Toronto restaurants are used to lockdown restrictions being extended, but it doesn’t make navigating running a business during the pandemic any easier. With news spreading that the province is planning to extend the stay-at-home order to June 2, patio season might be further away.
In the meantime, we can keep supporting the new restaurants and food businesses opening through takeout and delivery. This week a beloved coffee shop opened a new location, two friends started selling steak sandwiches out their backyard, a popular ice cream chain is opening a new location in anticipation of the summer – and there are even more places to get pizza.
Read on to learn which new spots hit the block and which neighbourhood favourites said goodbye forever between May 4-11.
Toronto restaurants that closed
Agincourt Bakery and Italian Kitchen
After 37 years, this family-owned bakery in Scarborough is closed. The family posted a heartfelt message to their website, thanking customers for letting them be apart of their lives for so many years, from baby showers to retirement parties. In March, it was announced that a condo developer purchased the entire plaza that housed the bakery and other businesses. Now that the Pharmacy location is officially closed, the family is planning to relocate: “Now is our time to begin a new chapter and rise to the occasion once again. Our journey is not ending, just moving. Service runs deep in our family. We hope that you will all stay with us as we transform into something new.”
Kravingz
The popular brunch spot in Mississauga made the difficult decision to close, announcing on Facebook that they could no longer hold on. “Like other mom and pop shops, the lockdowns have failed us. It’s been over a year that we have not welcomed food lovers, friends and family through the door. Our once live atmosphere had been silenced by the sound of an empty restaurant,” they wrote, also thanking the community for supporting them.
New Toronto restaurants
Allwyn’s
Allwyn’s legendary jerk chicken and pork sandwiches, patties and plentiful dinner specials have touched down in Vaughan, with their newest location opening last week at 3222 Steeles West.
Bear Steak Sandwiches
Bear Steak‘s “Sammy” is the ultimate backyard barbecue meal and it’s quite literally sold out of co-owner Ricardo Barrientos’s backyard in Little Italy. They serve one thing and it’s a steak sandwich with house-made chimichurri on fresh baked Portuguese-style buns. So far, they’ve only sold to friends and family but they plan public pre-orders through their website will begin soon.
FBI Pizza
The popular pizza joint known for their enormous pizzas (the “massive” size is 21 inches across) opened their first Toronto location on St Clair West. Before, people in the city had to venture out to Etobicoke to get a taste of their Naples-inspired pies.
iHalo Krunch
The original spot for Insta-worthy charcoal ice cream cones is opening another location in High Park on May 15. Beyond the social media hype, the signature soft-serve flavours – ube, charcoal coconut, Madagascar vanilla bean and matcha – are delicious on their own and even better when swirled together.
Maru Japanese Bistro
This new addition to Leslieville just had a soft opening. The cuisine is Japanese with some French culinary methods sprinkled in. Nori canapés, pressed and Gunkan sushi and elaborate bowls, made with miso-glazed eggplant or duck steak, round out the current menu. They plan on expanding it as things go along.
Pizzeria Badiali
After becoming obsessed with the relationships pizza shops have within respective neighbourhoods, chef Ryan Baddeley decided to create one of his own in his neighbourhood of Beaconsfield Village. It’s still under construction but keep your eyes peeled to their Instagram for updates.
Sweetie Pie
Last summer the first location of this bakery focused on artisanal hand-made pies and vegan baked goods opened in Harbord Village. They just opened a location on Queen West, where you can get sweet pies like lemon meringue, apple, strawberry rhubarb and cherry or savoury pies like braised beef, spicy beef curry and vegan mushroom.
Wallace Espresso
Located in the old location of the Corso Italia hood favourite Hounslow’s House (which closed in February), Wallace’s latest outpost has some big shoes to fill. Luckily, they’re known for impeccable espresso, so the coffee will do the talking.
Buzzy news
Conzo’s Pizzeria launched build-your-own-pizza kits so you can try your hand at replicating their delectable slices at home.
SARA continues a pop-up series highlighting different local chefs. This week Rachel Adjei put together a vegetarian-friendly menu with proceeds going to Afri-Can Food Basket, a non-profit dedicated to food justice and sovereignty for Toronto’s Black communities. The menu is four courses with cuisines ranging from Ghana to Kenya, Congo to Seychelles.
A patron of Sauce on Danforth launched a GoFundMe to help the struggling bar stay afloat throughout the extended lockdown. In four days, the campaign has raised almost $17,000 of their $25,000 goal.
