OPEN/CLOSED: Toronto Restaurant News December 14-20, 2023

The OPEN/CLOSED is THE most comprehensive resource of restaurant openings – virtual, brick-and-mortar, pop-ups, allll the things - and food/drink news in the city. No one does it bigger or better. Watch for the drop every Thursday. #iykyk

🕘  11.5 min read

Think things were hectic last week? Strap in: This week I uncovered over 30 establishments, more than half in closures.

Pro tip: If you haven’t already subscribed to the TR Newsletter, get on it. In this week’s edition, there’s an exclusive offer for subscribers to help with holiday shopping for all the food-lovers in your life.

Psst. Want to be the first to know what’s happening? In addition to the newsletter, keep your eyes peeled on the website (the #TRrending section is a good starting point) and follow Toronto Restaurants on Instagram and Facebook for breaking news and updates. 

Here’s the very latest:

OPEN

Italian sandos are the name of the game at Little Italy’s new La Bella Sangweech in Little Italy (584 College St.). That’s not all. Keep reading.

Since its arrival late last year, celebrity chef Vikram Vij and Eat Up Canada’s Bombay Frankies has largely been an out-of-town adventure. The latest outpost filled with frankies, salads, bowls, and kulfi debuted Friday in Etobicoke across from Sherway Gardens (197 N Queen St., Unit C), right next to one of Eat Up’s other ventures. Details below.

Mercado had an eventful fall last year - shuttering, then moving into their former Casa Portuguesa spot (682 Caledonia Rd.). Great news: Casa Portuguesa has returned with its classic homemade Portuguese fare, this time south of the 401 near Yorkdale (180 Bentworth Ave.).

All about grilling your own food and AYCE spots? Head to Chako BBQ & Izakaya’s new digs in Scarborough (14 Lebovic Ave.). This marks the fifth branch, second in Scarborough, for the Asian chain.

“Toronto’s first keto restaurant” Ketodelia Restaurant (3187 Yonge St.) just added a second location. Shop gluten-free, sugar-free, and low carb items at Jane and Annette (403 Jane St.).

LA LA Bakeshop, known for its buns, croissants and cakes, softly opens in Mississauga tomorrow. Discover the modern Vietnamese bakery’s third destination inside Oceans Fresh Food Market (4557 Hurontario St.). Bonus: To celebrate, enjoy 10 per cent off your order this weekend.

Psst. Last Call Cocktail Club just launched behind La Bella Sangweech (584 College St.).

Lima Charlie (189 King St. E.) has replaced what was forever Gabby’s across from George Brown College. Don’t worry, pub classics are still in effect, including mozza sticks, burgers, wings, pizza, salads, fish and chips, and chicken tenders.

Los Compas Tacos (140 Spadina Ave., Suite A101) moved into a former weed shop at Queen and Richmond. Grand opening is happening Saturday, complete with free tacos (4pm-6pm) and mariachis.

I told you Maverick’s Donuts Parkdale (1618 Queen St. W.) was on the way. Doors opened Friday.

There’s a new Mexican resto, tapas and agave bar in town. Mezcantina kicks off service at Church and Bloor (640 Church St.) on Saturday with an array of tacos, enchaladas, botanas, and especialidades - house specialities.

Old Flame Brewing Company launched in the Distillery District (45 Tank House Lane) around this time last year, however closed temporarily in May. Newsflash: OFB’s back, just in time for The Distillery Winter Village.

In addition to coffee, cakes, Korean Street Toast, and bingsu, Yonge and Finch’s The Peachy (5650 Yonge St.) offers lattes you don’t see everyday. See: Super Sweet Corn, Real Sweet Potato, Mugwort, and 5-Grain.

After “coming soon” for over a year, Hawaiian concept Pokeworks finally arrived in Etobicoke in a former Panera Bread (197 N Queen St., Unit B) p.s. Stay tuned. Another is slated for March at The Well. Did you know? The poké bowl co. is part of Eat Up Canada’s portfolio - recent additions include MightyBird and frankie eatery noted up top.

Find Italian fishmonger Rimini De La Mare by new resto Rimini Rimini in Leaside (1543 Bayview Ave.) where De La Mer’s seafood shop stood.

ISO an aesthetic cafe to fill your feed? Look no further than The Tiny Cloud Café at College and Spadina (439 Spadina Ave.).

Turkish bakery Solmaz Patisserie debuts a second location in Etobicoke today at Sherway Gardens (25 The West Mall, Unit 1108) teeming with lokum (aka Turkish Delight) and baklava.

