Bolton residents are invited to celebrate the opening of The Bottle Bay at a May 23 community event outside the new downtown restaurant at 4 Queen St. S.
The grand re-opening is scheduled for 2 p.m., with owner and CEO Aaron Gawdi planning a tasting booth inside the restaurant, Caledon Citizen reported. The event follows the business’s initial grand opening on May 2.
The Bottle Bay specializes in Ontario-made wines, beers and spirits, alongside a varied food menu. Gawdi told the Citizen that tasting experiences and food-and-drink pairings are part of what he wants to offer guests.
The restaurant is Gawdi’s first venue of his own after more than 20 years of bartending experience and work in restaurants and hotels. He said that background helped him develop a menu intended to appeal to a range of customers.
His route to opening the business began during a drive through Caledon, when he noticed a small rental space in downtown Bolton. At the time, he did not yet have a plan for what he would do with it.
Months of work followed, including renovations and licensing challenges. Gawdi described the first opening day as a relief after that process and credited the people who helped and supported him as he prepared to welcome customers.
Canadian products are a central part of his plans for the business. Gawdi said he has been working with local distilleries and other companies to source products made in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada.
That effort has included visits to breweries, distilleries and wineries in Sudbury, Welland, Niagara Falls, Perth and Orangeville. He told the Citizen he wanted the restaurant’s drinks selection to focus on locally produced Ontario offerings.
Gawdi first came to Canada from Amsterdam decades ago through a student exchange program. He later returned, having decided during that earlier visit that he wanted to come back.
Since opening The Bottle Bay, Gawdi said customers have begun booking the restaurant for special celebrations, and some have already become regulars. He hopes the business will serve as a gathering spot for Bolton and Caledon residents.
The May 23 event will give him another opportunity to welcome the community, with the celebration planned outside the Queen Street South location and tastings inside.
