OPEN/CLOSED: Toronto Restaurant News June 24-30, 2021

My iconic OPEN/CLOSED is THE most comprehensive resource of restaurant openings (virtual/brick-and-mortar/popups/allll the things) and food/drink news in the city. No one does it bigger or better. Watch for the drop every Thursday. #ifyouknowyouknow

🕒 13.5 min read

It was announced earlier today that the province can move to stage 2 of reopening on Wednesday. This comes only two days earlier than scheduled, and one day before our national holiday when everything closes – SIGH - but at this (breaking) point, we’ll take whatever we can get.

What does this mean exactly? In addition to malls opening, you can gather with more people inside and out, get a haircut, manicure, and more. For bars and restaurants, outdoor dining expands to six guests per table, and outdoor karaoke is “permitted with restrictions.” And head’s up, as of Wednesday, strip clubs are “permitted to operate as a restaurant in alignment with restaurant restrictions.”

Last week’s edition of the OPEN/CLOSED one of the biggest ever. My discoveries this week are no slouch either. Take a look at the 22 arrivals below. Some tough closures too. And make sure to read until the end for a sneak peek at next week’s happenings…

And next Thursday is Canada Day, so keep an eye out for when next week’s roundup drops.

In the meantime, here’s the very latest:

OPEN

Bakhshi Halal Foods is serving up kabobs and gyros inside York’s Finest Food Mart (1943 Weston Rd.).

Riverside’s Burrito Queen (734 Queen St. E.) may be a slip of a joints, but the menu boasts an array of options including burritos, quesadillas, tacos, nachos, burgers, sandos, salads, and sides.

Miami style Cuban food truck The Cuban Thing has set up at Celebration Square at Square One (300 City Centre Dr.) in Mississauga.

Cucina Buca (2 St. Clair Ave. W.) has been in the works for years and became a headquarters for Buca operations during the pandemic. While the Midtown location has being doing takeout and delivery for a while, Patio SYC (below) is the first time “doors” have “opened,” so to speak. 

Domaine Mamo (581 Mount Pleasant Rd.) brings “the diverse influences of the Maritime Alps and the Mediterranean coastline” to Mount Pleasant Village. It’s by industry vets/dream team Robert Prete (owner of Grazie Ristorante and Coquine) and esteemed chef Didier Leroy (Maitre Cuisinier de France, French Masterchef, Medal of Chevalier de l'Ordre), and the menu does not disappoint: Pistou ($12), Foie Gras ($18), Nicoise ($22), Boeuf (Seared Bavette Steak 8 oz - $22), Bouillabaisse ($36). You’ll also discover an array of pizza, pasta and desserts. Doors open Tuesday.

The first Don Chingón touched down in the city’s west end last month with an assortment of tacos, tamales and tortas. Bloor-Ossington’s Wasted Youth Bar (834 Bloor St. W.) has joined in on the fun. Psst. I told you about a sweet addition to the bar two weeks ago. 

I uncovered the first Egg Club at Dundas and Church last fall, and it wasn’t long before it blew up on social. Thus, a second outpost was in order. Find it close by at Yonge and Wellesley (531 Yonge St.).

Fahmee Bakery launched at Landsdowne and Bloor (584 Landsdowne Ave.) fall ’19, closing last fall, so how great they’ve returned to the ‘hood - this time just down the street at Landsdowne and Dundas (222 Lansdowne Ave.). To celebrate, patties are just $1 tomorrow to Sunday. 

It wasn’t long ago that Hazukido celebrated its first location. Today kicks off the festivities at their First Canadian Place (100 King St. W., Concourse Level) grand opening, which includes free items.

Hikari Sushi House (370 Hwy 7 E, Unit 107C-108C) in Richmond Hill, by the folks behind ND Sushi & Grill, features Chef Park’s fresh creations such as Premium Donburi and Premium Sushi. Bonus: Cash orders are 20 per cent off. 

Chefs Anthony Lamacchia and Simone Iannarella of Vaughan’s Porcello Cantina (125 Hawkview Blvd.) launched Lasagna Depot featuring 11 varieties of the comforting baked pasta - ten savoury (Carbonara, Mortadella, Tartufo) and one dessert (Nutella).

Pro tip: Mado (3300 Dufferin St.) near Yorkdale, has tons of enticing savoury options (Lentil Soup with Shallots, Salmon Salad Borek Platter, Roasted Somelek Meatballs, Curry Chicken), but their housemade sweet treats including ice cream baklava sandos should not be overlooked. 

Patio at Yonge & St. Clair (1503 Yonge St.), just north of St. Clair next to Shoppers Drug Mart, features fare from 11 neighbourhood restaurants: Ambiyan on Yonge, Barnsteiner’s, Boccone Deli and Pizza Bar, Brownes Bistro, Capocaccia Trattoria, Cucina Buca, Mary Be Kitchen, Mermaid Fish and Grill House, Midtown Gastro Hub, Zelden’s Deli and Desserts, and 9 Bars, as well as an on-site bar. The Patio YSC Menu is available Thursdays-Saturdays 12 Noon-10pm until Saturday September 4. Note: Establishments may have their own patios as well.

Patty Stop in Scarborough (5506 Lawrence Ave. E.), known for its patties including The Drizzy (beef/chicken patty loaded with jerk chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, house sauce), has finally launched a second spot. Show the new digs in East York (2636 At Clair Ave. E.) some love.

