Bringing Some Magic to Toronto

Looking to add a bit of magic into your life? Look no further than the Lockhart. This bar is every adult nerds’ dream place to relax and hang out with friends.

The Lockhart was originally created by Pouria Fakhraei and Mathew Rocks. Who were these two before they created such a unique bar? Fakhraei and Rocks worked together as owners of a bistro in The Beaches. Wanting a change in their lives, they decided to open a new bar. Mathew Rocks brought his love of all things nerdy while Pouria Fakhraei brought her talent and love of cocktails.

Just over two years old, The Lockhart is a cocktail and tapas bar that caters to the nerd culture. Since its creation, the bar has gained a reputation of being a Harry Potter themed bar. Michael Keene, the general manager of the Lockhart in Toronto and Montreal said that “they are not a Harry Potter bar and we try not to be a themed bar. We are a place for people who like those kinds of fictions.”

The Lockhart tries to create an environment for people who are interested in this genre to come and relax and enjoy the services that are provided.

Keene said “it is important to create a space that is welcoming to everyone.” Which is why, according to Keene, that they do not try and only appeal to those who are fans of the genre. They welcome everyone who walks through their front door. Keene notes that even though there is Harry Potter memorabilia throughout the establishment, they do not identify themselves as a Harry Potter themed bar. “This can be seen as none of our bartenders wear robes,” said Keene.

For those who are not well versed in the world of Harry Potter, the name Lockhart has a very special meaning. In the Harry Potter book series, Gilderoy Lockhart is a character that appears in the second book as a teacher of defense against the dark arts. In the book, he is a famous wizard who has accomplished many great deeds. (Potential spoilers) He fabricated most of what he did only to make himself seem more impressive than what he really is. This is where the similarities between the character and the establishment stop however. Unlike the character, the bar actually lives up to expectations. Keene said that “he enjoys the character and he finds him to be hilarious.”

When a person enters the bar, they are met by countless references to the Harry Potter franchise. These range from the obvious to the more subtle callbacks to the Harry Potter world. The bar makes use of artwork and figures that any potter head will recognize. Be on the look out for these references because Keene said that “it makes us happy when our customers get all of our references no matter how small they may be.”

Onto one of the main reasons why one should visit the Lockhart. The unique cocktails. The Lockhart being primarily a bar, has no shortage of a drink selection. Just to name a couple: The Shacklebolt, The Botanist, The Captain Picard, Gin Weasley, Better Beer, Dr. Manhattan and many more. For any seasoned nerd, these names may sound familiar. For those who are not, the Shacklebolt is named after one of the side characters in the Harry Potter series. The Botanist is named after a class at Hogwarts called Botany which focuses on plant life. The Captain Picard is based off one of the main character from Star Trek. The Gin Weasley is based off one of the main characters in the Harry Potter Series, Ginny Weasely, who is the sister of one of the main characters. The Better Beer is a play on words for one of the common drinks that are found in the Harry Potter series, the Butter Beer. Lastly the Dr. Manhattan shares its name for one of the main characters found in the Watchman series.

The Lockhart has one other secret however. Besides serving specialty made cocktails, the bar also serves exquisite tapas. Keene said “our head chef, Mary-Rose Lessard runs a great kitchen and all our tapas is amazing.” Lessard has been recently featured in Now Magazine in an article on female chefs in Toronto. Keene said “the cooking industry has been dominated by men so it is nice to see that is starting to shift.” Some of the items that are included on their tapas list are: Smoked Cheddar Mousse, Herbology 101, Buttermilk Fried Horntail, Jerk Roasted Cauliflower, Smoked Salmon Croquettes and Shrimp Toast, to name a few. You may notice that a couple of these tapas have interesting and unusual names. That is because a couple are named after things one could find in the Harry Potter Universe. For example, the Buttermilk Fried Horntail is named after a memorable dragon that Harry Potter fought in the Goblet of Fire novel. The Lockhart is very clever with their naming. Keene said that “I am a big fan of puns and word play and I love how we have used references from the Harry Potter universe when naming our items.”

The Lockhart is not just in Toronto, the magic has moved to Montreal. Keene said that “we are looking to open other locations as well besides these two.” Keene said that he is confident that the brand is strong so it would make sense for them to expand the business. At the moment, the Lockhart is sticking with just the two locations.

Keene said that “we have a great customer base. We have customers from Toronto and even those from outside the city. We get really good people from all over.” Keene said that he finds it to be very rewarding by working at the Harry Potter bar because he always meets new people.

The Lockhart is a fantastic bar for those who would like to add a little magic into their lives.

Take a Look at what the Lockhart has to offer.