Best in Glass: Toronto’s Cocktail Titans Face Off

Mark your calendars: On Monday, September 15, 2025, all eyes turn to Arianna—Harbour Sixty’s Italian dining room—where Toronto’s cocktail culture will be in the spotlight.

From 5:00 to 7:00 pm, two of Canada’s most celebrated bars—Fairmont Royal York’s Library Bar and Bar XXX, both fixtures on Canada’s 100 Best Bars and Restaurants—go shaker-to-shaker for Best in Glass, the city’s buzziest bar battle.

Representing Library Bar are two seasoned talents: James Grant, Director of Beverage and 2021 World Class Global Bartender of the Year as well as Canada’s Best Bartender 2022, and Joe Dorio, a third-generation bartender whose refined yet inventive approach has helped shape Library Bar into one of Toronto’s icons.

Across from them, the team from Bar XXX—the acclaimed speakeasy brings equal firepower. Robin Wynne, one of Canada’s foremost rum experts and the bar’s GM, joins forces with Toronto native Joe Tevlin, a rising star who cut his teeth at legendary venues like Project Gigglewater and Cocktail Bar before returning to helm Bar XXX’s program.

The competition will be judged by an industry-savvy panel including Tiffany Desbiens, Arianna’s own lead mixologist and the most recent Bar Battle champion (judges’ vote), alongside Brenton Mowforth, cocktail connoisseur and Instagram personality.

Tickets are priced at $55 per guest (available via OpenTable). Each includes a welcome Perrier mocktail, two Valley of Mother of God signature cocktails crafted live by the competitors, and a curated selection of light bites from Arianna’s Chef Scott MacKenzie. Guests are encouraged to linger into the evening with Arianna’s à la carte menu, perfect for conversations after the last shaker has stilled.

With Toronto’s skyline as a backdrop and the aroma of modern Italian cuisine in the air, the night is set to be more than a contest. It will be a performance of craft, creativity, and the spirit of connection that defines the city’s nightlife.

Arianna 
60 Harbour St, Toronto, ON M5J 1B7
September 15, 5:00 pm–7:00 pm
Tickets: $55
Purchase at: opentable.com