OPEN/CLOSED: Toronto Restaurant News November 4-10, 2021
Photo courtesy of 156 Cumberland.
My iconic 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. #ifyouknowyouknow
🕒 12 min read
Historically, November is a sleepy month when it comes to new haunts. Things started to rev up a few years back, but the pandemic’s set the whole landscape into overdrive. Case in point: This week’s unexpected 26 arrivals. At least it’s a lively assortment, giving you lots of options whether you’re ordering in or dining out.
Here’s the very latest:
OPEN
Next stop, Bathurst. In August, I reported on the temporary closure for renovations at Bakery On The Go in Bathurst Station (819 Bathurst St.) The longstanding bakery - and one of the popular patty destinations along Line 2 - has reopened.
Bossanova Wine & Beer (103 Roncesvalles Ave.) debuted Saturday. Named after the third studio album by the Pixies, Ben Plisky-Somers and Dan Grant’s new shop offers a selection wine, beer, RTD gin cocktails, and non-alcoholic kombucha in the heart of in Roncesvalles Village. Fun fact #1: Their house beer, Surfer Rosé, is also named after one of the alt-rock band’s albums. Fun fact #2: If you get the TR Newsletter, you’ll have read that while tipping is customary in most North American restaurants, a few Toronto eateries recently eliminated the practice altogether - including Bossanova.
Fried chicken and waffle joint Cluck Clucks added a Scarborough outpost on August 5th (41 Lebovic Ave., Unit A-112).
A new hub in Midtown (2352 Yonge St.) a few doors north of Yonge Eglinton Centre, features CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice, ‘ONO Poké Bar (following the opening of their fifth branch in the GTA in September) and Sen-Ryo Sushi under one roof.
New Pie Co. dropped a pin in Liberty Village a few weeks back. Thanks to telecommunications co. Beanfield Metroconnect, doors softly opened yesterday on a storefront residency at Stackt Market (28 Bathurst St.), with grand opening celebrations to follow this weekend. Get to know owner/baker Shiela Labao in At The Pass.
Daol Korean Restaurant (1345 Queen St. W.) at Queen & Dunn in Parkdale offers a host cold-weather warmups including ramyun and u-dong, bento boxes, and mains (Kimchi-Jjigae, Bulgogi Dolsot Bibimbop, Don Katsu, Kimchi Fried Rice), with an assortment of soju, beer and non-alcoholic beverages.
Fern Colavecchia and Tony Visca’s popular flagship DoughBox Wood Fired Pizza & Pasta in Hamilton has branched out. Grand opening festivities for their spot in Mississauga’s Heartland Town Centre (5595 Latimer Dr.) took place today.
Socialite in Kensington Market (276 Augusta Ave.) is now Estus, complete with cocktails, craft brews, comfort food, and console video games.
Bathurst Local’s (322 Bathurst St.) second floor destination Goodness Sake does cheap sake alongside cheese, grilled cheese, and hot dogs. Soooo, everything you need in your life right now. See. You. There.
Grill Gate, known for the burgers and Philly cheesesteaks, unveiled a location near Broadview and Danforth (341 Danforth Ave.) last night and their new café concept Gate Café in Richmond Hill (10185 Yonge St., Unit 2) late last week.
Handi Indian Cuisine (2068 Kipling Ave.) premiered in Etobicoke on June 23. In addition to Kolkata style handi specials, find tandoor specialities and a host of vegetarian, meat, and poultry options.
Looking to add more plant-based options in your life? Head to Hunny (1056 Bloor St. W.), the new vegan bar and resto by The Hogtown Vegan launching today in Bloorcourt (1056 Bloor St. W.).
A few months ago I let you in on Leslieville Meat Market (1160 Queen St. E.) taking over Meating on Queen. Grand opening kicks off tomorrow at 8am. What to expect: Beside meat of course, there are baked goods, homemade fare, and a “wide selection of Latin American products.”
Nestled in a Ye-like minimalist space in Cabbagetown, NomNomNom Café (492 Parliament St.) is filled with modern art installations, music, coffee, tea, and pastries. Also notable: S’mores macarons and French bulldog logo.
Oniguy at the corner of Dundas and Bathurst (755 Dundas St. W.) focuses on homemade onigiri (Japanese rice balls): Ginger Scallion Beef, Soy Braised Pork, White Miso Salmon, and vegan Wakame Tofu - paired with made in-house strawberry milk.
PizzaForno continues to install 24/7 automated pizza machines across the continent. Find the latest at CIBC Square (81 Bay St.) in the vicinity of Scotiabank Arena (40 Bay St.).
TR Newsletter subscribers were the first to know: Alison Barrie, owner of Parkdale's cozy watering hole The Grand Trunk (1718 Queen St. W.) debuted The Queen's End Cafe & Emporium (1664 Queen St. W.) Tuesday. On the menu: A delicious array of goodies such as savoury muffins, Breakfast sandos, daily soup, salads, and vegan sammies. PSA: Queen and Roncesvalles has been under construction and closed off to traffic for months, so show the businesses in that end of the town some serious love whenever possible, including the aforementioned, Atlantis Coffee Co, Burrito Boyz, Easy Restaurant, Gyro Bar! Souvlaki Kitchen, Islas Filipino BBQ & Bar, Mama Rosa Restaurant & Bar, Paddler Thai Boat Noodles, Sake Sushi, South Indian Dosa Mahal, T Dot Jerk, and Tonight.
