Roti lovers across town will be crying into their curry today (and not just because of the heat). Parkdale’s beloved Bacchus Roti Shop (1376 Queen West, at Brock), widely regarded as one of the best joints in town, has announced it will be shutting down later next month after 33 years in business.
“Bacchus Roti Shop has been considered a staple of Parkdale, one that many know they can come to get great tasting food,” wrote Robert Bacchus, the son of owners Dick and Sue Bacchus, in a statement emailed to blogTO.
“However, when looking toward the future, [my parents] feel it is hard to move the business to the next generation to continue the legacy, so they have decided it is a good time to transition to something new.”
In addition to enjoying a reliable spot at the top of countless “Toronto’s best roti” lists (including ours), Bacchus also got its moment in the spotlight when Anthony Bourdain stopped by for an episode of The Layover in 2012. A couple years prior, the crew from Restaurant Makeover stopped by to give the place a new look — but, wisely, left Dick Bacchus’ food untouched (which may have been a key to evading the show’s so-called curse).
The restaurant will be shutting its doors on October 14, and the Bacchuses plan to lease out the space to a new, as-yet-unannounced restaurant. In the meantime, at least we’ve still got Ali’s.
food@nowtoronto.com | @nataliamanzocco
