Written by Grayce Yuen

With local bar restrictions lifted, cocktail season is now in full swing! Torontonians can return to enjoying their favourite drinks on local patios. While this may be the case, as a tequila executive, I personally have gotten very comfortable with having quality prepared cocktails at my fingertips. It has just become so convenient to have a ready-made Margarita in my fridge from my favourite bar for nights when I work late or just want to have a quiet dinner at home.

During the pandemic, the Ontario government allowed bars to sell alcohol to-go with food orders. Many bars batched cocktails with longer shelf-lives such as barrel-aged cocktails and milk punches which were perfect for accompanying dinner or for having a little at-home happy hour. By batching cocktails and selling them in multiple serving sizes, bars were able to continue to bring in revenue during the lockdown.

“It has [also] allowed us to extend our offerings and develop our brands further. Bottled cocktails and kits have created another surface for us to showcase our ethos and brand art. It has definitely created some boundaries as far as what can be bottled and preserved and still taste good.” Explains Drink Consultant, Farzam Fallah.

Though a large majority of bars have switched back to in-person drinks, there are still cocktail kits and bottled cocktails available for those not yet comfortable being out and about or for those of you (like me) who just want to have a cozy cocktail at home.

Here are my top cocktail Bottle Shops still kicking it in Toronto:

Mother Cocktail Bar

When I am asked for recommendations for a good cocktail, Mother Cocktail bar is definitely on the tip of my tongue. Located at Queen West and Crawford, this quaint bar is known for their spirit-forward cocktails, creativity and knowledgeable barkeeps.

During lockdown, they opened a Bottle Shop with house and barrel-aged cocktails. Each order also comes with ice for the perfect dilution. Post-pandemic, the Mother Cocktail Bar Bottle Shop is still open online and barrel-aged cocktails are available for pick-up.

Grey Tiger

Born from lockdown but still thriving this summer, the Grey Tiger Bottle Shop offers a rotating variety of cocktails which can be ordered and delivered right to your door for only $8 per delivery.

These come in single and also multiple serving sizes and are delivered with a snack to accompany your drink.