It’s the use of electric green accompanied by a rich material palette “inspired by industrial machinery and fixtures,” notes +tongtong founder John Tong, that excites the senses upon arriving to the Drake Commissary. The Toronto-based restaurant is all about “quality, craft, and service,” he continues, fusing food production with the tasting experience. Being a kitchen, bakery, larder, and bar, it was imperative that the space be organized to cater to customer choices. A long wooden drop ceiling leads patrons from grab-and-go baked goods at the cafeteria-styled bakery to the bar and main dining area, where a teal-toned banquette with a playful bread loaf motif referenced in the upholstery wraps around the room. The “Photoautomat” picture booth is another surprising yet welcome twist.

Drawing inspiration from the industrial roots of its location in the Junction Triangle neighborhood, temporary and permanent art installations—selected by Drake’s in-house art curator Mia Nielsen—line the space. Most notable is the permanent 35-foot-tall digital mural “Ancient Hills” by Alex McLeod, which provides a colorful phantasmagoric backdrop to the dining room. The art, explains Tong, gives each venue of the brand its own identity, but also makes it “distinctly Drake.”