Open/Closed: Toronto Restaurant News October 10-16, 2019
This week’s list offers 10 openings with a mixed bag of dishes and cuisines, and a whack of not-to-be-missed news items.
Good thing you’ve got the long weekend to digest it all.
Here’s the very latest:
OPEN
Bar Volo (17 St Nicholas St.) is back - not far from its original post on Yonge, where it stood for almost 30 years.
On the go? Blondies Pizza (88 Ossington Ave.) debuted its strictly take-out spot yesterday.
Cons & Kernels (363 Bremner Blvd.) has popped up next to Chin Chin Streetside downtown. You’ve got a week left to enjoy the popcorn with prison connections.
After being closed for what felt like forever due to a nearby fire, Curry Twist (3034 Dundas St. W.), home of “Fish Magic” and other enticing Moghlai-style fare, reopened Saturday.
Duke's Refresher (73 Front St. E.) has taken the place of Jack Astor’s in the St. Lawrence Market. In addition to cocktails, craft beer, and hand-stretched pizzas, you’ll find a two-player mini basketball court and throwbacks of every kind: classic arcade games, shuffleboard, pool and ping pong tables, and art by way of velvet paintings.
Canadian vegan fast food chain Globally Local (492 College St.) has softly opened with limited hours – 11am to 3pm until Saturday – and menu items including plant-based gyros and souvlaki. Stay tuned.
Gol’s Lanzhou Noodle adds to their Waterloo and Montreal branches with a Mississauga outpost in Square One’s Food Court (100 City Centre Dr.)
Take your time. You’ve got until January to get your hands on Hattendo’s Japanese cream buns at their pop-up in Square One’s The Food District.
Sotto Sotto, one of Drake’s preferred stops for an Italian repast, has expanded to the suburbs with Sotto Sotto Oakville (139 Trafalgar Rd.). But will it make it into a song like the first one?
Up until last week, 588 Snack Bar (588 College St.) was Chez’s. The new concept? Courtesy of Chez’s owners.
CLOSED
A handwritten note posted on Aroma Espresso Bar (500 Bloor St. W.) at Bloor and Bathurst announced its closure. [UPDATE: Oct 10/19 8:22pm - Two letters have been posted on the door from the landlord of the space, Harbour Sixty Steakhouse Inc., one of which is a Landlord’s Distress Warrant.]
Chez’s (588 College St.) shut down to make way for a new concept. See above.
Grinder Coffee (1021 Gerrard St. E.) will serve its last cuppa joe on October 27th.
EVENTS
The Toronto Wizard Inspired Beer, Cider, and Cocktail Festival takes place tomorrow.
Get into the holiday spirit with this weekend’s Toronto Pumpkin Fest.
VegHeads Market 2019 takes over Artscape Wychwood Barns on Sunday.
Torontoberfest (say that five times fast) is happening Thanksgiving Monday.
Toronto Cocktail Week kicks off on Tuesday.
NEWS
It all happened so fast, so here’s a quick catch up: Soufi’s, a Syrian restaurant and café on Queen West owned and operated by the Alsoufi family, announced a few days ago that it was shuttering due to hate messages and death threats. Paramount Fine Foods founder/CEO Mohamad Fakih stepped in. Soufi's is reopening Friday morning.
Canada did not make it onto the The World’s Best 50 Bars 2019 list. Maybe that’s a good thing, considering the controversy around Charles Schumann winning the Industry Icon Award after an interview published years ago resurfaced, with his misogynist comments, including: “A bar is no place for a woman.”
Leroy Earl ‘Bus’ Fuller of Earls, Joey, Cactus Club and others, has passed away.
Louix Louis in The St. Regis Toronto (325 Bay St., 31st Fl.) and DesignAgency won Best International Hotel Design Award at the 2019 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards in London last week.
Real Sports (15 York St., Unit A) is now RS with new space and menu.
As of Saturday, Odin Cafe + Bar (514 King St. E.) is 100 per cent plant-based. Blue matcha pancakes, anyone?
Harvey’s has partnered with Beretta Farms on their Angus burgers, now made from 100 per cent Canadian-sourced beef aised without antibiotics, added hormones or steroids.
Select Beer Store locations are open on Holiday Monday.
ICYMI
Discover why Mira Mira Sandwich + Ice Cream Bar should be your next stop, in this week’s The Arrival.
SoSo Food Club’s executive chef Jennifer P. Chung shares her latest cookbook purchase (it’s a good one), the worst advice she ever received (it’s really bad), her favourite watering holes (*adds to list*), and much more in this month’s At The Pass.
Peter Sanagan, owner of Sanagan’s Meat Locker has got you this Thanksgiving with his epic Roast Turkey with Stuffing recipe.
Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski also lends a helping hand this holiday weekend with his impressive, yet easy-to-pull together recipes recipes from his exciting new cookbook, Antoni in the Kitchen: Cheesy Lemon-Rosemary Artichoke Dip and Chile-Maple Roasted Chicken.
FYI
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Hear of a place that’s about to open or just closed? Have an upcoming food or restaurant event? Want to partner with Toronto Restaurants? Send me an email. writerscramp@stephaniedickison.com.