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🕘 13 min read

September is proving to be one of the busiest months of the year – this column and my monthly guide to festivals and events are a testament to that. This week the frenzy continues with 26 arrivals. And wait ‘til you see next week’s lineup.

Stay tuned – more news ahead in The Tip Off, exclusively available in the TR Newsletter. 

Here’s the very latest:

OPEN

BBs has been a popular destination in Parkdale since its arrival last fall. And luckily still is. Moving on from their temporary home at 1566 Queen St. W., find the new digs just down the street at Queen and Brock (5 Brock Ave.), recently home to Superfly. Psst. Weekend brunch and late night eats/drinks launches Saturday. In the meantime, check out Chef Robbie Hojilla's love letter to local chefs and restaurants, discover the Filipino comfort foods you should be making (and ordering) right now, why bad advice isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and much more in At The Pass. p.s. TR Newsletter subscribers got dibs.

Get in on jerk falafel, curry goat, stew beef, fried chicken, patties and roti at Caribbean soul fusion joint Big City Jerk and visit Green Destiny for salads, wraps, juices and smoothies at Queen and Parliament (356 Queen St. E.).

Cafe Paradise (1014 Bloor St. W) debuts in Bloorcourt today. The latest addition from the Paradise on Bloor Group (Paradise on Bloor, Osteria Rialto, Bar Biltmore) quickly follows recent addition Bloor Door Wine Shop (1010 Bloor St. W.) that launched in July.

Chef Mustafa (516 Danforth Ave.) softly opened in the heart of Greektown earlier this week with an array of pide, kebap, and Turkish soda. It replaces Gorkha Durbar that opened this time last year.

Steps from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) In the Garden District, tuck into Pakistani fusion street fare – think authentic Peshawari chapli kebab, chicken over rice, and paratha rolls at Chachu’s (113 Bond St.). Pro tip: Grand opening special – Chicken Paratha Rolls $4.99 is on until September 9. Did you know? This follows two new locations earlier this year.

It’s been a minute since Choco Churros last expanded. Psst. Claudia Rodriguez’s Mexican churros covered with sugar and cinnamon just touched down on the Ossington strip via food truck (21 Ossington Ave.).

Cluck Clucks has been in the game since 2015. After adding a branch in Scarborough last year, you can now get your hands on their signature chicken and waffles in Mississauga (70 World Dr.).

Tanya Arnold’s Rosy Kitchen in the east end concluded last fall, but new iteration The Commodore Kitchen at Kilt and Harp Pub (2046 Danforth Ave.) she says resurrects “some of our most popular items from the Rosy Kitchen menu, plus some new ones.” This week that meant Proper Curry ($15), Schnitzel Sando ($15) and Chili Con Carne ($14). As for the new moniker, Arnold says it’s a nod to “the history of the end end and the old Commodore Tavern,” located a block east of The Kilt.

Ferry Dessert’s Asian bubble tea, sweets, and street food just landed College and Spadina (314 College St.). Bonus: Enjoy a grand opening discount until the end of the week.

For those obsessed with The Bear series about a young chef's return home to run the family's sandwich shop, you're likely all about Italian Beef already. Marq's Chicago Beef in Market 707 (707 Dundas St. W.) has been on it since May '21. Woofdawg Hotdog, which debuted on Dundas West around the same time, has launched side hustle Frank Ranalli’s Italian Beef inside the shop, offering both sweet and hot varieties. Psst. TR Newsletter subscribers got the tip off first.

The speciality at Richmond Hill’s new Golden Piglet (9021 Leslie St.)? Char siu and other Chinese BBQ.

Hopson Grace’s closure this summer was luckily short lived. The modern home goods store and showroom’s move to their swish new addy is already complete (200 Dupont St.). 

From Callaloo and Saltfish (sm $14, lg $17)  and King Fish Dinner ($19) to Oxtail (sm $16, lg $19) and Cow Foot (sm $16, lg $19) Island Hot & Spicy Restaurant’s outpost at Bloor and Landsdowne (1334 Bloor St. W.) is the perfect post thrift shop stop. Another perk? It’s open 24/7.

TR Newsletter subscribers already know: Judaline (162 Danforth Ave.) quietly opened this week at Broadview and Danforth in the space formerly home to The Combine Eatery and later iteration, The Combine Reboot. Sibling to Her Father’s Cider Bar + Kitchen, the latest project by Joshua Mott (The Red Eye debuted earlier this year), features Canadian fare including bar snacks such as Peach Salad ($18), Sea Bream Crudo ($21) and Shoestring Fries ($11), with dinner offerings of Corn Risotto ($24), Beef Burger ($27), and King Salmon ($29). 

Jeff and Chef Nuit Regular of Pai and SukhoThai reopen Kiin, their acclaimed eatery in partnership with Gusto 54 Restaurant Group, just in time for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) with a Traditional Thai Sumrab Set Menu ($90 pp). Doors open today, but insiders (aka TR Newsletter subscribers) got the jump.

