The Everly: A New Face at The Table

Tucked into the corner of Wellington and Brock Streets in downtown Kingston, a brand new restaurant is underway. The Everly Restaurant and Lounge, located at 171 Wellington, is a massive construction site when I visit, but even in this state, you can clearly see that The Everly will be a beautiful and stunningly elegant addition to Kingston. Light streams in through the huge plate-glass windows. The ceiling soars above. There’s a feeling of spaciousness and airiness. It’s a perfect location, central but out of the hurly-burly. It is a surprisingly glamorous construction site.

Big things are not new to this location. It was in this very block that a young John A. Macdonald opened his first law office in 1835, a year before he was admitted to the Bar of Upper Canada.

The Everly’s owners, Amber Thom, and her partner, Jamie Hodges (a New Zealander who has spent the last 14 years in Canada), know a thing or two about restaurants. Together they co-owned both the gorgeous, ultra-stylish Juniper Café at the Tett Centre and Epicurious Catering. They’ve spent their lives working in the food industry and, amongst other things, they once ran the Red Brick Supper Club, a small dinner-party style private restaurant out of their home where reservations were hotly sought after.

The Everly, though, is a brand-new venture built from scratch and will be a unique addition to Kingston’s culinary scene. In style, it will evoke a 1930s Manhattan cocktail bar and supper club. Think soft jazz. Black walnut tables. Comfortable sumptuous seating. A massive, opulent chandelier. Warm, flattering colours and soft lighting, soaring ceilings, secluded, private spaces, a stylish outdoor patio, and wine and cocktails served in gorgeous glassware. And above all, seriously good food.

“What we’re after here is creating something that is classic and timeless,” says Amber. “We want to focus on warm hospitality and serving thoughtful food and drink with quality, professional service. We just want everyone to have a really nice time.”

The menu, which will change regularly according to seasonal availability, will feature sharing plates that will feed two to four people, as well as small and large plates. Menu items will include fresh pasta made daily on-site, local organic produce, local, humanely raised meat, and sustainable fish and seafood. Don’t be surprised to see special items crop up in the daily offerings – dishes like confit deep-fried rabbit, wagyu beef carpaccio, and on the weekends, whole suckling pig.

“We’ll be making our own ingredients,” says Jamie. “We will use the whole animal – nothing will be wasted. Prime cuts go onto the share plates. Bones will be used for stocks. Tougher cuts will be braised and then made into sauces or pates, terrines, charcuterie, and ragù for pastas. Working this way, we will be able to offer outstanding food at a well-considered, reasonable price point.”

Once dinner service concludes at 10pm, the bar will be open until late at night for food and drinks.

“We want this to be a classy, comfortable place that people can visit later in the evening,” says Amber. During the summer months, cocktails and snacks will be available on the 30-seat patio.

“We have recruited a team of 20 experienced, incredibly talented professionals from all over the province including Toronto, Ottawa, and Prince Edward County,” says Jamie. On the new team are sommelier, chefs, cooks, and servers. All will go through an intensive training program before the restaurant opens.