Bodega TinTin brings Venezuelan-Spanish cocktails and tapas to St. Clair West
Cristina Graham, a former Pukka manager, opened the Latin snack bar with tomatillo margaritas, grilled gambas, and weeknight tini hour pricing.
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St. Clair West is quietly becoming one of Toronto's best new food strips. Within a few blocks sit Emma's Country Kitchen, Romi's, the Company We Keep, Bar Ape, Sea Witch, JABS, the Onda, and Arthur's Snackette. The latest addition is Bodega TinTin, a Latin snack bar serving signature cocktails alongside Iberian-inspired pinxtos.
Cristina Graham noticed a gap in the neighbourhood after nearly a decade living on St. Clair and working as front-of-house manager at Pukka: where were the cocktail bars? She teamed up with former Pukka colleagues and chef Himanshoo Sule to fill it.
The retro space channels a '70s bar aesthetic—checkered floors, marbled tables, soft mood lighting—with a menu rooted in Graham's Venezuelan and Spanish heritage. Cachapas are corn pancakes with queso and honey. Grilled gambas—wild Argentine prawns—come with poblano beurre blanc. Anchovies on sourdough are dressed with avocado and jalapeño aïoli. Gildas, a Basque classic, skewer white anchovies with olives and quindilla peppers.
Cocktails lean smoky and savoury. The Green Margarita plays tomatillo brightness against a savory backdrop. The Marianito, a negroni cousin, incorporates Spanish vermut and olive for a Spanish-inflected bitterness.
Tini hour runs Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m., with $10 glasses of cava or lambrusco and $13 classic martinis—a rare midweek deal on a strip where new spots are drawing fast crowds.
Good to know
What kind of food does Bodega TinTin serve?
Bodega TinTin serves Latin snack bar fare with Venezuelan and Spanish influences, including cachapas (corn pancakes with queso and honey), grilled gambas (wild Argentine prawns with poblano beurre blanc), and Basque-style gildas (white anchovies, olives, and quindilla peppers on a skewer).
What are Bodega TinTin's signature cocktails?
The Green Margarita features tomatillo brightness with a savoury backdrop, and the Marianito—a negroni cousin—incorporates Spanish vermut and olive for Spanish-inflected bitterness.
Where is Bodega TinTin located?
Bodega TinTin is located on St. Clair West in Toronto.
