After two entire years in Toronto, I finally visited Caplansky’s and it was worth the wait. Had an absolutely fabulous beef tongue sandwich that was as soft and delicate as any I’ve ever had. The smoked meat was the bomb as well. Four taps and a few bottles. Not really a beer place per se, but you can’t go wrong here nonetheless. Look out for the truck at beer events around the city, and if you see it, get the smoked meat poutine... you’ll be happy you did.

It’s a good deli with a few great beers.

2011-03. Visited on a Saturday afternoon last March for a pub crawl, we sat at the bar and drank pints of tasty Denison’s Dunkel on tap. (I later returned here for a delicious dinner out on the patio with several of their feted plates.) Inside has just that old 50s cafe feel to it, complete with swivelling metal bar stools. Service is quite friendly and you can often find the owner serving up the pints behind the bar and encouraging us to taste some of their baked treats. Beer selection is good for Toronto, if not vast. Would return if in the area, for food and for beer! (4/10/9/10/9/13) 72%

Caplanksy’s offers excellent house-smoked meats with an all-micro beer list. I had the Thelma’s Grilled Salami sandwich and a bowl of the Split Pea and Smoked Ham soup, both of which tasted superb. It was a bit too early to enjoy a beer, but I noticed Denison’s Dunkel, Michael Duggan’s #9 IPA, Beau’s LugTread Lagered Ale, and Steam Whistle Pilsner on tap, with Mill Street Organic Lager and Amsterdam Natural Blonde, Nut Brown, and Framboise in bottles. So a pretty solid beer menu. Atmosphere is classic old fashioned deli, with blue-on-white walls, checkered flooring, and cozy two to four seater tables. A bustling patio and catchy background music gave the place a fun and lively ambience. Overall, this is the perfect spot to grab some lunch and a quick pint, and I will gladly return when I find myself back in Toronto.

A few taps, several craft beer bottles not really a craft beer destination. Good idea for a deli to have some craft beer however, and smells great inside. Close to Cloak and Dager.

2011-03-19. Stopped in with the Toronto Beer Week Pub crawl. Opted not to eat today, but the food looked good going by and the menu makes me excited to come back with the groupon I bought. Zane was a cheerful bartender for us despite being quite busy with the crowd and gave us each a cookie like thing that was delicious. Atmosphere is deli-like so you’ll either like it or not! It feels like a place for eating more than drinking, which is what it is so that makes sense. Pretty solid selection of Ontario brews. We opted for Denison’s Dunkel, but they also had Beau’s and Duggan’s on. Prices seemed pretty reasonable. Just okay as a beer destination, but pretty great as a beer friendly food destination.

Haven’t been to the new deli just the Monarch but I can vouch for the brisket. Zane’s got that stuff dialed in. That they have some good beer on hand is not a surprise - Denison’s had to be in there. FYI Manic Coffee a couple blocks down is also the shit and should not be missed. My scores are placeholders, except the food score.

At first I didn’t think this place would be worthy for this website, but then i thought if they have KIng Pilsner, Denisons Weissbier/Dunkel, Mike Duggan’s #9, and Mill St Organic on tap - why not? As for bottles, they have a good selection of Amsterdam, Mill St. This place is awesome for a morning hangover. Their smoked meat is by far the best in Toronto. The owner scouts the place during busy times, so you know the servers are on their feet. Not quite sure how the hours are at this place, but I know if your looking for a good lunch with a decent tap selection, this place is it! The only downfall is that they try to rush you out when you’re finished because they usually have a lineup waiting to get in.