Located in Toronto’s east-end Beach neighbourhood at 2116 Queen Street East. Castro’s Lounge is noteworthy for its broad beer list, its vegetarian menu, and its live entertainment. The walls are filled with famous pictures that Castro’s regular Jeremy Smith describes as “Revolutionary.”
The menu us 100% vegetarian. It also has vegan and gluten-free options.
“They have great food,” Smith says. “The owners are great, when you’re a regular like I am. They know your name and what you want to drink.”
Smith says he tries to come down as much as possible, especially on Wednesday nights to see the Mediterranean Stars, a band that has been a staple on Wednesday nights at Castro’s for more than a year. “It’s just music – live music, no TV’s, the beaches are missing places like this,” Smith said.
Castro’s begins to fill up as the night goes on, especially on Wednesdays.
Sam Sharkawy, the guitarist for the Mediterranean Stars says, “Every Wednesday’s different from the last, so it is always very exciting to step in to Castro’s at 7:30 on a Wednesday night. You never know what you will get and how the night will unfold.”
Sharkawy also adds that “Personally for me I get a real kick listening to the thick musical textures created (on the fly) by the bass, violin, and accordion. And then there are the tunes that we start slow and gradually speed up (Dark Eyes, Zorba) that everybody in the joint gets to participate in.”
The Mediterranean Stars features Sam Sharkawy on guitar, Jared Craig on bass, and Fabrice Sicco on accordion. Also featured on a regular basis are Leslie Dawn Knowles on violin, and Rhanda Bonet-Graham on vocals.
If you’re passing by Castro’s Lounge on a Wednesday night, drop in and enjoy the electrifying atmosphere.
Referenced: East Yorker Friday July 26, 2013 – Issue 009 – info@eastyorker.ca
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