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

🕘 11 min read

The city is exploding. Last week’s record-breaking edition is just a recent example (check out the complete catalogue for what’s truly been happening). That said, my discoveries this week are no slouch: 22 arrivals, in addition to some important closures and news you don’t want to miss.

And stay tuned. More news ahead in The Tip Off, exclusively available in the TR Newsletter and big stuff in the works.

In the meantime, here’s the very latest:

OPEN   

Introducing Bar Habana, the new concept in Leslieville (1030 Gerrard St.E.) by La Cabana. Psst. The Cuban taberna, complete with bocaditos (shareable plates) made to pair with classic Cuban and original cocktails, vino and cervezas, does Cuban brunch on Sundays.

Caribbean takeaway, pantry items and produce have arrived in Riverside, courtesy of BlessedLove Caribbean Grocery & Takeout (753A Queen St. E.). Doors open Saturday 9am-9pm.

Heading to the airport? Fingers crossed you’re not stuck in delays. Find solace in cake, thanks to the two new Carlo’s Bakery Bake Shop Express ATMs at Toronto Pearson. The popular cake-dispensing machines doling out slices of Cookies and Cream, Red Velvet, Carrot Cake, and Rainbow ($9.99 ea.) from famed Cake Boss Buddy Valastro’s bakery chain can be found in Terminal 1 (Domestic, Transborder Area) and Terminal 3 (Domestic/International, Transborder Area). For those who prefer a more traditional retail experience, a Port Credit location debuted at the beginning of the year and a Yorkville outpost is underway.

The Hartly - a hearty mélange of resto, bar, lounge and variety theatre - arrived in the Fashion District (619 King St. W.) at the end of last year. Psst. DJs and drinks await upstairs at Darkroom. Open Thursday to Saturday after 10pm.

From Churros Tot Poutine to signature Milkshakes (100+ to choose from), if you’ve got a sweet tooth, Holy Shakes is for you. The newest outpost has landed in Scarborough (5651 Steeles Ave. E., Unit 6).

ihalo krunch just launched a dessert truck. To dig into Black on Black (activated charcoal), Meet Your Matcha (Japanese green tea), Ube All The Way (purple yam), and Bean There, Done That (Madagascar vanilla bean) visit the Street Eats Market Scarborough Town Centre location (500 Progress Ave.) on weekends.

The first IHOP (International House of Pancakes) in the GTA arrived in virtual form in Liberty Village (60 Sudbury St.) at the end of 2021. For those wishing for a more complete experience of the legendary pancake house from the U.S., visit the IRL version set in Brampton (50 Biscayne Cres.). Doors opened Tuesday.

Halal Indian Canadian eatery The Kettle (685 Queen St. W.) at Queen and Bathurst  is “the first upscale fusion restaurant with crafted street touch spices and mouth-watering flavors of India in a Canadian way.” Tuck into an array chaat, sandwiches, burgers, and savoury pies (Vegetable Curry, Butter Chicken, Beef - $22.99 ea.).

Kibo Sushi House boasts 30+ outposts in the Great White North: across the GTA and Calgary. The latest just arrived in Richmond Hill at Hillcrest Mall (9350 Yonge St., Exit 3).

Mandy and Rebecca Wolfe’s famed Montreal create-your-own-salad chain Mandy’s made its entry into downtown Toronto just a few months ago. For York residents, the commute just got a lot shorter, thanks to a spot at Kitchen Hub Food Hall Castlefield (1121 Castlefield Ave.). Bonus: A dine-in space was just unveiled. 

Palm Bites touched down in Mississauga two summers ago. A second retail store just debuted not far away (167 Lakeshore Rd.).

Panash Bakery has been a fixture in Markham (5308 Highway 7 East, Unit 4A) since 2016. A second outpost in the area (9750 Markham Rd.) debuted Monday. Until Friday, enjoy 20 per cent off during the soft opening.

This weather calls for soft serve. Find Pull Snack Bar east side in Corktown (510 Queen St. E.), currently open Saturdays and Sundays. Hot tips: 1. Don’t sleep on the halo halo. 2. Include it in an ice cream crawl with The Ultimate Guide to Ice Cream + Frozen Treats in Toronto/GTA in hand.

