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Quetzal

Toronto

Open-fire Mexican cuisine with craft cocktails

Background and history: Opened in 2018 and reimagined by chef Steven Molnar in 2019, Quetzal has earned acclaim for its upscale regional Mexican cuisine prepared with Canadian ingredients over an open flame. But Quetzal offers more than refined plates, it boasts an ambitious bar programme, spotlighting mezcal and tequila in imaginative cocktails along with thoughtful non-alcoholic options of reimagined Mexican classics.

Modern aesthetics: The Partisans-designed interior is sleek and curvaceous, with an undulating ceiling inspired by the billowing tarps of traditional Mexican market stalls. One side of the room is lined with turquoise leather banquettes, while the other features a striking bar and open kitchen flanked with stools for diners keen on immersing themselves in the heart of the action.

Built around a fire: The soul of Quetzal is its custom-made, eight-metre-long indoor fire pit where nearly every dish meets wood and charcoal. From sugary coal-roasted sweet potatoes draped in chunky salsa de cacahuate to fire-kissed seafood and meats – like the succulent pork secreto al pastor with charred pineapple – each dish is tucked into fresh, pressed-to-order tortillas made from in-house nixtamalised heirloom corn. That smokiness doesn't just flavour the food; it lingers in the air, clinging to shirts and hair long after the last bite.

Chef CV: Trained in classical French at Institut Paul Bocuse, Molnar honed his skills at top kitchens Toronto's Nota Bene, Lyon's Brasserie le Nord and Montreal's Restaurant Toqué. Returning to Toronto, the Hungarian-Japanese chef then took a deep dive into Spanish cuisine at Bar Isabel and Bar Raval before expanding his culinary repertoire into Mexican as the executive chef of Quetzal.

What's in a name? Quetzal takes its name from the vibrantly coloured bird native to Central America and southern Mexico, which is revered for its long, iridescent tail feathers once used in the ceremonial headdresses of Aztec rulers.

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