Being a sports fan is ultimately about hope, and no team tests this maxim better than our beloved Maple Leafs. Here, our favourite spots in town to watch the boys in blue – and pray for their redemption.
Meating @ The Bottom Line
Steakhouse meets sports bar at this financial district destination, where guys in suits cheer between mouthfuls of filet mignon – or a house specialty, kangaroo with bok choy. 22 Front St. W., 416-362-7585.
Hoops Sports Bar & Grill
You’d expect Hoops to be baskeball-obsessed, but this pub – right by Maple Leaf Gardens – is all about hockey. An absurd variety of channels and in-booth TVs mean it’s always game time. 458 Yonge St., 416-929-3324.
Wayne Gretzky’s
This shrine to the Great One is like some kind of awesome museum that serves beer and broadcasts NHL games in glorious HD. 99 Blue Jays Way, 416-979-7825.
Loose Moose
Named by the Fan 590 as “the best place to be if you don’t have a ticket,” the Loose Moose menu offers hearty comfort foods to console you after another heart-breaking loss. 146 Front St. West, 416-977-8840
Sports Centre Café
Its neighbour Scallywags is better known, but the Sports Centre Café is more likely to satisfy hard-core fanatics, thanks to its multiple projection screens. 49 St. Clair Ave. W., 416-928-9525.
Paupers Pub
Head to the second floor of this Annex institution, where they break a firm no-pitchers policy during Leafs games. 539 Bloor St. W., 416-530-1331.
Originals
With four screens sitting atop the main bar, this Bayview haunt puts you in the heart of a sports command centre. 1660 Bayview Ave., 416-481-0371.
Where is your favourite place to watch the game? Let us know by commenting on this story.
Image courtesy of Teka England on Flickr.
