History
The Caesar was invented in 1969 by Walter Chell at the Calgary Inn, who blended fresh-mashed clams, tomato and spices to create a Canadian version of the Bloody Mary. Mott's launched the Clamato clam-tomato juice base shortly after, locking the recipe into industrial production. By the 1980s the Caesar had become Canada's national cocktail; Toronto bars including Allen's on the Danforth pour it as a brunch and aperitif standard alongside variations with smoked-salt rims and pickled-bean garnishes.
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Common allergens: Shellfish
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 45ml vodka
- 150ml Clamato juice
- 3 dashes hot sauce, Tabasco or Frank's
- 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- Pinch of black pepper
- Celery salt for the rim
- Lime wedge
- Celery stick and skewered olives or pickled bean to garnish
- Ice cubes
Method
- Run a lime wedge around the rim of a tall glass. Dip the rim in celery salt to coat.
- Fill the glass with ice cubes.
- Add vodka, then top with Clamato juice.
- Dash in hot sauce, Worcestershire and a grind of black pepper. Stir gently.
- Garnish with a celery stick and a skewer of olives and a pickled bean. Squeeze the lime in.
Tip from the editors. The celery salt rim is non-negotiable. Use Mott's Clamato; homemade clam-tomato purees don't carry the same balance. A splash of pickle brine helps.
Where to eat caesar cocktail
Caesar cocktail in Toronto
Bar Raval ★ 4.7
Bar Raval on College runs vermouth on tap and Spanish bar snacks from a mahogany Art Nouveau counter since 2015, Grant van Gameren's room the Michelin Bib.
OrderA vermouth on the rocks with a slice of jamon iberico.
DrinkVermouth on tap, manzanilla sherry
FoodPintxos and Spanish snacks
TipWalk-ins only. Arrive before 17:30 for an easy stool; the doors open at 13:00 every day of the week.
Bymark ★ 4.4
Bymark on Wellington in the TD Towers atrium is Mark McEwan's downtown chophouse since 2002, floor-to-ceiling wine cellar and the city's reference business.
OrderThe dry-aged ribeye, or the Bymark burger with truffle and brie at lunch.
TipLunch service the easiest reservation. Sunday closed; Saturday dinner only. The McEwan Group runs three other rooms in town.
More places near Bar Raval and Bymark
Not on this list, but close by, nearest first. Every one is in our guide with its address, hours and what to order.
- House of Gourmet Cantonese, about 250 m away
- Horseshoe Tavern Nightlife, about 250 m away
- Swatow Restaurant Cantonese, about 300 m away
- Banh Mi Boys Vietnamese, about 300 m away
- Alo French fine dining, about 350 m away
- Aloette New American, about 350 m away
More cities are in research. Want caesar cocktail covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.