Cote de Boeuf on Ossington Street in Toronto is about as charming as it gets. The space is tiny yet offers so much. It is a butcher shop, specialty food shop (cheese, oils, vinegars, pasta sauce, crackers, local seasonal produce etc.) and lunch stop by day, and a wine bar, dinner spot and private dinner venue by night.

Stepping into Cote de Boeuf in the evening reminds me of being in a wine bar in Paris. The room is tiny yet cozy and warmly lit; the tables are converted wine barrels and the menu is handwritten on a chalkboard. The food menu is small but quintessentially French, with offerings such as oysters, escargots, French onion soup and, of course, more than one steak option (this is a functioning butcher shop by day). The wine list is not huge, but it’s well curated and features primarily French wines, bien sur. Cote de Boeuf also offers a small selection of beers and aperitifs.

One of the best things about Cote de Boeuf is you can have a group dinner in their back room at the butcher’s table. The butcher’s table is best for a group of 8 people and offers a set menu served family-style. The dinner generally includes oysters, a charcuterie board, an appetizer and then the cote de boeuf served with potatoes and greens. A cheese plate and dessert end your meal where you truly feel like you have dined like kings…well if kings ate around a cozy kitchen table.