Even after closing her iconic restaurant Black Hoof last summer, Jen Agg makes this Trinity Bellwoods–adjacent stretch of Dundas West an after-hours destination with the brilliant Cocktail Bar (pictured above). A stand-alone bar committed to the art and craft of the well-made cocktail remains a rare thing in this city, and this one goes all in. Bottles of amari and overproof rum twinkle behind white latticed windows on the back bar, making the cozy low-lit room feel like the tastefully stocked booze lair of a design-savvy pal.

The hilariously annotated menu (“We’re not saying Bea Arthur was crusty, but she was definitely the least-fun Golden Girl,” in reference to the Bee Arthur, the bar’s take on a brandy crusta) is packed with entirely too many appealing options, so prepare to read the thing cover to cover by candlelight before settling on something delectably left field, such as the Los Tuxlas (“Like a breakfast/lunch/dinner parfait, but even more fun!”), mixed with tequila, wormwood-based génépi liqueur, yogurt, celery and peach. And the trusty Hoof Manhattan, mixed with rye—no exceptions—is a no-brainer.

923 Dundas St. W., 416-792-7511, hoofcocktailbar.com