OPEN/CLOSED: Toronto Restaurant News January 25-31, 2024
The OPEN/CLOSED is THE most comprehensive resource of the latest 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
🕘 8 min read
This week’s 22 arrivals are all over the map - in type of offerings and geographically - thus matching your current state of mind (Simultaneously craving multiple dishes/drinks/cuisines from several places? Same.) and helping navigate the ongoing traffic/construction/TTC sitch. (Read: debacle.)
p.s. 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
Psst. In search of the city’s newest hidden bar? Tucked above Chinatown’s Cantonese and dim sum destination since 2012, Rosewood Asian Cuisine (463 Dundas St. W.), discover Bar Rose, a tea-infusion cocktail bar with evocatively titled tipples - Drunken Iron Goddess, Grandpa's Tea, Ashtray Heart - and food by way of bar bites, dim sum, and wok creations.
Centre Street Deli has been serving up towering hand-cut sandos, scratch-made soups and other comforting Jewish fare in Thornhill (1136 Centre St.) since 1988. For those in the downtown core, skip the commute and head to their new outpost at Bay and Wellesley (995 Bay St.). Doors opened Tuesday.
Grill Gate’s latest stop on its trek across the GTA? Yonge and Sheppard (4907 Yonge St.), the second branch in North York, fifth overall, for the local burger, burrito, shawarma and sando chain.
Hot Pork launched on Saturday, steps from Trinity Bellwoods Park (932 Dundas St. W.). The star of the show? Chef Michael’s handmade sausages made without binders, fillers, additives or preservatives.
Le Bleu Coffee lands in the Wychwood nabe (728 St. Clair Ave. W.) with an array of coffee, sandwiches, pastries and gelato in De La Mer’s former digs.
Feeling peckish in and around Avenue and Lawrence? Head to M&A Cafe (1710 Avenue Rd.) for soup, sandwiches, cake and coffee.
One York Food Hall at Shops at One York (1 York St., 5th Fl) offers numerous concepts under one roof - all brought to you by Oliver & Bonacini (O&B), one of the city’s largest hospitality groups (and getting progressively bigger by the second). Many of the “bespoke” food stalls set across 10,000 sq. ft. are autological - Beauty’s Fried Chicken, Curryosity, Garden Variety, and Underground Sandwich, for instance - while others require a few more descriptors: Happy Tangle is “East Asian-inspired,” and Leña Restaurante spinoff Lala’s Cantina. Coming soon: Serviette, their riff on the American hot table. Opening special: Enjoy 25 per cent off food (excludes beverages) Monday to Thursday 11:30am–2:30pm until Feb 1. Bonus: In addition to seating for 300, there are flatscreen TVs and pool, foosball and ping pong tables. Fun fact: While this marks the group’s first food hall, another is on the approach - Queen’s Cross at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (220 Yonge St,), which interestingly shares the same food stands as One York Food Hall, with the addition of Captain Neon Sushi + Bowls, Cross Bar, Gil’s Fish & Chipperie, Maison Selby offspring Le Petit Cornichon, Red Sauce, and Swanky Burger.
From carpets to Bengali eats. Padma Restaurant moved into Brother’s Carpet Land’s former station at Victoria Park (3020 Danforth Ave.) with an assortment of Bangladesh specialities including bhorta, biryani, and curries, with breakfast available Fridays to Sundays.
U.K. sandwich chain Pret A Manger arrived in Toronto - via A&W of all places - in 2022, beginning with one downtown, followed by another in Downsview. The first standalone eatery featuring their signature sandos, salads, soups, desserts, and drinks kicked off in the heart of the Financial District (90 Adelaide St. W.) Tuesday. Grand opening festivities to follow on February 5 at 8am: The first 100 people customers will receive a free breakfast item, with other offers available throughout the week.
Since the loss of neighbourhood stalwart Wong’s Fruit Market (757 Queen St. W.), Queen west of Bathurst has been in need of a spot with fresh produce and pantry items. Introducing: Roncy Fruit Market (630 Queen St W.).
No need to fire up the grill. Roncy’s new The Royal BBQ Grill (390 Roncesvalles Ave.) has got you covered for everything from burgers to BBQ.
East Chinatown’s latest arrival, Saigon Pai (610 Gerrard St. E.), may look/sound familiar - It debuted in Cabbagetown (446 Parliament St.) in 2019, however doors have been temporarily closed for renovations for some time. Luckily, their Thai and Vietnamese fare is a hop, skip, jump (short streetcar ride) from the original.
On the hunt for homestyle FIlipino fare? Scarborough’s own Tagpuan Filipino Restaurant debuts its fifth location, first downtown (376 College St.), tomorrow at 10:30am.
Hot tip: Pacific Mall’s ToGo Cafe (4300 Steeles Ave. E., Unit B71B) has not one, but two new spots to get in on their coffee and tea creations and super-stuffed style macarons (aka fat-carons, ddung-carons): Scarborough: (3276 Midland Ave., Unit C117) and North York (5418 Yonge St., Unit 14).
Wan2 Food Mart (585 Bloor St. E.) at the corner of Bloor and Parliament is teeming with Asian pantry items and products.
CLOSED
Cafe Tibet Bar & Grill (390 Roncesvalles Ave.) was a fixture in Roncesvalles Village - and steps away from the Revue Cinema - for as long as I can remember. Thankfully, you can visit their other restaurant, Tibet Cafe and Bar, in Kensington Market (51 Kensington Ave.).
Following Mean Bao’s recent closure on Bathurst, College (376 College St.) has also wrapped up service.
Pho East arrived in East Chinatown (610 Gerrard St. E.) in 2017. Another Asian eatery has moved in. Details above.
NEWS
Praveen Kumar, Adrak’s chef, died unexpectedly.
The city’s annual prix fixe festival Winterlicious kicks off Saturday, running until February 8.
Food recalls continue to roll in: Alumauy Sweet Pepper recalled due to undeclared gluten. [UPDATE 26.01.24: Farm Boy brand Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies and Keto Brownies recalled due to misleading allergen information.]
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