Open/Closed: Toronto Restaurant News February 11-17, 2021

🕒 8 min read

This weekend is chockablock with reasons to celebrate - Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day, and Family Day obvs - and the 17 arrivals below.

Happy Everything.

Here’s the very latest:

OPEN

The frenzy over Toronto’s first Windsor-style pizzeria, Ambassador Pizza Co. (946 Bloor St. W.) at Bloor and Dovercourt is well underway, so it might be a while before you can dig in.

Lorenzo Loseto, executive chef of George Restaurant, was making hand-crafted, small batched gelato and sorbetto during lockdown last year, so I made sure to add it my burgeoning list of spots to get ice cream and frozen treats across the GTA. The launch of Alberobello Gelato (111 Queen St. E.) is now official.

Arepatite by El Venezolano (2523 Yonge St.), the new concept by El Venezolano (818 Danforth Ave.) debuted a few months back. The uptown eatery is easy to spot (pink façade) and features enticing handheld items (e.g. arepas, empanadas, tequeños, churros).

Debbie Arnold grew up working and helping out at her parent’s family restaurant, Bridgeland, so launching food co. bakLOVEa, was practically written in the stars. Her homemade baklava became a full-on business this week after friends and family couldn’t get enough of her sweet, flaky pastries. Stay tuned, new flavours are in the works.

After letting you in on Biscotti Queen’s V-Day preview a few week's back, I’m happy to report the biscotti cookie biz by mother-daughter team Nancy and Jill launches Sunday, with pickups at The Windsor Arms Hotel (18 St. Thomas St.).

Castle & Coal (108 Dovercourt Rd.) at Queen and Dovercourt quietly opened December 16, so you’ve got some catching up to do. A good place to start? With Kouign Amann ($7.50), Cinnamon Sugar Brioche ($7.50), Chocolate Dipped Honeycomb ($7.25), Lemon Tart ($6.75), or Sticky Toffee Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce ($5) in hand.

Fried chicken sandos are the name of the game at Chick Magnet inside The Beverley Hotel (335 Queen St. W.).

A CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice sprouted up in Thornhill just last month, but there’s already another (11 Disera Dr., Unit 260) to add to your list.

If you read my wings article earlier this week, you’d already know about F.ing Bomb Fried Chicken, the new ghost kitchen inside Hapa Izakaya (602 College St.).

Find Korean Mexican popup Gogi Guys at Mississauga’s Texas Longhorn Grill (1077 North Service Rd.) starting Tuesday at 4pm.

Psst. House Scoops by ex-Buca Yorkville chef Mathew Cribari is the new home gelateria that should be on your radar.

There’s not a plethora of authentic Lahori food in the downtown core, so the arrival of Karahi Boys at Queen and Palmerston (741 Queen St. W., where Nando’s used to be) is cause for celebration. This marks the fourth location for the chain and first in Toronto.

Kibo Sushi House continues its expansion across the GTA with a satellite in Woodbridge (9587 Weston Rd., Unit 4).

As you can see, Kung Fu Tea has kept me hopping these last few years. The trend continues, this time with a shop in Scarborough (2361 Brimley Rd., Unit 5A).

Lavash (2746 Victoria Park Ave.), an authentic Armenian eatery in North York, came onto the scene in November. The extensive menu ranges from Muhammara ($7) and Filet Mignon Combo for One ($17) to Combo for 8 ($198) and Valentine’s Combo for 4 ($99).

In December, Jimmy Donaldson, aka viral sensation/YouTuber MrBeast, unleashed 300 delivery-only MrBeast Burger restaurants in the U.S. This week, multiple ghost kitchens launched in existing venues across Toronto. The menu consists mainly of smash burgers, chicken sarnies, and grilled cheese on an inverted bun.

Originally set to debut last spring, Pizzeria Libretto’s Junction joint (3011 Dundas St. W.) is finally open.

CLOSED

SIR Corp shuttered two Canyon Creek eateries last month. The restaurant group with Duke’s Refresher Bar, Jack Astor’s, Loose Moose, Reds, and Scaddabush amongst its portfolio, announced on Tuesday the immediate permanent closure of all three properties at Yonge and Gerrard: Scaddabush Italian Kitchen & Bar, Reds Midtown Tavern, and Duke's Refresher & Bar.

EVENTS

February Festival of Food, a virtual event by the Scarborough Business Association, launches tomorrow.

Taste of Oakville kicks off Monday.

The National Chowder Chowdown Festival continues until the end of the month.

NEWS

Ontario’s stay at home orders for Toronto, Peel, and York have been extended for two weeks, while places such as New York and Alberta resume indoor dining.

National Geographic just named Toronto as one of the best cities for vegans.

The latest Bon Appetit snafu entangled Toronto chef Charlotte Langley.

The world needs all the Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy it can get right now. The new show is also the perfect excuse to whip up one of his famous cocktails.

ICYMI

Earlier this week, the government announced NHL players are permitted to dine inside select bars and restaurants while the public remains restricted to eat in their homes and cars.

The Tragically Hip launched a lawsuit against Mill Street Brewery regarding their ‘100th Meridian’ Amber Lager. The iconic Canadian band released a statement to newsletter subscribers earlier this week, saying in part, “Many of you are probably under the impression that we are associated with Mill Street’s 100th Meridian beer – we are not.” According to the band, the brewery used their name, CDs “and even Gord Downie’s picture on their social media” in connection with the brew.

Award-winning chef Noel Cunningham just launched his new resto Cuisine by Noel, but made time to share some sage advice, a simple yet smashing cocktail recipe, favourite spots around town + more in this week’s At The Pass.

While other outlets scrambled to pull together limited-time Super Bowl offerings, I though it best to focus on standout wings you can order any day.

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Catch up on previous editions of the Open/Closed.

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