Tammy's Wine Bar & Cafe in Parkdale is like a serene oasis on a hot summer day in Toronto. 

Lush green plants spilled over the wraparound, swirling resin-poured bar. The smell of incense floated through the cool air, and the yellow and green Space Age furniture gave the place a vaguely retro feel.

Opened in 2022, Tammy's is the brainchild of Tim Morris and Jamal Watson, owners of Tommy's in Roncesvalles Village and Loveless in Dundas West, respectively. 

Bartender Milo Melanson says, "We kind of refer to [Tammy's] as the queer younger sister."

Apart from being loosely a cafe by day and wine bar by night (cafe versus bar hours are flexible), Tammy's is host to a number of recurring, queer-friendly events.

Tuesday is comedy night, Thursday is karaoke, and Sunday is open deck night. Every month, they host a movie night. Tammy's is also a venue for a variety of private functions. 

To expand its drink selection beyond wine, Tammy's partners with local breweries, such as Collective Arts. 

Another of Tammy's bartenders, Timothy Phillips explains, "It’s a rotating cast as far as drinks go. You tend to find something new every time." 

Tammy's staff boasts that they can make pretty much any drink. Of the three beverages I tried, each was equally delicious. 

The first was a concoction of the staff's creation. The orange-coloured cocktail with sliced lemon contained amaro, Aperol, rye and lemon juice.

This light and airy summer cocktail was fittingly called a paper plane ($14). Oh so refreshing, it almost made me forget we were in the middle of a heat wave. 

Next I tried Tammy's espresso martini ($14). The mixture of vodka, espresso, Kahlúa and simple syrup was sweet and made the unlikely combination feel integrated, unlike some other espresso martinis I have tasted. 

The last beverage I tried was a glass of Col Fondo ($14) imported from Italy. The sparkling red was surprisingly tasty and refreshing. 

Besides both alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, Tammy's also has a selection of baked goods made by their in-house baker. 

The cheddar jalapeno muffin ($4) was savoury with a bit of kick to it, and so good that apparently staff come in even on their days off just to grab one.

Their dark chocolate "haystack" ($4), consisting of cocoa powder, oats, coconut and toasted almonds, was chocolate granola goodness. As I was sampling Tammy's vast food and drink offerings, a cast of Parkdale characters came in and out—for things as minor as having a conversation, or as significant as getting opinions on a new culinary creation. 

"Before I even started working here, I would come because of the people I found here. It’s a community hub, unlike anything I’ve really experienced before," raves Melanson. 

Tammy's has managed to foster its own little community-oriented social scene in Parkdale. Artwork made by the bar-cafe's regulars hangs on the walls, and patrons often spin at events. 

"There's definitely something really magnetic about this part of the city and Tammy's," Melanson says. 

Leaving Tammy's (a little tipsy), I felt as if I had made a new set of friends—and had already begun planning my next visit.

Tammy's Wine Bar & Cafe is located at 1662 Queen St. West.