OPEN/CLOSED: Toronto Restaurant News December 2-8, 2021

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

🕒 14.5 min read

Uncovering 38 arrivals in a single week at the beginning of December is not only a shock, IT’S AN ALL-TIME RECORD-BREAKER!

BTW - There are plenty more openings to come. Of course with that comes a lot of closures.

In the meantime, here’s the very latest:

OPEN

Ara Japanese Restaurant (225 Queen St. W.) near Queen and University specializes in sushi and teishoku (set meals). A recent teishoku weekly special featured Spicy Chicken paired with Kimchi, Seasoned & Simmered Radish, Grilled Mackerel, Baby Yakitori, CPT Stick, and Vegan Orange Cream. Also notable: the names for the 12 piece sushi and sashimi sets - Sushi That Was Sold The Most Last Week ($27), Aburi Sushi That The Chef Craves The Most ($ 28), and Sashimi That The Chef Just Filleted ($29).

Junk food and convenience store snacks took on a new importance during the pandemic. Levelling up your munchies is easy thanks to BZB Convenience (2 Matiland St.) at Yonge and Wellesley. Limited edition and imported goodies such as Japanese Bourbon Fettuccine Soda Gummies, Korean Steak  Flavoured Cheetos, Fireworks Faygo  and allll the KITKAT iterations, are just the beginning.

The Ossington strip is about to get a lot sweeter with the arrival of Avoca Chocolates (148 Ossington Ave.) on Saturday.

Cabano’s Comfort Food joined virtual food hall Kitchen Hub’s Etobicoke location (935 The Queensway) last week.

Birch Cliff’s City Cottage Market (81 Haig Ave.) is a one-stop shop for local products and produce, including a weekly fruit and veg box.

Grand opening festivities for Courage Cookies’ second outpost (1561 Dundas St. W., formerly home to OMG Baked Goodness) take place Saturday 12-6pm. Cost: Pay what you want. 100 per cent of the proceeds being donated.

The Drake Hotel (1150 Queen St. W.) unveiled a new addition yesterday - a modern wing complete with 32 new rooms, “polished steel boxcar-inspired rooftop suite,” new takes on the lobby, rooftop patio, lobby bar, meeting and event spaces, and interior courtyard, with eye-catching art everywhere.

Celebrate Fahmee Bakery’s third location (1971 Weston Rd.) this weekend with $1 patties and specials including Oxtail And Curry Goat ($8) and Jerk Chicken Sandwiches ($5).

The Fill Station Spots Bar found a new home at Busters By The Bluffs (1539 Kingston Rd.), melding together the best of both worlds: Busters’ staff and menu items from the Fill. Doors opened yesterday.

Fresh Restaurants opens its doors at CF Sherway Gardens (25 The West Mall) in Etobicoke on Tuesday.⁣ Fresh Sherway is the first location to open after the announcement it was acquired by a behemoth last month. 

Holiday shopping at the mall just got a little easier: Taiwanese tea chain Gong Cha’s new pop-up shop at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (220 Yonge St., Food Court) showcases their “Top 10” drinks. Open until the end of the month.

Nickie Minshall, Tasha Potter and Jesse Borg, the talented folks behind Bangarang and Track & Field (reopened last month in a new location), debut their secret-ish bar Hail Mary above T&F ( (582 College St.) kicking off tomorrow at 10pm with drinks, DJs and dancing.

The Hartly (619 King St. W.) concept - restaurant, lounge and variety theatre - is different than predecessor Goldie. Helming the kitchen is Chef Daniel Ken (simultaneously at Lobby; formerly Lavelle, Blowfish). Did you know? The Hartly and Lobby share business partners, though not all.

The city’s first IHOP has arrived in Liberty Village (60 Sudbury St.), though the American chain is a virtual venture through Ghost Kitchen Brands. On the menu: In addition to omelettes and other breakfast fare, World-Famous Pancakes.

Gluten-free Impact Kitchen landed a virtual spot at Kitchen Hub’s west-end operation (935 The Queensway) with all your vegan, keto, paleo, and dairy-free options for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner.

The latest addition to Kibo Sushi House’s extensive portfolio landed in North York at Victoria Park and Lawrence (1752 Victoria Park Ave.).

Shannon Nocos makes exquisite Filipino cakes in a range of flavours and styles. See for yourself at her new shop KWENTO at College and Dufferin (1105 College St.).

Italian eatery La Capricciosa (2372 Bloor St. W.) debuts today in Bloor West Village with an impressive lineup of antipasti, insalate, panini, primi, secondi, vitteli, pesci, pizze e dolci.

A carriage by world-renowned French luxury patisserie Ladurée popped up at Yorkville Village (55 Avenue Rd.).

Fromager and Certified Red Seal Chef Gurth M. Pretty knows everything there is to know about cheese. He’s even written several books on the subject. Visit his new shop in Mississauga, Lakeview Cheese Galore (848 Lakeshore Rd. E.).

The wait is finally over: Aditya Srivathsan and Shilpa Kotamarthi debut their exciting new South Indian café Madras Kaapi  (870 College St.) tomorrow.

Mandy Goodhandy (aka Amanda Taylor) - owner of Club120 and 120 Diner - and Chef Richard Henry (120 Diner, The Lakeview, Les Rossignol, Le Canard Mort) are bringing “the best of the 120 Diner and Club120 with touches of The Old Nick, to the Danforth” with Mandy’s Bistro (123 Danforth Ave.). Doors opened Tuesday.

Massawa Mini Mart (450 Parliament St.) takes over from 450 Mini Mart in Cabbagetown.

Plant-based burgers and waffle fries have arrived at Sugar Beach, courtesy of Mavericks Burger Co. (15 Merchant’s Wharf).

