When Christina Graham opened Bodega TinTin on St. Clair West this summer, she did it with a knowledge of the area and what the community was looking for.
“I have worked and lived in the neighbourhood for over a decade. I felt something like this was missing; a local snack and cocktail bar,” Graham says. “The space became available and with the encouragement of my former bosses and mentors, Harsh Chawla and Derek Valleau of Pukka, I jumped on it. Also a special shoutout to our chef, Himanshoo Sule, who has been able to bring my vision to life through our food.”
Her vision, she says, is a modern take on old-world charm, with a warm, cozy interior and a menu of comfort food including grilled gambas, steak frites, buttermilk-fried chicken drumsticks and charred cabbage.
The cocktail menu takes cues from Mexico and Spain, with modern spins on classics. Beverage choices include the Sugar Plum Fairy, described as “a silky sake lychee-ish martini,” and a Marianito, which is “a Spanish cousin to the Negroni.”
The name of the restaurant is also a playful homage to a fun part of the space. “TinTin has a nice ring to it, easy to remember,” Graham says. “And we are a bodega, or shop, with a shelf dedicated to tinned fish, olives, olive oil and bottles.”
With the checkered floors, warm wood tones, olive green walls and banquette seating, it feels like a neighbourhood spot with a charming, diner feel, and Graham wants the intimacy to translate into the guest experience.
“I want guests to feel like they’ve discovered their neighbourhood spot,” she says, “welcomed and wanting to try more.”
Bodega TinTin is located at 779 St. Clair Avenue West, and it’s open for dinner Tuesdays through Sundays.