If you’d rather skip the in-person interaction and order your java in a few screen taps, RC Coffee Robo Café is for you. Adding to the popular Yorkville (1235 Bay St.) and Kensington (160 Baldwin St.) locations are outposts in the St. Lawrence Market ‘hood (36 Church St.) and Little Italy (550 College St.).
Ottawa’s The Scottish and Irish Store has popped up in the 6ix just in time for the holidays. Head to Queen between Spadina and Augusta (501 Queen St. W.) to stock up on textiles, sweaters, and wide range of goodies including Jaffa Cakes, Terry’s Chocolate Orange, vegan options from Moo Free and Goupie, crisps, and much more. [Note: Chilled and frozen products are not currently available at the pop-up.]
ISO an exclusive experience? S’cream Speakeasy by S’cream Ice Cream (126 Cumberland St.) is a password protected affair.
I gave you the head’s up about reservations for Selva (221 Richmond St. W.) a few weeks back. The “world’s first immersive, multi-sensory art/resto/bar experience” opens tonight.
Psst. 156 Cumberland (156 Cumberland Ave.) has moved into Chabrol’s recent spot with contemporary French fare “inspired by Korean flavours,” run by a husband (chef) and wife (team). The new eatery is backed by Bo Seo, CEO of Kibo Sushi House (the chain’s omakase restaurant, Kibo Secret Garden which debuted last fall, is next door), who left a 5-star review on Google.
CLOSED
Chef Alex Baracat launched his first restaurant Brazil Box (390 Queens Quay W., Unit 106) this summer with a stellar lineup of Brazilian street food and desserts - coxinha, pastel, tapioca crepes, stroganoff, brigadeiros. Unfortunately, doors shuttered last week.
It’s rare, but sometimes a place is set to open, and for a variety of reasons, another establishment moves in. Such is the case for CG Island, which was to take over Rikkochez’s former stomping grounds (341 Danforth Ave.) with the “best burger in town.” To find out what replaced it, see above.
Gayley’s Café (1424 Dundas St. W.) closed on Halloween. A message posted on the website reads “As of November 1st, 2021 Gayley's Cafe is permanently closed. Nothing bad happened to us. We survived COVID. It's just time, after 30 years of service to the neighbourhood. Thank you for sharing your beautiful lives with us, for being kind in difficult times, and for being appreciative in good times. All the best.”
After 12 years, OMG Baked Goodness called it quits on their Little Portugal location (1561 Dundas St. W.). Stay tuned for what’s next.
Puff Pastes main shop (1672 St. Clair Ave. W.) permanently closed Friday.
EVENTS
Food Truck’n Friday is happening in Islington Village (1 Resurrection Rd. - west of Islington subway station) tomorrow 4:30pm-8:30pm.
Street Eats Market x Scarborough Town Centre returns this weekend with a Poutine Festival.
Terroir Hospitality Symposium kicks off virtual programming Monday.
Tickets are on sale now for The Distillery Winter Village launching November 18.
While the CNE isn’t returning until 2022, you can purchase general admission tickets now.
NEWS
“Right now, the industry is in a panic mode.” In an interview with CBC News, Tony Elenis, President & CEO of Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA), shared many ways how the minimum wage increase in Ontario will affect the hospitality industry. “Menu pricing in a restaurant is very rigid, and it’s not like any other business,” he said. “It’s very competitive. You push up 20 cents on a cup of coffee or a sandwich and you lose customers.”
The entire chain of Fresh Restaurants – est. 1999 and one of the first vegan restaurants in Toronto - has been acquired by Recipe Unlimited Corporation, the company behind 25 brands and 1,327 restaurants including East Side Mario’s, Harvey’s, Kesleys, The Pickle Barrel and Swiss Chalet.
Toronto’s own Dan Levy, co-creator of Schitt$ Creek with Dad Eugene Levy, came up with a TV competition series about brunch, set to launch on HBO Max next year.
Duh. Booze and weed sales skyrocketed during the pandemic.
ICYMI
Chef Manek Singh of Parkdale’s Le Phénix has one helluva impressive résumé, strong opinions about certain ingredients, more than one guilty pleasure and hidden talent, and inspiring words for chefs and home cooks alike. Discover all this and more in this week’s At The Pass.
In order to support chefs during this time, the monthly At The Pass series is now WEEKLY. Know someone in Toronto or GTA who should be featured? Submit their name for consideration. And yes, you can nominate yourself.
Please support local businesses whenever possible.
Stay tuned . More news ahead in The Tip Off, exclusively available in the TR newsletter.
Life moves fast - I wrote about +100 new arrivals in October alone. Catch up on previous editions of the OPEN/CLOSED.
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