We don’t know how long it will be before we’ll find ourselves back in a bar, asking for a recommendation from the bartender for our next drink order — but one Toronto bar is aiming to recreate the experience in takeout form. The Cloak Bar, a hidden cocktail bar located under Marben Restaurant, has launched … Continued
Jody Shapiro, co-owner of lumberjack-chic hipster hotspot Antler, has partnered with the Stephen Bulger Gallery to create Lockdown 2.0, a photo essay series aimed at raising funds for the hard-hit restaurant industry. Featuring 14 Toronto restaurants, including Ascari, Blackbird Bakery, Canoe, the Federal, Skippa, the Skyline and Uncle Mikey’s, Shapiro’s photos depict some of these … Continued
If you’ve been finding the Toronto winter a little bleaker in the absence of the city’s much-loved annual Winterlicious event, a new initiative is here to fill the prix-fixe meal void. LocalLicious sees more than 100 restaurants across Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan offering special three-course menus from today until March 7. The 10-day event organized … Continued
By lindsaylow
When the pandemic brought their brick-and-mortar restaurant plans to a halt, chefs David Schwartz, Braden Chong and Keith Siu channelled their culinary creativity into the pop-up concept Sunny’s Chinese. Like the eventual restaurant the trio plans to open, Sunny’s Chinese highlights the distinctive cuisines of China’s different regions. Each pop-up focuses on a particular area … Continued
Miami-based chef Michael Lewis is making his Toronto restaurant debut by tapping into two of the city’s biggest pandemic dining trends: fried chicken sandwiches and ghost kitchens. This weekend, the chef is set to launch two delivery-only concepts, Chikin and Laid Fresh, in partnership with REEF Neighbourhood Kitchens, a North American ghost kitchen provider. Lewis … Continued
Popular ice-cream parlour in Etobicoke, Tom’s Dairy Freeze, known for its long lineups every summer, is opening a new pop-up location in Trinity Bellwoods. Tom’s has partnered with ShipNoble, which will allow Tom’s to be delivered to anybody within a seven-kilometre radius of Trinity Bellwoods on Dundas Street West and Ossington Avenue. View … Continued
By Ron Johnson
Restaurant owner Adam Skelly is back in the spotlight again, but this time it’s because of a $187,000 invoice from the City of Toronto. Skelly, the owner of Adamson Barbecue, faces this hefty sum after defying lockdown orders last November. Police were sent to the restaurant on Queen Elizabeth Boulevard over a number of days … Continued
By lindsaylow
Stone Yu’s initiation into the world of baking came early. Much of his childhood was spent in the kitchen of his family bakery, learning from a team of Hong Kong–born chefs. Yu’s parents opened Lucullus Bakery in 1991 after moving to the Greater Toronto Area from Hong Kong. He later refined this hands-on education, studying … Continued
The King Street Food Company’s (KSFC) future has been uncertain, with the company filing for insolvency in November 2020. The company operates several restaurants throughout the GTA, including Bar Buca, Jacobs & Co., Buca, La Banane, and CXBO. KSFC had planned to offer takeout and delivery as part of a restructuring process, and they appear … Continued
Le Sélect Bistro is saying au revoir, but not goodbye. After 40 years, the beloved restaurant at 432 Wellington Street will be under new ownership by Allied Properties and will reopen with a new management team. Le Select’s former team outlines the reasons for keeping its door closed in a colourful and heartwarming press release. … Continued
Although the pandemic has seen the unfortunate closure of many Toronto restaurants, and dramatic business model pivots from many others, one of the city’s most popular wine bars appears to be on the verge of an expansion. Records from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario show that Paris Paris recently applied for a liquor … Continued
By Ron Johnson
A new storefront from the Ascari Group at 1091 Queen St. E. will be open this spring. Ascari Mercatino e Vini will sell specialty pantry items, have an extensive and exclusive wine list, and serve food to go or to eat (pandemic-permitting) inside while sipping an espresso counter-side. Co-owner Erik Joyal describes the new spaces … Continued
