Soluna Toronto: The vibe
We first visited Soluna in 2022, when it opened. Since then, it seems the coastal, nightclub-esque restaurant has found its stride and settled into its place in Toronto. The text-book sized menu has been significantly paired down to a single page, and their cocktails could easily be ranked among some from the best bars in the city. The once stark white pillars in the middle of the dining room are now completely covered in eye-catching green vines adorned with white flowers, adding a certain softness and whimsy to the lounge.
Arriving through the small entranceway on Queen West and through the tunnel of branches feels like travelling to another world. Inside, Soluna feels like a vacation home. Its relaxed, coastal aesthetic is meant to embody the French Riviera, Mykonos, Tulum and Miami, all rolled into one. Maybe that's why it doesn't feel like any place in particular, just a floral, whicker dream set to a soundtrack of club beats.
We're early — the second table to arrive that evening — but as the night goes on, the dining room fills with guests, the DJ begins to play and dancers glide between tables.
Soluna Toronto: The menu
Soluna isn't the place to sit down for a feast. The food menu here is just foreplay before a great night of drinking and dancing.
We start with the Luna Ceviche, large chunks of cured red snapper that come in a surprisingly spicy habanero black sauce. While ceviche usually has a more fishy taste, it's all burned away here, while bites of avocado cool the palate and crispy shallots add texture.
The Mediterranean salad comes encircled in a bright red gazpacho, and is loaded with more tomatoes than lettuce. A smattering of feta, cucumbers, croutons and red onion rounds out the dish. Petite but tasty, the New Zealand lamb chops are served with a beautiful tzatziki.
We unanimously agree that the best dish of the night is the flavourful and juicy grilled peri peri chicken, ordered with a side of crispy fingerling potatoes and an addictive garlic sauce that's well worth the post-dinner breath mint battle.
Soluna Toronto: The drinks
Cocktails are where Soluna really shines. While they may not be made with a lot of rare ingredients you've never heard of or fancy techniques (some are pre-batched), every drink we try at Soluna is delicious. Smooth and sweet, without being overly sugary, they all go down easy. Tequila is the star, but vodka, gin, whisky, rum and cognac have their moments, too.
The crowd-pleasing Papi Soluna is a spicy, passionfruit margarita. Meanwhile, the Flower Child, made with Grey Goose and St-Germain, is smooth and silky from egg whites, with hints of citrus and sweetness from lychee and pineapple. Another refreshing sipper is the Sky High with vodka, prosecco, pineapple, thyme and lemon.
Our favourite drink of the night is The Queen, where dry prosecco mingles with lavender and butterfly pea-infused gin for a layered and slightly sweet cocktail that makes us feel like royalty.
All firmly in the $20 range, the price point is the only thing that would stop me from coming back to Soluna for cocktails all the time. But for a splurge night of drinks and light bites in a vibey, coastal atmosphere, Soluna is worth it.
Dinner and drinks for two: around $150 before tax and tip
