Snow is now officially imminent for our fair city, meaning that it's time to find inventive new means of staying warm and having fun. If you're not quite ready to resign yourself to sipping tea in a recliner, robed in wool socks and onesie, why not harken back to a childhood stand-by: that's right, board games. Fortunately, several Toronto bars and cafes offer up a side of dice, cards, or passionate trading of sheep (Settlers of Catan, anyone?) to go with your coffee or pint.
Stout Irish Pub, 221 Carlton St., 647-344-7676
Stout Irish Pub boasts a lengthy menu of beer, hearty pub classics, and a volley of board games including Connect Four, several Trivial Pursuits, Risk, and most importantly, Settlers of Catan. Just pick them up from the stand by the door, except for Cards Against Humanity, which requires an ID (apparently they've had a problem with sticky fingers on this one).
Swirl, 946 1/2 Queen St. E., 647-351-5453
Leslieville's Swirl Wine Bar is an intimate, homey respite from the cold with its artfully mismatched chairs and tables. Best of all, Tuesdays are designated board game nights, with UNO, Taboo, and Scrabble in the mix and $3.50 beer specials to facilitate those die-hard matches.
Snakes and Lattes, 600 Bloor St. W., 647-342-9229
Snakes and Lattes will always hold a special place in the heart of Toronto game lovers. With a cover charge of $5 (or $2.50 for kids 10 and under) that grants you access to a game library of over 2,500 titles and a menu of sandwiches and sweets, it's not hard to figure out why. Those who need a drink to soothe the sting of being bested at cards will be happy to hear that they should be serving booze again in early 2014.
Castle Board Game Cafe, 454 Spadina Ave., 647-748-1955
Playing off of the successful model established by Snakes and Lattes, Castle Board Game Cafe cuts down on the notorious wait times by charging $2.50/hr per person to enjoy a board game from their selection of hundreds, all while mowing down on cake and coffee. Or opt to purchase a game, like the straightforward Zombie Dice.
Roll Play Cafe, 10A Edward St., 416-904-8483
Roll Play Cafe is still in its soft opening stage, but is already nicely outfitted with sandwiches and customizable pizzas, cofee and soft drinks (they're still waiting on a liquor license) and a respectable selection of board games. Owner Shan Ho says that, with no cover charge, the thrust of the cafe is to have people play games and have fun. Sounds like a good motto.
Disgraceland, 965 Bloor St. West, 647-347-5263
Disgraceland is a fairly unassuming bar on Bloor West that goes the extra mile by offering vegan treats (as well as deep-friend standard fare) and Sunday brunch. They should also be known for their board games, which include Monopoly and Yahtzee. They used to count Jenga among their bounty, until it started getting (predictably) messy.
3030, 3030 Dundas St. W., 416-769-5736
The Junction's 3030 has a lot of things to recommend it—from the selection of nosh-worthy small plates, to the array of craft beers on tap, to the pinball machines—but maybe the biggest selling point is the chance to bunker down over a board game while toe-tapping live music plays behind you.
C'est What, 67 Front St. E., 416-867-9499
C'est What's subterranean setting features billiards and a fireplace, and an assortment of board games such as Scrabble, Backgammon, cribbage, Trivial Pursuit, and the most dignified of games to enjoy with a craft pint: chess.
