Massimo’s Pizza & Pasta at the corner of College and Robert appears to have thrown its last pie.
The three-story storefront that houses the U of T fave was burnt to a crisp two weekends ago and has been boarded up ever since. It doesn’t look like its about to reopen any time soon.
The long-running family-run pizzeria had been a downtown standby since the 70s, but had been in decline for years. And a recent unsympathetic remodel from the Restaurant Makeover gang did little to reverse Massimo’s luck. Those with the munchies for old-school thick-crusted pizza should check out nearby Pizza Gigi (189 Harbord, at Borden, 416-535-4444) who delivers every night till 4 am.
UPDATE: Massimo’s will reopening at 1130 Queen West, a former tanning salon.
SMOKIN’ MEAT
A couple of blocks west of Massimo’s, Caplansky’s at Brunswick and College is finally taking shape. Owner/ smoked meat-meister Zane Caplansky closed up shop at the Monarch Tavern (12 Clinton, at Henderson, 416-531-5833) last month and now expects to be open for business come September. Last May, Caplansky told NOW he expected to be open in July but the strike by City building inspectors put the kibosh on that.
“I’m treating this time like its the calm before the storm,” writes Caplansky on his blog. “The funny part is that its not very calm.”
BTW he’s currently hiring.
GAMELLE GONE
Further along College just west of Bathurst, much-loved French bistro Gamelle has been shuttered.
A message on its website says that owner/chef Jean-Pierre Centeno’s 11 year-old resto is closing due to the “parlous (sic) state of the economy and the high prices for the kind of top quality ingredients that we used.”
Whoever takes over the space inherits one of the loveliest backyard garden patios in town.[rssbreak]
