It’s curtains for a Queen West institution: Czehoski, a spot known just as much for its party scene as its late-night comfort food, has been shuttered, with a giant “For Lease” sign posted prominently below its signature worn-out signage.
A notice posted to the door Monday states that the property was seized by the restaurant’s landlords, 100 Group, for “reasons of breaches of covenants in (the) lease.” Nearby businesses say the closure was sudden, even coming as a surprise to Czehoski’s staff.
More details weren’t available Tuesday, though the restaurant has a checkered past: owner John Schertzer faced a drug rap in 2013 and was accused in April of assaulting a woman inside the restaurant.
The restaurant, housed in a butcher shop from the ’50s, started out in 2005 doing an Eastern European farm-to-table amalgam that alternately perplexed and delighted our food critic at the time. In later years, perhaps thanks to the rooftop patio and beer selection, it became more of a draw for the Queen West party crowd.
Read the full notice below:
food@nowtoronto.com | @nataliamanzocco
