🕒 8 min read

September always bustles with openings, though usually later in the month. Still, the propulsion of new businesses at a time like this is astonishing.

This week’s incoming 22 keeps up the pace while offering a variety of cuisines (Hawaiian! British! Portuguese!) and price points (affordable takeout to fine dining).

Here’s the very latest:

OPEN

Delicacies such as Hokkaido King Crab Milk Ramen, Angus Ox Tongue Skewers, and Double Cheese Double Eel Maki are just some of the offerings off the voluminous menu at AKA-ONI Izakaya (550 Highway 7 E, Unit 66) in Richmond Hill.

Jacob Wharton-Shukster - owner of Le Phénix, Chantecler, and Chantecler Boucherie – just launched fab pop-up Bitter Days Bar (1320 Queen St. W.) at Chantecler, with one of the city’s top mixologists, Josh F. Lindley (also co-creator of Bartender Atlas and Toronto Cocktail Conference) at its helm. Stop by for delish amaros/bitters/vermouths, warm hospitality, and spirited convos with Josh about Gossip Girl, basketball, and hardcore music. 

Chef Michael Kirkwood (Avalon, Opus, Pangaea, Birchwood, Holt’s Café) is whipping up modern British fare - think farm/forest to table with a royal touch: Smoked ricotta with snails, wild mushrooms and salsify; Beef tartar with smoked egg, horseradish cream; Rabbit loin with colcannon - at Royal York’s newest entry, Bramble Gastropub (2956 Bloor St. W.). Soft opening tonight.

Scarborough’s Chachi’s Chai Bar (69 Lebovic Ave., Unit D-101) serves up a mixed bag of chai, specialty coffee, Indian street food, and fusion fare (Chicken Masala Poutine, anyone?).

Starting Monday, The Chefs’ House Marketplace (215 King St. E.) will be brimming with breakfast sandos, hot daily specials, prepared meals, butcher selections, and dessert options. 

Don Alfonso 1890 is back starting Wednesday. The iteration this time around: a 60-seat pop-up in the Conservatory of Casa Loma. Classic and contemporary tasting menus, a fixture of the former fine dining restaurant, remain.

Established in 1948 and closed since 2014, the El Mocambo (464 Spadina Ave.), rises from the ashes tonight in its new $30M reno’d digs.

Jesse Fader and Rob Jones launched their second Extra Burger (1265 Dundas St. W.) last night. Bonuses: 1. The wine ‘n burger spot is roomier than the original. 2. You might set your sights on Dominique Beaudry Wright.

Nando’s isn’t the only flame-grilled Portuguese chicken game in town. Head to Galito's Flame-Grilled Chicken in Thorncliffe’s East York Town Centre (45 Overlea Blvd., Unit 3) for some peri-peri goodness. 

Build your own or choose signature poké bowls and burritos at Hoki Poké’s new satellite at Markham’s Commerce Gate Plaza (505 Highway 7 E, Unit 96-97). 

Fans of Kitchen M. and Ming’s Noodle Café will like the Hong Kong-style baked rice and cart noodle soup offerings at North York’s Joy Noodle Café (5195 Yonge St.).

It’s been a wild ride tracking Kung Fu Tea openings. The ninth(!) in the GTA just landed in Richmond Hill at Commerce Gate Plaza (505 Highway 7 E, Unit 96-979665 Bayview Ave., Unit 11). Grand opening celebrations are this weekend with a BOGO deal on all drinks.

The search for authentic Filipino and Ilocano fare is over, thanks to Kuya Joe's Kitchen (803 Markham Rd.) in Scarborough. Their grand opening was Saturday.

Pro tip: Get in on the Hong Kong style noods happening at Maggie Chu’s Noodle Bar (1566 Queen St. W.).

The HK-style fare at My Kitchen (240 Alton Towers Cir., Unit C8) in Scarborough is waaay affordable: Congee ($3.50-$7.50),Steamed Rice Rolls ($3.50-$4.50), Sandwiches ($2.99-$4.50) Noodle Soup ($6.25-$$6.99), Lo Mein ($6.99-$7.99), and Casserole ($10.25-$12.99), to start. 

Pepper’s Food & Drink (189 Wallace Ave.) from the folks behind Seoul Shakers, Hanmoto, and Pinkys Ca Phe, snuck onto the scene Friday.

“Toronto’s first piadina restaurant” has arrived. Piadina by Monti (6 Markham St.) specializes in handheld grilled flatbreads stuffed with cheese and other ingredients, a popular street food found throughout Romagna.

The apocalypse has thrown a lot of new concepts our way, but I was not expecting robot barista to be one of them. See for yourself at the “no human barista required” RC Coffee (1235 Bay St.).

For serious summer vibez, head to Yorkville’s latest arrival, S’Cream Ice Cream + Coffee (126 Cumberland St.).

BBQ szn is never over, thanks to aptly named Korean charcoal barbecue eatery, Soot (6174 Yonge St.).

The Puck Sports Bar and Grill in The Annex has been replaced with Wild Wing (362 Bloor St. W., Unit 3), steps away from another wing-centric chain, St. Louis Bar & Grill (376 Bloor St. W.).

Chef Daeu Kim’s Yorokobi Japanese Restaurant (7771 Yonge St.) in Thornhill debuted last night.

CHANGES 

Celena’s Bakery recently moved one block west (1938 Danforth Ave.).

Leaside fixture BigMan’s Pizza (1528 Bayview Ave.) has added Kissing Bun to its lineup. What is that exactly? According to an employee, “Asian food: deep-fried on the bottom, boiled in the middle, steamed on top, with soup inside.”

CLOSED 

The owner of Bake Shoppe (859 College St.) announced earlier this week that the bakery will be closing at the end of the month.

District 34 (516 Danforth Ave.) launched in January, but has closed due to the pandemic.

The Ossington (61 Ossington Ave.) is shutting down in a few weeks at its current spot… but is opening elsewhere. Stay tuned.

Starving Artist’s St. Clair West outpost (1078 St. Clair Ave. W.), the second of the chain, isn’t around anymore, but there are six locations across the GTA should you need a waffle fix.

EVENTS 

AsialiciousTO kicks off tomorrow. Explore 180 Asian restaurants, hotels, cafes, bakeries, food courts, grocery stores, and food trucks offering special promotions until October 11.

The 36th Veg Food Fest will be online this weekend.

The STC x Street Eats Summer MRKT Series continues this weekend with a Mac & Cheese Fest.

Get tix now for Farms for Change.

NEWS

CafeTO patios of Queen West’s Chantecler and Guu Izakaya were wiped out by a car crash earlier this week.

Hold tight, Sneaky Dees isn’t history yet.

Popeyes famous Chicken Sandwich drops north of the border on Monday.

Impossible Foods has arrived in Canada. Stay tuned.

ICYMI

This week’s At The Pass is extra. In the best way.

It’s not the CNE, but it’s a reasonable facsimile.

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Hear of a place that’s about to open or just closed? Have an upcoming food or restaurant event? Need help to spread the word about your business without spending $$$? Get in touch.