With most of Ontario entering phase three this week (and Toronto expected to soon follow), many businesses are beginning to bounce back from the financial struggles caused by the pandemic. Sadly, however, the wave of COVID-related closures hasn’t come to an end, with several Toronto restaurants announcing over the past week that they’re shutting down … Continued
About the meal Auberge avec Canoe is a collaboration between two well-known Toronto restaurants: Auberge du Pommier and Canoe. The joint effort sees Canoe’s chef Ron McKinlay and Auberge’s chef Tim Schulte teaming up to create a multi-course tasting menu that changes each week. Both restaurants are owned by the Oliver and Bonacini restaurant group, … Continued
With so many restaurants and local businesses struggling or closing amid the pandemic, it’s heartening to see that others are managing to adapt to the new normal and finding ways to thrive. One such spot is Brockton Village’s Miss Pippa’s, which is reopening its storefront this week after four months of closure due to COVID-19. … Continued
Anthony Rose has revived his restaurant Big Crow, which reopened last week for takeout and patio dining. The restaurateur and chef had previously shut down Big Crow and adjoining restaurant Rose and Sons last fall to make way for a new concept called the Grand Elvis. The Grand Elvis opened in December 2019 to widespread … Continued
Restaurants across the city are continuing to open new patios as part of the CaféTO program. With indoor dining still prohibited in Toronto, the initiative has been a lifeline for restaurants that previously had limited or non-existent outdoor dining space in which to serve customers, such as midtown’s Little Sister restaurant. Jennifer Gittins, co-owner of … Continued
Live Organic Food Bar is shuttering its Annex restaurant, which first opened in 2001 helping to pave the way for plant-based dining in the city. According to owners Jennifer and Christopher Italiano, who shared the closure announcement on social media on July 10, the decision comes as a result of the financial strain created by … Continued
Acclaimed Mexican restaurant Quetzal has been transformed into Don Pollo, specializing in wood-fired chicken dishes. The Little Italy restaurant had been temporarily closed since mid-March amid the pandemic, with chef-owner Grant van Gameren opting not to offer takeout when restaurant dining rooms were forced to suspend service. View this post on Instagram … Continued
Opening a new restaurant in Toronto was already a challenge prior to the pandemic, and now COVID is driving the financial stakes even higher for would-be restaurateurs such as the team behind Rhyz. With the stakes so high, pop-ups are becoming an increasingly appealing option for chefs looking to dip their toes into the city’s … Continued
Whether they’re blended with ice or feature invigorating ingredients like citrus or cucumber, these are the 10 cocktails that are keeping us cool on Toronto patios this month. Patois View this post on Instagram A post shared by Patois • PATIO NOW OPEN (@patoistoronto) on Jul 1, 2020 at 2:44pm PDT Patois has … Continued
It’s been a slow season for new restaurant openings as the industry adapts to the challenges of operating amid the pandemic. Fortunately, however, many restaurants are finding ways to move ahead with their opening plans, even if it means debuting with takeout-only service until indoor dining is able to resume. The latest restaurant to add … Continued
Ontario continues to make it easier for restaurants to open their patios for dine-in service. With indoor restaurant dining still prohibited, there was some confusion about whether covered patios were allowed to reopen with other outdoor dining areas this month. Today, the provincial government amended the emergency order to clarify that patios with a roof … Continued
Aunty Lucy’s is looking for a new home after a rent dispute forced the restaurant to abruptly shut down. The popular burger joint had been operating out of the Duggan’s Brewery space in Parkdale since early June. According to the eatery’s Instagram post, Aunty Lucy’s landlord asked for a rent increase amounting to 10 times … Continued