From the folks behind Koreatown’s Mapo Korean BBQ in (708 Bloor St. W.) comes Mapo Pocha Soju Bar (680 Bloor St. W.) with late night eats (Think Cheese Corn on Sizzling Hot Plate, Mapo Bossam, Korean Cold Noodle With BBQ Pork Belly) and assortment of that captivating Korean elixir.

The latest arrival at Scarborough’s Kennedy Commons (14 William Kitchen Rd.), Naan Kabob, is your go-to for Afghan fare. 

Whether it’s part of your commute, stroll through the ‘hood or staycation, Presse Café at Omni King Edward Hotel (37 King St. E.) has got you covered for all things coffee, pastries, and breakfast all the way to linner.

The barrage of openings and events of late should not overshadow the reopening of the legendary The Silver Dollar Room. Founded in 1958, it has been home to local and international artists including Levon Helm, Gordon Lightfoot and Veldt. While the original location at College and Spadina is no more, find the new destination in Parkdale at Queen and Jameson (1371 Queen St. W.), currently open Friday to Sunday midnight to 2am.

Stacked Pancake House has 34 locations across Canada. Make that 35 with the recent addition of the breakfast-centric chain in Woodbridge (3650 Langstaff Rd.).

Find the city’s newest brewery in Brockton Village. Steadfast Brewing (301 Lansdowne Ave.) is celebrating opening weekend with an “extra special cask beer” for the occasion.

TR Newsletter subscribers got the scoop. For those just catching up: Street Eats Market has been a Scarborough fixture for years. Finally, Toronto is about to get its very own street food destination, and right downtown to boot, at the base of Rogers Centre (65 Navy Wharf Crt.). Grand opening festivities take place this weekend.

Tapps Bar & Grill moved on from Scarborough and set up shop in Greektown (561 Danforth Ave.), previously St. Louis Bar & Grill. Doors softly opened Saturday. 

Vanta Coffee Club & Eatery said goodbye to their  Scarborough home of five years last fall, but as I reported, another was in the works. Hot tip: Head to Yonge & Sheppard (4711 Yonge St., Concourse Level) to check out their modern digs.

Following an expansion downtown earlier this year, Zaza Espresso Bar’s signature coffee and  hand-piped cannoli have landed Midtown at Yonge Eglinton Centre (2300 Yonge St.) across from Metro.

CLOSED

Pop-up food truck stop Food Truck'n Events – established 2015 – is ending its reign in Islington Village (1 Resurrection Rd.) September 30.

The Hummussiah (113 Bond St.) had a good run.

While the Scarborough location (5830 Finch Ave. E. ) of Tapps Bar & Grill has closed, the watering hole is already up and running elsewhere. See above for details.

Woodhouse Brew Pub (301 Lansdowne Ave.) closed June 5 after the brewery merged with Junction Craft Brewing. To discover the new tenant, see openings above.

EVENTS 

The TR September Fests + Events Calendar is the largest guide dedicated to food and drink celebrations happening across Toronto/GTA: Nearly 50 destinations and growing! Get the entire lineup of block parties, art crawls, fall fairs + markets now.

NEWS

After the sudden death of local bartender and tour de force Sandy De Almeida earlier this week, many establishments closed for the day including Bar Mordecai, Civil Liberties, and Mahjong Bar. Industry vet Michael Webster launched a GoFundMe Campaign to help the family cover the funeral costs. 

A double shooting took place in a lounge in a Vaughan plaza last weekend.

ICYMI

If you or anyone you know are struggling, reach out at any time.

RESOURCES + SERVICES:

Distress Centres of Greater Toronto
GTA Call 416-408-4357 
PEEL Call 905-459-7777
NATIONWIDE 1-833-456-4566
TEXT 45645

LOCAL INDUSTRY SPECIFIC RESOURCES + SERVICES:

Not 9 to 5, a local non-profit that specializes in all things mental health specifically for industry, has resources including Crisis Support, Hospitality Focused Support, and Virtual Therapy Support.

Mind The Bar Foundation is a not-for-profit mental health resource, information and support initiative designed by the hospitality industry, for the hospitality industry. The only requirement to become a member is working in food and beverage services. Membership including  free and confidential 24/7 access to the Lifeworks Total Wellbeing App which provides a host of resources for Mental Wellbeing, Work and Life Issues, Health Assessments, and Financial Well-Being. Mind The Bar also has resources for Anxiety, Depression, and Suicide.

Please support local businesses whenever possible.

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

Things change quickly. Follow Toronto Restaurants on Instagram and Facebook and subscribe to the TR Newsletter for breaking news, updates, interviews + more.

Hear of a place that’s about to open or just closed? Have an upcoming food or restaurant event? Get in touch.

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