Brasserie Côte : The Great Sibling to Côte de Boeuf on Ossington

Brasserie Côte opened on the corner of Bloor and Brunswick in early March 2026, in the space that was By the Way Café for more than forty years. The arrival is a homecoming. Teo Paul grew up in the Annex. Eamon O’Dea adopted the neighborhood on his first Toronto visit in 1996 to surprise his Annex girlfriend (now wife) and has remained in his orbit ever since. The brasserie is, in the most literal sense, the neighbourhood project the two of them have been circling for years.

The Annex Was Hungry for a Brasserie du Coin

Teo and Eamon had been looking for a second address and when this ideal Brunswick/Bloor corner spot became available, it was a no-brainer. Eamon’s hand was up for a brasserie format from the start : a larger room, day-into-night service, a place where one can dine and converse in a convivial environment. During Eamon’s years in France, he was especially charmed by the brasserie du coin (local restaurant) where every neighborhood boasted a favorite. To eat or drink well any time of day without reservation constraints is living the moment ! Both Eamon and Teo wanted to bring this quintessential French style establishment to Toronto and recreate the Paris buzzy brasserie feel. You will no doubt find Eamon and his team on any given day making sure the room is perfectly tuned to the brasserie beat.

The Brasserie is the sibling to Côte de Boeuf on Ossington. The two restaurants share staff , a kitchen philosophy and their head chef’s classical French training (Damien Cochez, lead chef at Côte de Boeuf, anchors the kitchen here too). The menu at Brasserie Côte is wider. Charcuterie is served as a chef’s selection au comptoir, with saucisson and other cured options that rotate based on what the kitchen is working on. The mains include steak tartare au couteau, mackerel confit, escargots en coquille gratiné, and steak frites with a red wine shallot sauce. A weekend poulet rôti is on the docket. The desserts are quietly traditional: chocolate cake, vanilla cream choux pastry, and a tarte tatin that drops in regularly.

The plats du jour is where Chef Damien works his magic. Every day brings at least three new dishes alongside the classics, written up on a board and gone when they run out. All these culinary delights can be paired with a comprehensive wine selection from the major regions of France.

The Zinc Bar

The brasserie’s centrepiece is its zinc bar commissioned by designers in Savannah, Georgia, renowned for blending old-world 19th century French artisanal techniques with modern technology. The bar arrived in two halves, each weighing about five hundred pounds and is the focal point of the room. It is symbolic of the many encounters between Eamon and Teo during their Paris days.

Both Eamon and Teo had a vision for the room that was put together by Toronto designer Josh Hall, whose studio was responsible for the build and millwork. The Brasserie Côte logo on the outside storefront is a reproduction of a 19th Century Art Nouveau typeface, handpainted by Josh’s crew.

Eamon’s passion for restaurant culture comes from 27 years in the industry both owning and managing restaurants in Paris before moving to Toronto in 2015. It was during his SoMo (South of Montmartre) restaurant venture when Teo joined his team as head chef and started the cross Atlantic partnership that would later come to Toronto.

The Parisian-style patio, set to open in mid-May 2026, will run through spring, summer and autumn.

The Verdict

Brasserie Côte is the most obvious next chapter for Eamon O’Dea and Teo Paul, and also the most personal. The neighborhood is absolutely thrilled to have this brasserie du coin. For the Annex residents, this kind of opening does not happen often. For everyone else in the city, it is worth the trip.

Written by Fabie Lubin
Photography by Daniel Neuhaus

Updated on May 28, 2026

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