Speaking of burgers, the meaty smash variety can be yours in Etobicoke, thanks to virtual kitchen McCoy Restaurants (20 Lockport Ave.).

Craving Northern Chinese dumplings, bao, congee or noodles? Head to Mom's Dim Sum (360 Hwy 7) in Richmond Hill.

Psst. Blini, caviar and vodka flights are happening at Yorkville’s latest arrival Moscow Tea Room (161 Yorkville Ave.).

This weekend marks the opening of the Hillcrest Village location (744 St. Clair Ave. W.) Nava Social, formerly home to Peruvian restaurant Kay Pacha. To celebrate, on Friday and Saturday, customers can enjoy a free coffee for a canned good or cash donation. Guests are encouraged to bring “a protein-based canned good during their visit to help us spread the holiday joy!”

Nothing Bundt Cakes launched a branch in Mississauga (1900 Fowler Dr., Unit D119), just in time for the holidays.

Now & Later (1007 Bloor St. W.) in Bloorcourt does it all: coffee, wine, shop and music.

Chocolaterie QUEST XO based in Liberty Village (55 East Liberty St., Unit 603) has got you this holiday: Nibbly Mint Bar ($10 ea.), Rudolph Lolly ($6.50), Gingerbread Bark ($12), Chocolate Greeting Card ($13) and selection of jaw-dropping Cocoa Bombs ($7-$23) including eerily realistic puppy.

Psst. Hidden ice cream destination alert: I reported on Rex's Premium Ice Cream in April. It was a virtual enterprise back then, but a secret spot just debuted inside 6ix Pizzas. (TR Newsletter subscribers got the intel first. Don’t miss out: subscribe now.)

Tired of your food not looking like a cute Japanese hunting dog? Shiba Poke is here to change all that. “Canada’s first” Shiba Inu themed restaurant serving up poke bowls with canine shaped rice and Korean-inspired bubble tea. Find them across from the Kennedy Road entrance of Runnymede Station (245A Kennedy Ave.) in Bloor West Village.

Triangles of happiness have arrived in Leslieville. See: Simply Samosas (969 Queen St. E.).

The Suya Spot Bistro in Vaughan has a downtown sibling in Kensington (202 Baldwin St.).

Insider tip: Top ramen joint Ramen Isshin just launched sister restaurant Tosaka Japanese Fried Chicken in Etobicoke  (20 Lockport Ave.). Fun Fact: They share an address with other newcomers MUSU Osaka Buns’ ghost kitchen, Sala Modern Thai Kitchen that debuted two months ago, as well as this week’s McCoy Restaurants.

From panetón to traditional meat seasonings, Vida Market (193 Baldwin St.) is a veritable bounty of natural and organic products from Latin America.

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

CLOSED

Bloor West Village’s schnitzel and pierogi HQ Amber European Restaurant (2372 Bloor St. W.) shuttered October 31 and has already transformed into something new. See above.

Dav’s Hotspot on College (713 College St.) closed due to staffing shortages. The Mississauga location remains open, with more in the works. 

The Depanneur’s (1033 College St.) lease is up at the end of the year and owner Len Senater is not renewing it. Instead, he says, “I will be taking a break in 2022 to focus my energies on envisioning and manifesting the next iteration of The Depanneur.”

The Fill Station Sports Bar in the Beaches (2282 Queen St. E.) concluded service as of October 30. Check out their new addy above.

Hakata Shoryuken Ramen II (225 Queen St. W.) has been replaced by Ara Japanese Restaurant. See above for details.

Mars Food (432 College St.) was a fixture at College and Bathurst for decades before shutting down for good.

End of an era. TR Newsletter subscribers got the intel first: Thirsty and Miserable's 10 year lease is up at the end of the month. And it's not being renewed, so go often. See you there.

Award-winning modern Indian restaurant Tich in Etobicoke (2314 Lakeshore Blvd. W.) shuttered suddenly, but a “next planned phase” already underway.

CHANGES

O&B dropped the name Bannock from their stead at Queen and Bay (401 Bay St.) and went with Sap instead. The company also quietly added plant-based Rosalinda, part of the impressive Overbudget Inc. portfolio (Bar Isabel, Bar Raval, El Rey, Harry’s Charbroiled, Piquette, Quetzal) helmed by restaurateur Grant van Gameren.

Chef, TV host and cookbook author Corbin Tomaszeski moved his Birch Cliff shop (launched Summer ‘20) down a block. Find Corbin Catering & Foods in its new home at 1670 Kingston Rd..

Another food shop vacated their original dwelling for newer pastures. Find Forbes Wild Foods between Greenwood and Coxwell now (1385 Danforth Ave.).

M!LK Vegan Gelato is now M!LK Dessert Bar (536 Queen St.W.). The extension of the concept started last summer (at the same address as Pizzeria Du) now includes brunch. desserts served in the evenings are “in the near future,” says owner Roger Yang.

New digs, who dis? Kensington Market fixture 4Life Natural Foods (210 Augusta Ave.) goes by Super Natural Market now.

EVENTS

Explore an array of magical winter wonderlands, curated artisan markets, spirited pop-up bars, and other sensational celebrations in this must-have one-stop guide of fun food-filled festivities and holiday happenings.

NEWS

A man has been charged after a car crashed into Oh Bombay restaurant in Oakville. No injuries have been reported.

Please support local businesses whenever possible.

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

Things change quickly. Follow Toronto Restaurants on Instagram and Facebook 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.

Need help promoting your amazing spot, but you’re on a budget? We can help. *Prices have been reduced to help local businesses during this time. Limited space available.

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