The city’s newest ‘home away from home’ has arrived at 561 Bloor Street West. Nomas Hotel is a boutique experience courtesy of Toronto heavyweights Jeffrey Chu and chef Attila Baksa. While the hotel offers a warm retreat upstairs, the main floor belongs to Bellis — an ambitious concept where Chu and Baksa blend diverse cuisines and experiences into a single, seamless landing spot.
The menu features a unique fusion of Japanese and Italian cuisines — style known as Itameshi that is currently taking the global culinary scene by storm. This is a concept Baksa has carried in his heart for years, rooted deeply in his background in Japanese culinary arts.
“Over the years, I’ve always felt that Japanese and Italian flavours would complement each other beautifully,” he says. “The idea of merging these flavours first came to me in 2020 while I was working on a project with a few friends. Unfortunately, that project didn’t move forward due to the pandemic, but I didn’t want those ideas to fade away. I continued to refine them over time and eventually brought them into this project.”
Among Baksa’s favorite dishes on the Bellis menu is the rigatoni, born from his authentic love for a spicy pasta dish. He elevates the classic profile by incorporating Hatcho miso as a hidden layer of depth.
“It’s not immediately obvious on the palate,” he says, “but when you compare the sauce with and without the miso, you can really notice the added depth and umami.”
Another standout is the Toma-Toast, the kitchen’s signature take on bruschetta. It features Campari tomatoes marinated in ginger and soy with a touch of honey, served over a yuzu-whipped ricotta spread. The dish is finished with shiso, an aromatic Japanese herb that Baksa notes “pairs beautifully” with the Italian-inspired flavours.
The cocktail program follows this same ethos, born from Baksa’s love for “clean, crushable” drinks. The space is uniquely versatile, serving coffee throughout the day before transforming into a cocktail bar at night. As the official lobby for Nomas Hotel, the design acts as a visual through-line for the entire boutique experience.
“The vibe is chic but still very approachable. It works well for after-work cocktails, date nights, quick solo dinners, and even standing-room bar events,” Baksa says.
Since Bellis is the first thing guests encounter, much of the decor mirrors the aesthetic of the hotel rooms above. “The terracotta red walls, exposed brick and forest green chairs all tie the spaces together seamlessly,” he explains. “I really wanted to create a friendly, welcoming space with bright staff, great drinks, and memorable food. Ultimately, I want the experience to reflect what I personally enjoy about dining out — somewhere guests feel comfortable coming back to again and again, and where anyone could easily become a regular.”
