Leaving behind the cacophony of Avenue Road, I walk into Denovia Wellness through its heavy glass doors to an immediate aura of calm. Discreet white banquets and small tables are set invitingly against the wall opposite a sushi bar that runs the length of the room. It is obvious that each component here has been built with fine natural materials--the linen upholstery, the beautiful counter, the floor and particularly the lighting. No detail is out of sync. In music, it would be the perfect chord. My place-card is next to a full-blown pink peony. Trying to stay graceful, I clamber on to my bar stool (noticing the Japanese fabric upholstery) and wait with controlled anticipation.
Are my eyes playing tricks? Where are my glasses? Is that an espresso machine behind the sushi bar? Yes. Majestic and gleaming with all the bells and whistles. Barista royalty takes ownership of the space: travelling from Brazil, 2023 World Barista Champion Boram Um and his award-winning Pink Bourbon Coffee has been invited to an exclusive, three-day Toronto residency. He smiles casually and offers me a coffee.
Before I’ve finished my exceptional espresso, there is another surprise. Masaki Saito, the two-Michelin star chef of Sushi by Masaki Saito stands at the other end of the bar, placing tiny blossoms with surgical precision atop a crisp nori cylinder filled with scallop tartar and yuzu crème fraiche.
The menu of five courses of unique sushi paired with alcohol and coffee cocktails is called Awakening. Sitting back, feeling privileged, sipping my luscious espresso topped with heart sculpted foam, I say to myself, “Sara Waxman, this is your lucky day.”
Each paired-course of coffee and sushi seems to have an underlying message, a hidden intellectual component that is fun to discuss and consider. For example, Smoked Cream is a delicate boat-shaped tart shell filled with goat cheese, smoked salmon and goat cheese. The beverage, Tiramisu Latte, is topped with a one-inch velvety layer of mascarpone cheese. The subtle humour here does not escape me. The “mother” of this course is smoked salmon and cream cheese on a bagel. Dual Awakening is my favorite thus far: two worlds collide with two XL size fresh oysters from P.E.I. topped by lush lemony cream and bejeweled with caviar.
The animated DJ Saltyegg has everyone grooving to the music, and he pauses while William Cheng, innovator and creator of the city’s top Japanese restaurants, extends a warm welcome to all the guests, Barista Boram Um, and introduces us to owner Nick Wang, Alex Sadowczyk, Head Chef at a sister restaurant, ONZE, and Manager of Denovia, Tinna Y.
The mixologists behind the bar are shake, shake, shaking those cocktail shakers with panache. Golden Paloma is an espresso cocktail with Tequila, paired with Uni on a crisp toast.
I am becoming aware of the effects of four alcohol/coffee cocktails—and it’s not even five o’clock.
Dessert—my favorite. Masaki Saito’s signature dessert, Green Tea Blanc Mange sparkles in a crystal coup, and is admirably paired with a classic Espresso Martini. Along with his co-workers today, Tsuyoshi Yoshinaga and John Matthew Cadiz, he has created an extraordinary dining experience.
There are a lot of shenanigans going on, and now, to the games! Rock. Paper. Scissors. Vaguely familiar from my childhood, but while the winners are receiving substantial prizes, I am still struggling to find the rhythm. Masaki Saito offers to come and be my partner and “teach me the ropes.” He does Rock. I do Paper. I win—now I join the final playoff. They all do Rock. I do Paper. I won! I won! And what a prize it is: Dinner for Two at Sushi by Masaki Saito, his Michelin-starred restaurant. My lucky day indeed.
But let’s not forget the Wellness component. Upstairs, Denovia reveals the final piece of its personality. Beyond the sushi and coffee lies a serene wellness sanctuary where ancient eastern healing traditions meet contemporary technology. Treatments range from Indiba radio-frequency therapy and AI-assisted moxibustion to IV hydration therapies, wellness scans and immersive Himalayan sound baths—each designed to restore balance in a distinctly modern way. The signature sound bath experience uses handcrafted Nepalese and Himalayan singing bowls to promote relaxation, mindfulness, and nervous system restoration.
Denovia Wellness isn't simply another restaurant, coffee bar or spa. It is an ambitious reimagining of how we gather, dine, celebrate and care for ourselves. In a city where concepts often chase trends, they have created something far more memorable—a destination where exceptional cuisine, world-class coffee and restorative wellness coexist in perfect harmony. This is the future of lifestyle experiences.
Denovia Wellness, 2656 Yonge St Unit 2, 647-335-2656