Barque Smokehouse

Toronto barbecue spent a decade being either a novelty or an apology, and Barque was among the first rooms to treat it as cooking. The brisket is smoked overnight and sliced to order with the bark intact, which is the whole argument, and it is consistently good rather than occasionally spectacular.

Ribs come off the bone without falling off it — a distinction that separates people who understand barbecue from people who have read about it. The smoked cauliflower is the rare vegetarian dish in a meat restaurant that is not a consolation. The bar is a real bar, with cocktails made properly and a wine list that has had thought applied.

Honest notes: it is expensive once sides go on the bill, the portions are restaurant-sized rather than Texan, and it is dinner only. Book at weekends. This is barbecue as a night out, priced accordingly, and on that basis it delivers.