Since brother-sister duo Natalie Borch and Grant Van Rensburg opened Cake Cabaret in December 2024, they have built a community that can’t get enough of the performing arts lounge and their playful performances, welcoming environment, and of course, the delicious cake. 

Cake Cabaret hosts a variety of burlesque and drag cabaret-style performances at their venue on the Danforth, served alongside drinks and slices of cake. Borch describes their cabaret shows as a “fusion” of several art styles. “Cabaret is the perfect word to describe what we do, because it’s sort of this beautiful umbrella term that can include dance, burlesque, drag, comedy, theatre…we love using that, because we aren’t just one thing.”

This isn’t the duo’s first business venture. Eight years ago, they opened The Pink Studio, a dance and fitness club located a few blocks away from Cake Cabaret. Both businesses are built on the same principles of inclusivity, body positivity, and empowerment.

“People are often inspired by the body diversity that we have on stage,” Borch says. “The cast is very diverse, and not just with race and body type, but also with gender expression, with age…I think that makes people feel very connected and comfortable.”

At Cake Cabaret, Borch and Van Rensburg say they welcome many guests who have never been to a burlesque show before, or have only seen drag performances on TV. The pair prioritizes making these visitors feel at ease—assuring them they won’t be pulled up on stage (unless they want to be!) and offering seating options further back from the stage. While new guests might come in with some nerves, Borch and Van Rensburg notice that the welcoming atmosphere quickly makes them feel at home.

“The crowd is just so encouraging. As soon as you sit down, you start hearing how the crowd reacts to the performers, to each other, to the bar staff, to everybody,” Van Rensburg says. “You just know you’re in an environment that takes the intimidation out of it.”

Unfortunately, not every night has seen a lively crowd filling up the venue. Earlier this year, Cake Cabaret went viral on TikTok when Borch posted about a disappointing turnout at an event they hosted.

“We were so excited for our first sapphic social…and nobody came. We had so much cake…and then I just posted that. I just posted a video of us eating all the cake,” Borch says. The post travelled much further than she expected, with commenters reaching out from the U.S., New Zealand, Italy, and Australia. 

“We were getting messages from all over the world,” Borch says. “They were like, Wait, a sapphic bar that serves cake? That’s a dream. Why aren’t you packed?”

@cake.cabaret Don’t make us eat 8 cakes on our own next time because we will do it. Sapphic Social Every Wednesday in July 7pm 627 Danforth Ave in Toronto #sapphicsocial #torontoevents ♬ That’s So True – Gracie Abrams


The post also sparked an outpouring of support from Toronto’s queer community. “It was like this beautiful bird call of all the lesbians in Toronto,” Borch says. “You could see the reaction from the community of like, ‘No, this is important,’” Van Rensburg adds. 

The bar’s next sapphic socials were packed. As Borch notes, with the recent closures of local lesbian bars like Lavender Menace, the community is eager to protect queer events and spaces. While everyone is welcome at Cake Cabaret, Borch and Van Rensburg are committed to making the space feel safe for women and the queer community. 

“It starts with centring women and the queer community as much as possible,” Borch says. “For us, inclusivity means not being afraid to turn certain people off…we’re not trying to make everyone happy.”

For them, this means prioritizing community building over filling seats. During the World Series, following a Saturday night event cancellation, the pair decided to throw an impromptu queer Blue Jays watch party. 

“We probably could have put a sign outside, we’re on the busy Danforth, and said, ‘Sports bar upstairs for the Jays,’ and probably had more people in here,” Van Rensburg says. 

Instead, they intentionally framed it as a queer event—and the impact was evident. “It was probably 95% female presenting folks…a lot of queer people,” Van Rensburg says. “The folks here watched on the big screen and were just like, ‘Holy cow, I’ve never had this. What a cool experience…an impromptu queer sports bar.’”

When she and Van Rensburg first set foot in the venue that would become Cake Cabaret, Borch instantly knew they had found the right home for their business. Managing the 4,000+ square foot venue was a big undertaking for the pair, but worth it for the artistic opportunities it provides—with a big space comes big performances.

“We saw all the talent in Toronto, specifically from burlesque performers and drag queens and kings, who are performing on tiny little stages,” Borch says. “It is limiting what they can show in terms of their skill.” 

Now, there’s no shortage of all-out group numbers, flips, and headstands happening on the stage at Cake Cabaret, including at their popular Drag vs. Cabaret shows—a series of friendly faceoffs between drag queens and cabaret dancers. The next Drag vs. Cabaret event, themed around Wicked, will take place on November 14. 

For the month of December, visitors can look forward to Cake Cabaret’s Holiday Spectacular, an evening of cabaret-style burlesque, dance, comedy, and theatrics with a festive twist. “The feather fans are coming out, the sequins are coming out…very fun, very glamorous, very showgirl vibes,” Borch shares. 

Almost one year after opening, during their shows Borch still finds herself torn between watching the wildly talented performers on stage, and watching the audience react to the spectacle unfolding in front of them.

“There’s a lot of jaw drops. There’s a lot of gasps,” she says. “We love to deliver surprises. So even when people come in thinking they know what the show is going to be, I guarantee you there will be things you’re surprised by.” 

View the upcoming shows at Cake Cabaret and purchase tickets here.