“High-vibe, come-as-you-are, open to all walks of life” LGBTQ+ bar and resto The Well (not to be confused with the new mixed-use development downtown of the same name) was hatched in Hamilton and over the years has grown throughout the province: London, Windsor, Waterloo (coming soon) and until recently, here on Church St. Confetti bomb: They’re back in the 6ix, now on the Queen West strip between Bathurst and Spadina (482 Queen St. W.).

CLOSED

Forest Hill Village’s Aroma Espresso Bar (383 Spadina Rd.) has closed up shop. Coming soon: Café Landwer.

GTA born and raised Burrito Boyz has been adding to the fam lately, but after nearly two decades, said goodbye to its long-standing home in the Entertainment District (224 Adelaide St. W.). The reason for the closure? A common refrain these days: “The upcoming condo development on this piece of property.”

Dice launched in Yorkville (162 Cumberland St.) during the pandemic. The fruit bar and cafe’s moving online for now.

Salvadorian pupusa destination El Pulgarcito’s digs in Scarborough (20 Nugget Ave.) have come to an end.

Encounter Tea’s Chinatown location (439 Spadina Ave.) is home to another cafe concept now. Details above. It turns out ET’s venture in Markham at Pacific Mall (4300 Steeles Ave. E., Unit E65), has also shuttered. Both launched during the pandemic.

While the King East Gabby’s (189 King St. E.) may already be gone, 12 locations are up and running.

Halaleez Chicken & Gyro (1733 Eglinton Ave. E., Unit 5) came on the scene last year. It temporarily closed for “winter maintenance” until earlier this year, however it’s been marked as permanently closed on Google.

Sam and Wan’s authentic Thai restaurant MongKut Thai Gold landed in Greektown in 2002 - originally as Mong-Kut Thai at 596 Danforth Ave. (now Simone’s Caribbean Restaurant), followed by a spot across the street (471 Danforth Ave.). After 21 years of service, the couple announced they’ve decided to “take a break to return home to be with family for an extended period of time.” Opening soon in its place: Menali Kitchen – Nepali MoMo, Indian, and Hakka Cuisine. Did you know? MongKut was the first Thai resto on the Danforth.

Mr and Mrs Bao’s Vaughan outpost (9200 Weston Rd., Unit 12) debuted in 2019. Husband and wife Julia Hou and Steven Mao started the biz in 2017 with a food truck, eventually growing to brick-and-mortar establishments - five locations as of 2022 - but faced multiple break-ins last year. A food truck and location by the name of Mingle by Mr. & Mrs. Bao remains in London, Ontario, along with a Hawaiian venture, Poke Poke. They launched a Kickstarter campaign but the project failed to meet its funding goal last month.

Peter Pan’s wine bar and shop next door, Peter Pantry (371 Queen St. W.), arrived Fall ‘21. Doors close for good January 1.

That’s a wrap for Sausage King by Bespoke Butchers at St Lawrence Market (93 Front St. E.). While the local links shop has drawn to a close, Bespoke Butchers continues operations in The Annex, on the Danforth and in Leslieville. Did you know? Sausage King was a fixture at the world-famous food hall for decades under various owners including Oliffe Butcher Shop, who acquired it in September 2011, followed by Bespoke in 2019.

One week after I reported the closure of TuckShop Kitchen’s Leslieville outpost, owners Robb Eng and Jake Taylor announced the remaining and original outpost (1640 Dupont St., Unit 3) is shuttering Friday December 22. Being awarded a $20,000 grant earlier this year by Desjardins and starring in their commercial wasn’t enough to keep doors open. They cited the pandemic’s emotional and financial toll as the driving force for the closure.

CHANGES

Recent arrival Le Conciliabule Lab (350 Berkeley St.) goes by the name Bisou now.

NEWS

Convenience stores finally got the go ahead to sell beer and wine, however it’s not coming into effect just yet.

Toronto City Council approved CaféTO program improvements “to better support restaurants, diners and a longer outdoor patio season.”

The complete 2024 Winterlicious lineup, 211 restaurants in all, has been released.

Have you been keeping up with the food recalls? The latest additions: Certain Little Gourmet Organic Mealtime Bowls recalled due to pieces of wood. And last week’s Cantaloupe recall has been updated to include Loblaw banner stores: Loblaws, Superstore, Zehrs, Valu-Mart, Fortinos, and Your Independent Grocer. [UPDATE 15.12.23: Golden Mushroom Enoki Mushroom recalled due to Listeria monocytogenes.]

Please support local businesses whenever possible. 

Life moves fast. Catch up on previous editions of the OPEN/CLOSED.   

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