This nascent neighbourhood — sequestered south of King West beneath the CN rail line  — is caught in a tale of two cities: to the west, converted brick warehouses host the offices of media empires like Corus and Nelvana, while to the east, a Dominion-dominated plaza serves the needs of nearby condo constituents. Most of the establishments in the area cater to the work-week lunchtime crowds, who desert the Village after sundown; however, the area boasts a few trusty locals to satiate thirsty residents. And with nearly every square inch in the area being developed into lofts and condos, some enterprising restaurateurs are hoping some of that West Queen West cachet spills over south of the tracks. (Next up: former Mildred Pierce owners Donna Dooher and Kevin Gallagher, who will open a newly named restaurant at 85 Hanna this summer.)

OLD STANDBYS There’s something strangely ’80s about The Liberty Bistro (25 Liberty, 416-533-8828) — not in a flashy hipster/neon sense, but rather this corner restaurant has the feel of a suburban art gallery, complete with track lighting, bauhaus-style chairs, silver-painted columns and smooth jazz on the stereo. If that vibe strikes you a bit chilly, the sizeable wraparound patio provides a more homely environment for your Sunday-morning eggs Benny.

Not too many establishments carry enough clout to have a street name changed to accommodate their arrival, but high-end pool hall The Academy of the Spherical Arts (416-532-2782) was, ahem, ballsy enough to have its former 38 Hanna address changed to 1 Snooker Street. Catering mostly to corporate clientele and special-event planners, the 20,000-square foot Academy boasts four luxurious theme rooms — each with antique tables — to lure in high rollers of all stripes (and solids).

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK It brands itself as an Irish pub — and the bountiful supply of Guinness and regular folk ‘n’ fiddle entertainment reinforce the tag — but on Saturday afternoons, the Brazen Head (165 East Liberty, 416-535-8787) feels unmistakably English. That’s when the red-scarved Toronto FC faithful fill up the bar’s three patios, break into random song and salute the TFC double-decker booster bus, like it was all part of some soccer-hooligan fantasy camp. By night, however, the Brazen Head assumes a more conventional after-work-crowd atmosphere, blasting alt-rock hits (from Arcade Fire to, um, Tonic) and serving up a menu that goes beyond the pub-grub standards to include bison burgers and butter chicken.

Though it doesn’t boast a patio, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention star chef Marc Thuet’s new Liberty Village deli counter/dining room, Atelier Thuet (171 East Liberty, Unit 153). Before you die, you must have the French toast sandwich — and with slices of smoked pork loin tucked between two pieces of fried bread in a pool of syrup, fruit and icing sugar, it just might finish you off.

And we can only hope that some of that rubble currently surrounding Balzac’s Coffee (43 Hanna, 416-534-7372)  — a charming 1940s-styled café housed in the unfinished Toy Factory Lofts building — will make way for some outdoor table action.

Email us at: LETTERS@EYEWEEKLY.COM or send your questions to EYEWEEKLY.COM
625 Church St, 6th Floor, Toronto M4Y 2G1