Cocktails & Inclusivity at Lavender Menace

Lavender Menace is a lesbian-owned cocktail Bar in Leslieville that caters to people from all walks of life. It is a cozy and welcoming space that has a cocktail menu inspired by classic recipes and flavours from the 60s and 70s. In terms of the food, the dishes are influenced by home-style cooking in the American South. Their meals are made for sharing, and they use traditional ingredients paired with creole and cajun spices.

The co-owners of Lavender Menace, Vivian Lynch and Agnes Lee, were initially operating a cocktail spot known as Yard Sale Bar. After noticing that LGBTQ+ bars seemed to be disappearing from the city and that there were limited options for a night out in Leslieville, their “gay-friendly cocktail bar” was transformed into “a no holds barred celebration of (their) history & culture.”

A portion of history is captured within the name itself. Lavender Menace is named after a small group of lesbians that fought for recognition in the 70’s Feminist Movement. Furthermore, Vivian and Agnes have developed this space in order to highlight historical events and those who fought for the recognition and rights of women and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Lavender Menace has a general retro feel, from their furniture to only playing music that was made between the 70s and 90s, the overall atmosphere further builds on their tribute to events and revolutions from the past.