Toronto’s Library Bar Just Ranked Top 20 in North America

If you’re in Toronto or planning a trip soon, add this to your list.

The Library Bar at the Fairmont Royal York just landed at No. 19 on North America’s 50 Best Bars 2026. It also picked up the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award at this week’s ceremony in Vancouver.

What makes this place stand out is how it turns stories into drinks. Beverage director James Grant draws from books and film to create cocktails that reflect the city. The current menu takes inspiration from Michael Ondaatje’s novel In the Skin of a Lion, turning pieces of Toronto’s history and diverse voices into something you can sip.

You’ll want to try the Birdbath Martini. They build it around QUILL, a custom vodka and gin made with botanicals and sustainable ingredients that keep the flavours clean and bright.

The space feels like stepping back in time in the best way. A portrait of George Locke, Toronto’s second chief librarian, hangs above the mantel. He helped build the city’s library system and even put together the original book collection for the hotel.

Grant also hosts pop-ups and collaborations with top bars from around the world, so the experience keeps evolving.