The joint is jumping

From horse barn to gambling den to sports bar to upscale eatery, the Miller Tavern has had many looks over the years. What’s next after its new facelift?

Just after midnight on May 23, 1935, police with sledgehammers smashed through the doors of the Jolly Miller to conduct what was then the biggest raid on illegal organized gambling in Toronto history. More than 100 people were arrested, each fined $50 (around $840 today).

Fast forward 87 years and the twofloor establishment, now known as the Miller Tavern, on Yonge Street near York Mills Avenue in the Hoggs Hollow neighbourhood, is now an upscale country-club-style restaurant with few reminders of its gritty past: accent lighting glimmers off the plum-coloured banquettes, and porcelain floors bring elegance to the popular terrace area, where diners tuck into oysters Rockefeller, sweet pea risotto, and truffled mac and cheese.

It’s hard to find a seat on the crowded patio, where couples clink glasses of white wine and others sip cappuccinos under table umbrellas. Heat lamps and a faux fireplace add warmth to the space that must be especially welcome during the chilly autumn.

“The energy and vibe of the old Jolly Miller from the 1930s — and even from the ’70s and ’80s when it was more of a bar — is something we wanted to move away from,” says Hanif Harji, co-owner of Scale Hospitality, which operates the restaurant, retained by the City of Toronto and designated a heritage site in 1998.

“We know how iconic this venue is, but we wanted to bring highquality food and a friendly atmosphere to a high-income neighbourhood that wasn’t really being served,” Harji says, adding that the Miller Tavern is currently undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation that began during the pandemic.

The building was opened in 1857 as the York Mills Hotel, complete with a barn to house horses. Constructed by John and William Hogg, who had developed the Hoggs Hollow subdivision on their York Mills property, the hotel soon added a beer-soaked bar that attracted late-night revelers and vice raids.

Even into the late 20th century, the Jolly Miller kept up its reputation for debauchery, as North York students snuck past the bouncers with fake IDs, according to Peter Zander, who used to frequent the Jolly Miller in the ’80s and ’90s and has worked there as a bartender for the past 16 years.

In those days, and even decades earlier, the spot appealed to drinkers and sports fans seeking a pub north of downtown, as the Yonge and York Mills area has long been known as a nightlife desert.

Around 1994, owners the Pegasus Group renamed it the Miller Tavern, and shut it down from 1996 to 2004 to renovate the entire restaurant. It reopened with an interior palette of tan and shades of brown, and the pub food menu was upgraded to offer oysters, salmon chowder and Thai shrimp ceviche.

Scale Hospitality — which also manages Le Select Bistro and 15 other properties — took over the Miller Tavern 18 months ago and recognized how all the renos needed to be streamlined. So when the pandemic struck, Scale seized the opportunity, along with the kitchen, inviting chef Ted Corrado (Drake Hotel, Le Select) to bring some upscale finery to the dishes.

With the second floor, terrace and patio redone, Toronto design firm Block Plan Studios will soon transform the TV-heavy sports-bar-like ground floor to reflect the more polished look of the rest of the Miller Tavern.

“We want to create a connection with our clients where they’ll want to come back again and again,” says Harji, “and that means giving them great food in a beautiful space.”

Bartender Zander, 52, has seen the venue mature over the years. When he was in this 20s and living on Yonge Boulevard, he would head to the Miller to flirt with girls, drink $3 beers with his friends and dance to Bon Jovi and AC/DC.

What he appreciates today, now that the Miller has evolved, is what he calls “a true gem on Yonge Street.” He credits the patio for being a real draw.

“These days, so many outdoor spaces on Yonge are near the street and you’re dealing with car horns and exhaust,” he says. “But the Miller’s patio has such a warm feel and it’s secluded and feels like a real patio should. You don’t get that a lot on Yonge.”