Looking for the original Bar Towel blog? You can find it at www.thebartowel.com.

We have a trivia question in order to register to prevent bots. If you have any issues with answering, contact us at cass@bartowel.com for help.

Introducing Light Mode! If you would like a Bar Towel social experience that isn't the traditional blue, you can now select Light Mode. Go to the User Control Panel and then Board Preferences, and select "Day Drinking" (Light Mode) from the My Board Style drop-down menu. You can always switch back to "Night Drinking" (Dark Mode). Enjoy!

Volo Ristorante

Discuss Ontario's brewpubs, pubs, beer bars and restaurants here.

Moderators: Craig, Cass

User avatar
GregClow
Beer Superstar
Posts: 4038
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Parkdale
Contact:

Post by GregClow »

Something a friend emailed me earlier today that I thought might be worth sharing...

"I was walking down Yonge and I passed a place called "Volo Ristorante" at Yonge & Dundonald and I saw a sign saying they had Mill St. Tankhouse Pale Ale on tap so I popped in for a pint. First time having it and I agree, it's great! They also have Denison's Weissbeer on tap. In bottles they have La Fin Du Monde, Maudite, Duval and St. Ambroise and more. Not outstanding but pretty good for the area."


Greg

User avatar
Cass
Beer Superstar
Posts: 3842
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Toronto
Contact:

Post by Cass »

Thanks for the tip Greg. I work very close to Volo (I'm at Yonge & Bloor), so I'll have to check it out. Actually, the Y/B area is pretty devoid of good micro beer (Rebel House excluded) so this could be a promising place to visit.

User avatar
Cass
Beer Superstar
Posts: 3842
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Toronto
Contact:

Post by Cass »

So I went to Volo last night and it was very good. As your friend discovered, they do have Tankhouse & Denison's on tap, along with a few other draught selections (Cameron's, St Andre), and a good list of well-priced bottles.

They also have a nice patio that faces Dundonald, so it's a bit quieter than Yonge.

Be wary of their "pints", which are quite smaller than you would expect.

Haven't eaten there, but Volo is definitely on the good-beer list for that area.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Cass on 2003-07-07 07:48 ]</font>

User avatar
Cass
Beer Superstar
Posts: 3842
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Toronto
Contact:

Post by Cass »

Just wanted to provide an update on Volo - I'm liking it more and more every time I go.

I was there again yesterday afternoon (in between Film Festival screenings), and they now have Unibroue's Raftman on tap.

This, plus Mill St. Tankhouse, Denison's, and a couple of other good taps (Wellington and a few more) is making Volo quite a nice place for beer in the Yonge/Bloor area.

They also have a good selection of bottles - I noticed another patron having a Quelque Chose yesterday (unfortunately it did not look heated).

Also, I retract my previous statement about small pints. They definitely serve their beer in normal size pint glasses. Mill Street's Tankhouse is in fact served in their own glassware.

User avatar
Blankboy
Posts: 357
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2002 8:00 pm
Location: Toronto

Post by Blankboy »

I went during the Film Festival as well and enjoyed a Tankhouse Pale Ale. The Quelque Chose bottles were going for $12 in case people are wondering. I'll definitely be going back.

PRMason
Bar Fly
Posts: 873
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Fitzroy Harbour, ON

Post by PRMason »

I was speaking to Ralph at Café Volo today. He would like to expand the amount of draught beers he carries and would like to have our Corporal Punishment on tap. With "neighbour" taps like TankHouse and Denisons Weizen, I am thrilled to be asked!

borderline_alcoholic
Posts: 378
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2003 8:00 pm

Post by borderline_alcoholic »

Ralph is also getting in [Church Key] Holy Smoke and [St Ambroise] Oatmeal Stout on tap. Additionally, there will be a rotating guest tap...

...Which is nice.

Things are looking up.

Maudite
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 7:00 pm

Post by Maudite »

Had some Chambly on tap last week with a friend and Ralph. He is really supporting smaller breweries on tap and would love to try and get a "Rebel House" feel to his establishment. For those that haven't been to Caffe Volo pop in and grab a pint. Ralph and Ina are great people. Enjoy!

A
Bar Fly
Posts: 591
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2001 8:00 pm

Post by A »

I think this place has almost moved into the 'Tier 1' category of beer places in Toronto... And is there currently a better draught selection (quality, not quantity) than this anywhere in the city right now? I think not....

DAN-D-MAN
Posts: 255
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Toronto
Contact:

Post by DAN-D-MAN »

Enjoyed their patio yesterday along with a Corporal Punishment. The Holy Smoke and Oatmeal Stout are indeed on tap as mentioned above. Had some excellent pizza for dinner too.

The waitress kept explaining to the patrons that the beer menu keeps changing nowadays and they are adding more and more selections so the menu may be out of date.

This place has just become another regular hangout!

User avatar
Cass
Beer Superstar
Posts: 3842
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Toronto
Contact:

Post by Cass »

I was also there yesterday for lunch. Great to see the three new draught selections. This place continues to impress! Hopefully it will still be nice in the winter - I've spent nearly every visit on the patio.

borderline_alcoholic
Posts: 378
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2003 8:00 pm

Post by borderline_alcoholic »

Volo now have their first guest beer and it is a good one. They have Maudite on tap while it lasts.

They have also widened their bottled selection extensively and extremely positively. I also believe that they have plans to increase this further.

IMHO Volo is no longer in the 'almost tier 1' category, it is now second only to Smokeless Joe's in the Toronto bar scene.

Joe's have the premier bottle selection, the best atmosphere of any bar and the most knowledgeable and friendly staff of any bar in Toronto, but Volo have the best tap selection, an incredibly good bottled selection and an excellent intimate feel. They also have a fantastic Italian food menu.

The other main great Toronto bar contenders (for me, anyway) being C'est What?, The Granite, Mitzi's Sister and the Bow and Arrow. I am sure that for many the Bier Markt would also feature, but I personally despise the atmosphere and the indifference of the bar-staff in that place.

FWIW, I look forward to seeing what the Blue Meaney has to offer when it opens...

esprit
Seasoned Drinker
Posts: 1677
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Esprit Agencies-Toronto

Post by esprit »

Starting today you'll be able to enjoy Chimay Blue, Orval, Rochefort 10, Westmalle Tripel, Maredsous 8, Barbar and Samuel Smith India Ale along with already available Duvel and Chimay Premiere! We're really pleased to add Volo to a slowly growing list of establishments around the city which are offering a fine selection of premium, imported bottled beers. Please support these guys and show them that there is a demand for establishments like theirs...good food...good beer!

esprit
Seasoned Drinker
Posts: 1677
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Esprit Agencies-Toronto

Post by esprit »

This weekend they'll be adding Achel 8, Mort Subite Framboise, La Choulette Ambree, Corsendonk Agnus and Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre to their portfolio.

beer_dude
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2003 7:00 pm

Post by beer_dude »

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: beer_dude on 2003-11-07 21:14 ]</font>

Post Reply