OPEN/CLOSED: Toronto Restaurant News March 14-20, 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

🕘 8.5 min read

The month’s frenzy continues with 15 destinations offering a wide variety of cuisines and options (matching both your varying moods and everchanging weather patterns) and staggering number of closures - more than half the arrivals.

Psst. 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

Cafe Landwer’s Forest Hill Village digs (383 Spadina Rd.) have been on my watchlist for some time now. Good news: Doors are finally open. Bonus: CL’s grub is also available at Kitchen Hub Food Hall Maple that arrived last month, alongside other eateries including Mandy’s Salads, PAI, Wingstop, and 3 Brothers Pizza.

Salad lovers rejoice. The third Chop Hop has landed near Yonge and Richmond (4 Temperance St.), just in time for warmer temps.

The Heritage Cafe & Kitchen (368 Queen St. E.) is serving up shawarma, wraps and kebabs at Queen and Parliament in the space where Lime Sushi stood.

Adam Ward and Sasha Warunkiewicz’s Hooray for Pizza Day kicked off yesterday inside Comedy Bar’s Danforth location (2800 Danforth Ave.).

Vietnamese fare is the name of the game at Moc Brunch & Bistro (209 Dundas St. W.), the latest concept to move into the bustling space at Dundas and University.

Swiftly following an addition at King and Spadina, Neo Coffee Bar soft launched in the Financial District (PATH, Exchange Tower 130 King St. W., Unit CS12A) on Monday.

Pigeon Café & Bar’s second outpost in the 6ix just touched down at Brookfield Place (181 Bay St.). Did you know? The Montreal brunch chain with the “world’s worst coffee” debuted in the Entertainment District (337 King St. W.) last summer.

Costa Rican food is the name of the game at Pura Vida Restaurant (750 St Clair Ave. W.) in Nama Sushi’s former digs.

Just a few doors over, discover “Toronto's first subsidized, pay-what-you-can and pay-it-forward“ soup joint, Soup Bar (766 St. Clair Ave. W.), the latest charitable venture by chef Jagger Gordon’s Feed it Forward (766 St. Clair Ave. W.).

I gave you the lowdown on incoming Spuntini Street Eats (514 Annette St.) last month. Update: SSE’s pizza, pasta, oven-baked sandwiches and other Italian fare can now be yours.

Hot tip: Mark your calendar. Find Tapow! doling out Hokkien mee - aka black Malaysian noodles - at Dipped Donuts (161 Baldwin St.) Thursdays 11am-7pm. Fun fact: Baldwin Village was home to an authentic Malaysian restaurant (Matahari Bar & Grill) for years.

Taqueria El Pastorcito (1160 Bloor St. W.), Bloordale’s newest arrival, comes complete with tacos, burritos and quesadillas.

Taverna Yiannis Greek Grill and Pub has been in the works at Yonge & Lawrence for a while now. Head to 3185 Yonge St. to get in on fragrant fare including Kolokithokeftedes, Tirokafteri, Saganaki, Calarmari, Greek Lemon Chicken, Moussaka and Ribeye Steak.

The cafe at Youthful Vengeance at Dundas and Ossington (1110 Dundas St W.) is now in full effect, so whether you’re checking out the indie gallery’s fab artists and shows or hanging out at the popular haunt/work space (I’ve never seen so many LaCie rugged hard drives in one space outside of an agency), coffee, tea and snacks are on offer.

CLOSED

Joint ventures KK Eatery with its Italian fusion, and Indonesian Jakarta street food concept Ona Noodle, took over East Chinatown stalwart Simon's Wok Vegetarian Kitchen (797 Gerrard St. E.) last year.

Mumbai Tadka (1532 Dundas St. W.) in Brockton Village debuted during the pandemic. Concepts at this address over the years include Wings & Beer Sports Bar and Three Hands.

Playa Cabana Taqueria Norte arrived at Yonge and St. Clair (21 St Clair Ave. E.) in Fall 2019. The local Mexican brand has four branches remaining throughout the city.

Retro Burger launched at Cowell and Danforth (1684 Danforth Ave.) in 2011. To get in on their signature fare including one of the 6ix’s first deep-fried Mars bars, head out of the city limits to Ajax (105 Bayly St W, Unit 18A). TR Trivia: Back then, they also had a location at Yonge & St. Clair (1450 Yonge St.), now home to another burger joint, Holy Chuck Burgers.

Sumac Grill (aka Sumac Kebab Kitchen) was a fixture at Dundas and McCaul (287 Dundas St. W.) for yeeears. Doors closed in early February and have since reopened in Oshawa (248 Bloor St.).

Grand opening for Tacos Baby J (371 Roncesvalles Ave.) was last June.

Sumac Grill’s next door neighbour 68°C Stone + Grill (285 Dundas St. W.) was a recent arrival, launching at the end of October. The restaurant once named Stone N Steak called it quits less than four months later.

Zakkushi on Queen (620 Queen St. W.) has shuttered. A notice dated February 15 2024 to terminate for failure of tenant to pay rent arrears is posted on the front door. To the left of the notice, a letter also dated February 15 2024 from Zakkushi is also posted, that reads in part that this location “operated as a franchise, and unfortunately faced contractual breaches leading to disputes with the landlord, ultimately resulting in its closure. We deeply regret the circumstances that led to this outcome and apologize for any inconvenience caused to our customers.” Customers can still get in on Zakkushi’s Japanese charcoal grilled fare at the Cabbagetown location (193 Carlton St.).

NEWS

Grocers continue to rake it in: Sales at Empire Co. Ltd., whose portfolio includes Farm Boy, FreshCo, Foodland, IGA, Safeway, and Sobeys, reach roughly $7.49 billion.

Food recalls have not let up: K-Fresh Enoki Mushroom recalled due to Listeria monocytogenes, President's Choice Milk Chocolate with Toasted Coconut recalled due to undeclared hazelnut, and Insignia Digital Air Fryers, Insignia Analog Air Fryers, and Insignia Digital Air Fryer Ovens recalled due to potential fire hazard. [UPDATE: 15.03.24: Consumption of Iqbal's Apricot Seed and Nazo Apricot Kernels may cause cyanide poisoning, Indian Heritage Soya Chaap Masala recalled due to undeclared soy and gluten. 16.03.24: The Pie Commission Braised Beef Rib Pot Pie recalled due to undeclared anchovy.]

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