Name: Chez Wa Contact: 617 College St., @chez.wa Neighbourhood:Little Italy Owners: Tianchen (Tia) Zhang, Yuanxin (Kevin) Guo Chef: Zheng (David) Wei Accessibility: Not fully accessible
The latest bar to open on College—a strip that continues to evolve from its Italian beginnings—has roots that stretch back nearly a decade. In 2016, Tianchen (Tia) Zhang, an engineer and designer living in mainland China, moved to Toronto for a job. While her work gave her an outlet to express her creativity, her true loves were food and wine. “Pairing food wine with my friends became a real hobby of mine,” says Zhang.
On May 8, W Toronto will debut Toki Listening Bar, a Tokyo-inspired spot tucked behind a discreet doorway. It’s the latest addition following the hotel’s recent renovations—and the latest in a lineup of listening bars to open in the city.
Inside Toki, velvet drapery, rich colours, vintage-inspired details, low mood lighting and neon accents set the scene. A vinyl-focused DJ set-up anchors the space, with speakers designed to bring out every crackle and bass line. “Toki” means “time” in Japanese, and the whole experience is built around slowing things down. No chaotic bar energy, just curated playlists and guest DJs.
