The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto’s new Epoch Bar & Kitchen Terrace offers a secret garden oasis at the nexus of the dynamic financial and entertainment districts. Global interior design firm DesignAgency drew on the romance of travel and the area’s glamorous role as host of the annual Toronto International Film Festival to create the restaurant’s scenic interiors and lush outdoor terrace, including an open-air kitchen and bar that faces Simcoe Park. “Epoch is a venue for the ages,” says Allen Chan, founding partner of Design Agency. “The Ritz-Carlton is the gold standard for luxury and service around the world, and Epoch brings those values to an engaging social space that’s intimate, elegant and relaxed.” The restaurant builds on the firm’s ongoing enhancement of The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, which has already unveiled reimagined guest rooms and Club Level suites, as well as fresh looks for the Club Lounge and Spa My Blend by Clarins.
Epoch’s seamless flow between indoors and out distinguishes it as a unique dining destination in the city. The landscaped terrace brings together modern woven patio seating with sleek fireplaces, translating this timeless mix for multiple seasons. Inside, a palette of saturated tones, organic materials and textured surfaces pays homage to the location’s natural topography. Mossy green banquettes and low-slung lounge chairs arranged in cozy clusters invite tête-à-tête conversations around bronze-trimmed tables. A paneled screen printed with a panoramic landscape enhances the feeling of a faraway escape while above, the coved ceiling’s illuminated antiqued-mirror insets cast the room in a golden-hour glow. From smoked glass sconces to slim bartop table lamps, the lighting is purposefully soft and flattering.
A wrap-around bar takes center stage, offering an arresting focal point. Its pale stone countertops with bullnose edges echo other curved and arched details throughout the space. Smoked mirror panels allow the bar’s TV screens to virtually disappear when not in use. The effect is a design that looks deceptively simple, while anticipating the essentials of contemporary life, such as integrated USB ports and purse hooks discretely below the countertops. “We designed every element for an overall exceptional experience,” says Chan.
For private gatherings, The Green Room – a name that winks at Toronto’s reputation as Hollywood North – can be separated from the main lounge by sliding wood and fluted glass pocket doors. A billiard table, bookshelves paneled with moody dark stone, and a fireplace surrounded by caramel leather wing chairs have the feel of a cinema lover’s well-appointed library.
Multimedia artworks highlight DesignAgency’s diverse, curatorial approach. DesignAgency brought together celebrity Toronto photographer Caitlin Cronenberg and Canadian artist Heidi Conrod for an exclusive commission that sees Cronenberg’s striking images of film industry icons playfully layered with Conrod’s painterly brushstrokes. This original mix of portrait and paparazzi-style photography with traditional painting and landscape techniques adds a palpable air of excitement to the lounge.
“Caitlin’s personal connection to the film industry and ongoing work with TIFF give her an intimate perspective on celebrity that’s captured in her photographs,” says Chan. “Connecting Caitlin with Heidi created an exciting new way to appreciate the immense talent of these two Canadian artists in a lively, interactive space.” Additionally, the canopied bar on Epoch’s terrace was situated to frame British artist Anish Kapoor’s Mountain sculpture in Simcoe Park. This establishes a compelling dialogue between the public and private spaces, both of which are now set to serve as favourite meeting places for locals and visitors alike.
