La Bartola
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| La Bartola | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | June 27, 2020[1] |
| Closed | March 15, 2025[2] |
| Owner | Ivan Castro |
| Head chef | Ivan Castro |
| Food type | Mexican Vegan |
| Rating | Bib Gourmand (Michelin Guide) |
| Location | 588 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Website | www |
La Bartola was a Mexican restaurant which operated in Toronto, Ontario. It served a fully vegan and plant-based menu.
The restaurant was owned and operated by Ivan Castro, who also served as the head chef.[3] The restaurant opened in summer 2020, in the midst of the peak of restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] As a result of these restrictions, the restaurant started primarily as a takeout operation, with limited seating on an outside patio.[1]
Prior to opening a brick-and-mortar location, Castro first started the business as a taqueria pop-up which served food at festivals in the Toronto-area.[1] He also worked as a private chef and hosted supper clubs at his home.[4] Castro wanted to serve a menu at his restaurant inspired by his upbringing in Mexico City.[4]
Castro announced he would close the restaurant on March 15, 2025, citing the physical and mental toll that owning and operating a restaurant took on his wellbeing.[2]
Concept
The restaurant was fully vegan and served plant-based cuisine, with the goal of serving Mexican cooking based on the ingredients the indigenous Aztecs and Mayans would have used prior to the introduction of beef or dairy.[4] In lieu of meat in its tacos, La Bartola served fillings such as braised hibiscus flowers, smoked banana blossoms, and jackfruit.[1]
It offered an a la carte menu, but also had an option for a tasting menu for guests.[5]
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