Open/Closed: Toronto Restaurant News February 6-12, 2020

🕒 5 min read

This week’s 11 entrants aren’t just all over the map geographically – options range from cotton candy and bagels to a ton of pasta selections and a fast food concept you’d never thought of, but now, will be racing to try.

Here’s the very latest:

OPEN

In the Bloor West Village ‘hood? Add Montreal-style bagels to your list, thanks to new occupant Bagel Time (2457 Bloor St. W.).

Blooming Cotton Candy touched down at Square One (100 City Centre Dr.) yesterday. Find their pop-up cart filled with candy floss in the shape of cute animal heads at The Food District until March 1st.

The arrival of Boukan’s (452 Kingston Rd.) French Creole fast food street food (say that ten times fast) begs the question: “Where has this taste of Haiti been all our lives?”

Early Bird Coffee & Kitchen just added a second location. And this time, the sleek new digs are right in the Financial District (Brookfield Place -181 Bay St.).

Elm Street Italian Deli (15 Elm St.) opens Monday, with dishes they assert are “made with so much love, you might cry.”

Gusto 501 (501 King St. E.) debuted in Corktown two days ago. And I’ve got alllll the deets (Floating levels! Rooftop patio!) in this week’s The Arrival.

Lost Coffee has landed at Assembly Chef's Hall (111 Richmond St. W.) with a selection of coffee and lunch items.

Ma Maison (2432 Bloor St. W.) offers an “authentic French culinary experience” at Bloor and Jane.

Indulge in your love of carbs at Pastucci's in College Park (777 Bay St.).

Inspired by Italy’s “style capital,” Trattoria Milano debuts today at Eataly (Manulife Centre, 55 Bloor St. W.).

You won’t find any plastic packaging at “plant-centered” White Rabbit Caffè (717 Bay St.).

CLOSED

Launched last summer at Queen and Dufferin, the fourth Bespoke Butchers (1164 Queen St. W.) has shuttered.

Bulldog Coffee left Assembly Chef’s Hall (111 Richmond St. W.),, but reopened in a new spot last week. To discover what took its place, check out this week’s arrivals below.

Royal Myanmar (438 Horner Ave.) has closed, though it may be short-term.

Tandori at Hudson’s Bay Centre Food Court (2 Bloor St. E.) is boarded up.

EVENTS

Leslieville’s Chez Nous Wine Bar - which in case you didn’t already know, features exclusively Ontario wine and spirits - is hosting a Ricky + Olivia pop-up on Wednesday from 5pm to 2am.

Winterlicious is underway.

A number of Toronto restaurants, bars, breweries, bakeries + cafes are helping to raise money for those affected by the devastating Australian wildfires. Check out the amazing new events happening around town.

There are more Chefs For Change events this month.

NEWS

Asialicious is launching in Markham next week in response to business downturn in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak. Stay tuned.

California Pizza Kitchen is finally coming to Canada.

Chinese restaurant Peking Express (217 Parliament St., Unit 2 ) – established in 1984 smack dab between Corktown and Regent Park – just added Wok 2 Go to its lineup.

You’ll never believe the transformed used cooking oil from McDonald’s recently underwent.

Itsuo Kobayashi’s 30-year food diary, a hard copy Instagram of sorts, is just as drool-inducing as your current feed.

Have you seen this restaurant panda?

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Hear of a place that’s about to open or just closed? Have an upcoming food or restaurant event? Want to get the word out about your business or service to an exclusively food-hungry audience? Shoot me an email -> writerscramp@stephaniedickison.com.

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