At Bar Chef, owner Frankie Solarik’s mad-scientist bartenders wear porkpie hats that recall a classic speakeasy. But they mix modern potions. They inject their martinis with green olive–flavored foam and serve punch bowls such as the Jimmy Cliff, which combines thyme-infused rum, lime, vanilla syrup, and ginger beer.

472 Queen St. W., (416) 868-4800, barcheftoronto.com. This appeared in the September/October 2011 issue. Photo courtesy of Bar Chef.