Open/Closed for the week of May 2-8

t’s time to celebrate! The beginning of May brings with it 10 new restaurant openings and a host of exciting events.

Check out the very latest:

 
 

Open:

Bandit Brewery 
2125 Dundas St. W.

The new microbrewery opens Saturday. Doors open at noon. Stay tuned.

Bubby's Bagels
3035 Bathurst St.

Toronto’s first and only Kosher New York bagel store openedon Sunday. A wide variety of daily fresh made bagels are available as well as an array of cream cheeses. I’ll have a closer look soon.

Caplansky’s   
156 Cumberland St.

Caplansky’s Yorkville location opens this Friday.

Fat Bastard Burrito 
628 King St. W.

You can now satiate your burrito craving at King and Portland.

Hot Black Coffee
245 Queen St. W.  

Hot Black Coffee opened Tuesday. Get your java and pastries while shopping Queen West.

Istanbul Shawarma   
430 College St.

In the College and Bathurst area? Grab a quick meal of shawarma, kebab or chicken on fries.

Junction Local 
3076 Dundas St. W.

The new spot that does Southern fare, BBQ and a bit of Creole offers a wide range of enticing dishes including Fried Green Tomatoes ($10), Brisket Tacos ($12) and the not oft-seen Jambalaya & Gnocchi ($20) with Andouille sausage, roast chicken, tiger prawns, and mussels.

Maple Leaf Tavern 
955 Gerrard St. E.

Opened Tuesday night, the new tavern on Gerrard is open seven days a week. Lunch hours and official patio opening to be announced shortly. Note, until Tuesday May 10 they’ll be opening at 5pm. I’ll have a closer look for you soon.

Street Shak Caribbean Kitchen  
646 Queen St. W.

The quick serve modern Caribbean kitchen serves up island fare including the Street Shak Fish Sandwich.

Village Pizza 
759 Dovercourt Rd.

The new spot offers pizzas (from $5 to $26) such as the Mushroom Triad and Thanks, Obama! with BBQ Spam and pineapple, and two salads – Caesar ($8) and Beet ($7).

Closing:

Valdez is serving their last supper on Saturday, but will be moving to a "grander space" later this summer. Stay tuned.

Events:

Bring on the tequila + tacos and celebrate Cinco de Mayo today! 

We’ve got you covered this Mother’s Day – find out the top 5 spots in this week’s Best Of  and our guide for restaurants celebrating the special day. 

Champers lovers - You’ve got until Sunday to enjoy Yellow Week, where select Toronto bars, lounges and restaurants, where they will be offering a glass of Veuve Clicquot champagne for a featured price.

Veggielicious begins tomorrow and lasts until May 22. Over 40 spots around town will be offering vegan and vegetarian prix-fixe menus ($15-$40).

Sherway Farmers' Market begins their season tomorrow and will be open every Friday until October 28 in the parking lot at Sherway Gardens.

Spirit of Toronto - showcasing the finest whiskies and premium spirits from around the world - is happening Saturday.

The toast trend continues and to prove it? A Toast pop-up begins Saturday.

This Sunday, get your fill of momos at the Eat For Tibet Food Festival.

It’s not happening until the middle of June, but tickets are now on sale for Taco Fest. 

And lastly:

Bar Begonia chef Trista Sheen tells all in this month’s Chef Bites. 

Get the winning Grate Canadian mac n' cheese recipe. 

Enjoy tapas, paella and Spanish wine at LaVinia in Etobicoke.