The third Piano Piano by husband-and-wife team Chef Victor Barry and Nikki Leigh McKean and operating partner Brendan Piunno debuted in Oakville (120 Thomas St.) earlier this week, with their roster of celebrated Italian fare: antipasti, pasta, pizza, mains, sides and desserts.

Pizzeria Badiali (181 Dovercourt Rd.) by Nick Halligan (El Rey), Owen Walker (El Rey, Quetzal) and Chef Ryan Badderly (Bar Isabel, Bar Raval, Osteria Rialto) has opened for pre-orders for their 16” pies ($17-$28) and salads ($11-$14).

Rabba Kitchen by Paramount debuted Monday. The Mississauga  location (25 Kingsbridge Garden Cir) is the first Rabba Fine Foods to feature Paramount Fine Foods’ new ‘shop-in-shop’ concept.

I first got wind of Oliver & Bonacini Hospitality (O&B)’s gastropub The Rabbit Hole taking over the old SpeakEasy 21 spot (21 Adelaide St. W.) years ago. So the patio opening tomorrow at 3pm is a long time coming.

Prefer robots to people? RC Coffee debuted Canada’s first robotic café last fall. A second RC Coffee Robo Café just landed in Kensington Market (160 Baldwin St.).

Harbourfront Centre’s patio The Slip (235 Queens Quay W.) seats approximately 430 guests with the current restrictions (and will continue to grow as restrictions loosen). The seasonal spot’s teamed up with General Assembly Pizza this year serve wood-fired pizzas starting today.

Solato has landed at Canada’s largest shipping container market, Stackt Market (28 Bathurst St.) with their one of a kind single-serve countertop gelato machine and capsules containing fresh, never frozen gelato. Think: a Nespresso-style machine, but for gelato.

Speaking of frozen treats, here’s a new virtual ice cream shop in town. Triple Yum is available for pickup at Chinese restaurant Chef 88 Elite (1661 Denison Street, Unit T1) in Markham. This week’s flavours: Coconut Lime, Matcha Pistachio, Roasted Pineapple, and Strawberry Nutella.

CLOSED

I reported the arrival of the first B.GOOD in 2015 (when the name was in the small caps style of the time). Locations quickly followed downtown (Queen West, King West), Midtown, and Oakville. After reporting on closures across the city, I reached out to find out the current status on the healthy chain focused on local ingredients. A spokesperson for the company confirmed, “All of our locations in Toronto and the surrounding area have closed their doors.” 

Beiteddine Lebanese Restaurant (513 Danforth Ave.) arrived in Greektown Spring ’19, but posted an announcement of closure earlier this week.

Bloor Jane Restaurant (2434 Bloor St. W.), an institution for sports/diner/breakfast lovers since 1972, has shuttered. To find out more about the diner, check out the blog dedicated to the diner by Costas Perdicaris, nephew of owner John K. - “Johnny as loyal customers call him” – who started working there at just 14-yers-old.

The first Calii Love (367 King St W.) at King and Spadina closes Sunday.

Be sure to stop by Toronto's first tattoo coffee shop Jinks Tattoos and Coffee (1664 Queen St. W.) for coffee and sandos before they  at the end of the month. And stay tuned: The Grand Trunk’s owner Alison Barrie is opening The Queen's End Cafe & Emporium in the space in August.

Lipstick & Dynamite (992 Queen St. W.), “the queerest and cutest dive bar in town” is saying “goodbye for now.”

I let you in on ghost kitchen Mel’s Pizza last fall. Operations came to an end this weekend. Though chef Matthew Sullivan reiterates that the concept was “always meant to be temporary,” it may return. Watch this space.

EVENTS

Mississauga Ribfest - the drive-thru edition – takes over Erin Mills Town Centre Parking Lot C this weekend. 

Food Truck’N Curbside Market is happening tomorrow (1 Resurrection Rd.) from 4:30-9:30pm.

Night Market Toronto kicks off Sunday at Square One.

NEWS

Red Seal certified chef David Kyte passed away. He spent a decade working in Toronto restaurants including Peter Pan.

Hannelore Mohring, owner of Deli-Cafe (1581 Bayview Ave.) in 1961 and then again in 1982, passed away.

Stalinkskaya Silver Vodka has been pulled from LCBO shelves after its association with Josef Stalin. I reached out to the LCBO for comment, and a Spokesperson responded: “Following feedback from a number of our customers, the LCBO further reviewed Stalinskaya Silver Vodka and found it does not meet the LCBO’s name and labelling standards and is no longer available for sale through the LCBO.”

Psst. So you don’t have to wait ‘til next week: Dave's Hot Chicken, the famed Nashville hot chicken chain, opens the second Canadian location at Yonge & Davisville (2066 Yonge St.) Friday July 2. Stay tuned. And want more resto news? To get the The Tip Off, exclusively available in the TR Newsletter on Tuesday, subscribe now.

ICYMI

Patios are baaaack! Instead of relying on played out ‘Best Of’ lists, explore all your outdoor dining options one lovely neighbourhood at a time. First up, Bloordale!

Coulson Armstrong of Matty’s Patty’s Burger Club shares his next level cookbook purchase, umami-rich fridge essentials, fave Toronto bars and restaurants + much more in this week’s At The Pass.

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Life moves fast.  Catch up on previous editions of the OPEN/CLOSED. (Last week’s list was one of the biggest EVER.)

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