Revel Foods (503 Pinegrove Rd.) in Oakville is no ordinary grocery store. The vegan market features prepared foods by Margie Cook, Certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach & Educator (VLCE) and Registered Holistic Nutritionist (RHN). You probably know her best from her vegan fare at Il Fornello. Doors open today.

Served Co. (6355 Kennedy Rd.) in Mississauga promises “an authentic Indian street food experience like no other” with interactive cart side service.

ISO of Bengali fare? Head to The Spicy Grill  (3210 Danforth Ave.) at Danforth and Pharmacy.

Tenny's (1554 Queen St. W.) in Parkdale officially opens Friday. The new bar that was recently Gianna’s and formerly Tennessee Tavern by the same group behind award-winning Bar Isabel and Bar Raval, Bar Piquette, El Rey, Harry's Charbroiled, and Quetzal will have some familiar menu items (pretzels are back!) as well as new additions. 

Thai Sushi And Bar (387 King St. W.) has replaced Thai Princess, but don’t panic: The owner and chef remain the same and the menu has been tweaked slightly, mostly with the addition of more sushi rolls. The Thai-owned restaurant with the “Best Green Curry in the GTA” has been in operation since the ‘90s. 

Constant companion and roomie to Holy Shakes, T.O.'s Kathi Roll Eatery landed in Scarborough ((5651 Steeles Ave. E., Unit 6) with its signature lineup of kathi rolls, Punjabi tacos, Bombay fankies, fusion burritos, burgers, and other fun fare. 

Grand opening festivities for Turkish bazaar Urla Fine Foods (77 Samor Rd., Unit 1) in North York kick off Saturday with live music from 1-2:30pm. Get a sneak peek of the sleek, modern interior.

Wok and Bowl (3023 Bathurst St.) at Bathurst and Lawrence is reportedly Canada’s first kosher pho restaurant, though the menu of “authentic Asian fusion” fare extends way beyond pho, from dumplings and wontons to poke and pad Thai.

CLOSED

Camp 4’s digs (1173 Dundas St .W.) became Bouffe by Adjey last month.

It was quite the ride for Leslieville’s Core (896 Queen St. E.). Established in 2019 a fine dining restaurant with five-course tasting menus and curated wine dinners. Two months after the pandemic hit, Chef Hyun Jung Kim transformed it into Core Korean Kitchen a destination for comforting Korean fare including fried chicken. The new iteration was followed by Core Bubble Tea last summer. It closed on Labour Day but returned within the Korean restaurant until permanent closure on June 1.

Gianna’s (1554 Queen St. W.) arrived Summer ‘20. For what’s in its stead, see above.

Greektown’s Son of a Bean Coffee (508 Danforth Ave.) shuttered just shy of its first anniversary.

A fixture at King and Spadina since the ‘90s, Thai Princess (387 King St. W.) has changed. Luckily, it’s mostly the name that’s changed. See OPEN section for details.

CHANGE 

Poop Cafe - home of the ‘Toilet Paper Roll’ and all matters fecal - has moved from Bloor and Christie (706 Bloor St. W.) into Good Neighbour’s old digs (678 Bloor St. W.)  a bit further east. Features of the new interior include toilets swapped in for dining chairs, a ‘Fart Zone’ warning sign and wall illustration of a person defecating into a toilet.

Yonge Sushi Japanese Restaurant didn’t stray far from their post between Lawrence and York Mills (3421 Yonge St.) when they moved  Find them in their new home just steps from Yonge and Lawrence (3187 Yonge St.) 

NEWS

A man was shot and killed inside Caribbean Love Restaurant and Bar (1602 Eglinton Ave. W.) on Sunday.

Brace yourself. Despite the recent increase, milk prices may go up again.

Sriracha is the latest product to be impacted by weather.

Recalls continue to roll in fast and furious. Add an IKEA espresso maker to the list. [UPDATE: 10.06.22 Another refrigerator has been recalled.]

Model and star of Keeping Up with the Kardashians Kendall Jenner launched 818 Tequila last year. Controversy followed, but with 241 million followers on Instagram alone, it likely will continue to fly off the shelves. It’s now available exclusively at Canadian chain restaurant Moxies, frequently located in shopping malls.

ICYMI

Ice cream szn is in full effect.

Please support local businesses whenever possible.

Life moves fast: I wrote about +100 new arrivals in May alone. Catch up on previous editions of the OPEN/CLOSED.  

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