hot pot for years, until one summer I put a BBQ on the patio and started cooking hot dogs and hamburgers”.
Eventually, the province required all drinking establishments to serve food, so “15 or 16 years ago we built a kitchen.” The kitchen occupies the original bar space at the back of the lower level, and still uses the original cabinet-style refrigerator. Patrons seated at the bar can observe the inner workings of the kitchen through a large window.
The food is classic pub fare. “We make everything from scratch,” Richard proudly shared, “and we are deliberately unfancy with it all … we’re a draft-beer-and-chicken-wings kind of place.” Ingredients are sourced locally from Ontario farmers; Yukon Gold potatoes come raw and chickens arrive whole – nothing is frozen. The latest addition to the menu are desserts including a molten brownie sundae, an ice cream sandwich, and a seasonal pumpkin pie.
Music is a core characteristic of the Imperial Pub. Both floors have jukeboxes, and jazz is always playing in the background. “It’s been wonderful to have live music over the years,” Richard reflected.
The jazz thread continues with weekly Jazz Generations performances on Fridays at 5 p.m. “On Tuesdays, we have an open mic, and a funk jam on Wednesdays.” I inquired how guests can learn about upcoming performances, “It is best to call,” he laughed, “we’re a very … off-line business”.
Admittedly, the 54 Dundas Street East location has many pros and cons. The Covid-19 pandemic was not kind to this neighbourhood and the unhoused community, but “inside the pub, it is always nice,” Richard commented. “We work hard to keep the place welcoming and safe.”
“Come and have a beer and fries,” Richard concluded, “non-alcoholic is always an option”.
