The concept was simple. Nancy Pickard came up with it back in 1989 after working for almost decade at Toronto’s high-end restaurant Splendido. She wanted to open a spot that was equal parts fine dining and pub, and that’s exactly how you’d describe the food and vibe at The Abbot on Eglinton, where Nancy is general manager.
A lot happened between 1989 and June 2012 when the Abbot appeared on the trendy Eglinton West strip in Forest Hill. First, Nancy partnered with Carrie McCloy and her husband Chris Davis, a chef, to launch an earlier incarnation of the “gastropub” called The Auld Spot on the Danforth. When the trio was looking to open another pub together, they needed to find the right neighbourhood feel, and they found it. “As soon as we walked into the space we knew it was ours,” Nancy says.
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The Abbot lives up the to the idea that a local pub should be your home away from home. In keeping with the gastropub tradition, The Abbot offers a selection of homemade recipes that are crafted in-house daily. From oven-baked bread, house cured meats and fresh ground beef, to desserts, pickles and pies, The Abbot presents a taste of classic recipes that have been handed down over the generations. On the Winterlicious menu: roasted butternut squash bisque, fennel and mustard crusted roast pork, and sticky toffee pudding.
View this Smart ListThe team behind The Abbot believes a local pub should be a spot where you feel you’re at a home away from home. In keeping with the gastropub tradition, they offer a selection of homemade recipes that are crafted in-house daily. From oven-baked bread, house-cured meats and fresh ground beef to desserts, pickles and pies, The Abbot presents a taste of classic recipes that have been handed down over generations. Their Winterlicious lunch menu includes roasted butternut squash bisque, shaved house-made corned beef, shaved roast pork with cider jus, sticky toffee pudding and apple crumble.
View this Smart ListOne of the most anticipated foodie events in TO, Summerlicious kicks off July 8. Restaurants offer three-course lunch and dinner menus in various price brackets for the two weeks of the festival. It's an affordable way to sample a spot you've had your eye on, or test out the newcomers on the scene. Here are the drool-worthy $18 lunch menus that will be on offer. [Feature image: Bymark; courtesy of the City of Toronto]
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