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🕘 10.5 min read

If a continuation of last week’s cookie frenzy doesn’t make you giddy, you’ve got your pick of experiences and eats in all corners of the city and beyond, and patios are in full effect. In the second week of November? Bring. It. On.

And everyone is trying to get on the Taylor Swift bandwagon including the City (my inbox is bursting with hasty emails, promotions and press releases) and the push for Christmas and New Year’s events are in full force, so if you thought it was busy before, you ain’t see nothin’ yet.

The comings and goings are also out of control: This week alone, I uncovered 31 establishments, nearly half in closures - the majority of which I bet you didn’t see coming.

NO ONE COVERS THE CITY LIKE THIS.

Psst. Want the inside track on what’s happening? In addition to subscribing to the TR Newsletter, keep your eyes peeled on the website (the #TRrending section is a good place to start) and follow Toronto Restaurants on Instagram and Facebook for breaking news and updates. 

Here’s the very latest:

OPEN

Scarborough grocery store Anush Market (880 Ellesmere Rd., Unit 9) kicks off on-site Anush Kitchen tomorrow, your new go-to for authentic Armenian barbecue, kebabs, and more.

Find butcher shop and deli A Tavola in the back of 7 Numbers’ Danforth outpost (307 Danforth Ave.), where a similar venture stood until recently.

Bake Sale had a whirlwind week: Saying a final goodbye to not one, but two shops (see CLOSED below), and launching a new one in a strip mall in Etobicoke (Six Points Plaza 5230 Dundas St. W.).

The Base Kitchen + Bar just touched down at Markham Road and Lawrence (3482 Lawrence Ave. E.) however already claims to be the “best kitchen and bar in Scarborough,” boasting an extensive menu showcasing everything from cream soups and kottu to burgers and biriyani.

Soft opening celebrations for Taiwanese resto Bento 886 in Markham (430 Hwy 7 E, Unit 5) are happening November 11 -16 with 10 per cent off all items.

Doors open Saturday for Rolando and Kimberley Oreiro’s BKookie’s Cafe in Little Italy (579 College St.) complete with brunch and baked goods. Find it where Il Padrino used to be.

Psst. Authentic Lebanese cuisine by Hola-born Chef Ali is happening in Beirut Bodega, a secret kitchen tucked inside Charlotte's Room at King and University (212 King St. W.).

Café Belém (546 College St.), Little Italy’s new destination for scratch made Portuguese-style sourdough, custard tarts, pastries and other goodies, is courtesy of father and son Carlos and Wiliam Oliveira of Portuguese resto Mercado.

Indian restaurant and cocktail bar Carnival promises a “celebratory” and “upscale dining experience” in The Junction (369 Keele St.). TR Tracker: Previously, the space at Dundas and Keele was home to Tâm Vietnamese Street Food and Café from January 2020 until January 31, 2024.

Waterworks Food Hall (50 Brant St.) has kept me hopping since doors opened this summer. The adventure continues with the arrival of East Annex Lounge, now open to the public. Attn Swifties: EAL is turning into The Tortured Poet’s Lounge November 13-24, a first come, first serve pop-up and listening lounge, complete with her tracks on repeat and libations inspired by T-Swizzle herself including Red Scarf Spritz and Lavender Haze.

1543 Bayview Ave. in Leaside has been seafood-centric this last while: Rimini De La Mer for a moment, and for a long time, De La Mer. Now Fair Catch Fishmongers has set up shop. Did you know? The fish merchant specializing in premium responsibly-sourced seafood also has a store at Yonge and Lawrence (3303 Yonge St.).

Wellness cafes are all the rage these days. Say hello to the city’s latest, Gleam & Sip on Dupont (215 Madison Ave.).

TR Hot tip: If you do only one thing this week/month, make reservations at Maven (112 Harbord St.). Owner/chef Shauna Godfrey (Godfrey’s Supper Club) is unveiling her striking new resto featuring modern, comforting Eastern European fare in Harbord Village on Wednesday, but you can book now. Stay tuned for a sneak peek.

The Night Baker’s soft and chewy cookies have landed in North York (5361 Yonge St.), marking the third location for the popular bakery by couple - and former chemists! - Leanne Enecio Cabrera and Mitchell Cabrera.

Peckish Fish & Chicken (638 Queen St. W.) specializes in - you guessed it - crispy chicken and fresh fish. It takes over where The Indian Thing came and went on the Queen West strip.

Quick service restaurant WingsUp! boasts over 35 sites across Canada to satiate your wing fix. The latest to drop? West side in Liberty Village (167 E Liberty St.).

In the works at College and Bathurst for some time, Zafoon Middle Eastern Restaurant (384 College St.) softly opened earlier this week, where DeePizz Pizzeria previously held court.

While 612 Harlowe (612 Richmond St. W.) is all about “authentic Italian” eats such as Mushroom Arancini and Chicken Piccata, the menu boasts global fare by way of dishes such as Moroccan Octopus, Ceviche of the Day, Miso Tofu Steak, and Crème Brûlée.

CLOSED

Aleppo Kebab put out an announcement Saturday that the Scarborough location (1960 Lawrence Ave. E.) of seven years has temporarily closed, claiming issues with the landlord as the cause. In the meantime, the one in Ajax (605 Church St. N.) remains open.

Goodbye but not for long. Cookie, cake and cupcake destination Bake Sale closed both stores Sunday: Bloor West Village (2300 Bloor St. W.) and The Kingsway in Etobicoke (3076 Bloor St. W.), however a new one has already launched. Pop up top for details.

Crowded House - the restaurant not the band - made Leslieville home (1161 Queen St. E.) for seven years before closing doors for good.

Arrivederci Ditta Artigianale (612 Richmond St. W.). But wait, another Italian venture has moved in. See openings above.

Cafe and bookshop F Mondays Coffee arrived in Corktown (368 King St. E.) last year.

Goodfellas Wood Oven Pizza at Jane and Bloor (1 Old Mill Dr.) was the second for the local chain and sole in Toronto. The branch in Woodbridge (4411 Highway 7) has also closed.* Various Goodfellas remain throughout the GTA. *TR Intel: Stay tuned for upscale Turkish/Lebanese fusion GulGul moving in.

The last night of service at Lime Asian Kitchen, aka Lime on Yonge (3243 Yonge St.), the restaurant “redefining Asian dining one dish at a time,” was Saturday. It isn’t the only Lawrence Park biz to shutter as of late. In fact, it’s extremely close in proximity to Stack BBQ that just wrapped things up.

New Town Family Restaurant (266 Coxwell Ave.), known for comfort food classics and all-day breakfast at the corner of Coxwell and Gerrard, has closed. A Notice of Termination of Tenancy dated September 16, 2024 is posted on the front door.

Rush - the bar not the band - put down roots in Little Italy (546 College St.), for a stint. The space is home to something quite different now. Details up top.

I was first to break the news yesterday - Sing Sing Adelaide Restaurant & Beer Bar at First Canadian Place (77 Adelaide St. W.) has shuttered after debuting in the Financial District only a few months ago.

Stock-in-Trade’s butcher counter and kitchen at the back of 7 Numbers in Greektown (307 Danforth Ave.) has been replaced. Details up top.

CHANGES

Empire Supper Club (220 King St. W., Unit 100) goes by Oria on King now. Apparently everything else remains the same, including its nightlife component, After Dark.

NEWS

The latest food recall: Hestars Temple Street Crispy Rice (Corn flavour) recalled due to undeclared milk.

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