Coming soon to the Danforth: a totally non-Greek restaurant from Brassaii’s Chris Kalisperas
The Danforth can’t seem to shake its reputation as a stodgy dining destination, despite the efforts of trendy spots like Pizzeria Libretto and the short-lived Aravind. Now Chris Kalisperas, the current executive chef at Brassaii, is aiming to boost the neighbourhood’s culinary cred with The Forth, a massive new multi-level restaurant that’s set to open this spring at Danforth and Pape. At 8,000 square feet, the space will seat 150 and sprawl over two floors of a new building constructed above the National Bank at 629 Danforth Avenue. “We’re hoping to get people excited about eating on the Danforth again,” Kalisperas says.
Kalisperas’s background is Greek, but his new venture isn’t. “It’s not a Greek restaurant at all,” he says. Rather, the cuisine will be “contemporary Canadian,” with just a few Mediterranean influences. Along with a tight menu of apps and mains, Kalisperas plans to offer family-style meals, like whole chickens and dry-aged rib steaks, as well as a separate snack menu for the upstairs lounge. If all goes according to plan, The Forth will be open by mid-April.
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/food/brassaii-chris-kalisperas-new-restaurant-danforth-the-forth/&title=Coming soon to the Danforth: a totally non-Greek restaurant from Brassaii’s Chris Kalisperas&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/8634670350_bf25a0fbdf_b.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_258676" align="alignleft" width="320"] Chef Chris Kalisperas at last year’s Terroir symposium (Image: Renée Suen)[/caption]
The Danforth can’t seem to shake its reputation as a stodgy dining destination, despite the efforts of trendy spots like Pizzeria Libretto and the short-lived Aravind. Now Chris Kalisperas, the current executive chef at Brassaii, is aiming to boost the neighbourhood’s culinary cred with The Forth, a massive new multi-level restaurant that’s set to open this spring at Danforth and Pape. At 8,000 square feet, the space will seat 150 and sprawl over two floors of a new building constructed above the National Bank at 629 Danforth Avenue. “We’re hoping to get people excited about eating on the Danforth again,” Kalisperas says.
Kalisperas’s background is Greek, but his new venture isn’t. “It’s not a Greek restaurant at all,” he says. Rather, the cuisine will be “contemporary Canadian,” with just a few Mediterranean influences. Along with a tight menu of apps and mains, Kalisperas plans to offer family-style meals, like whole chickens and dry-aged rib steaks, as well as a separate snack menu for the upstairs lounge. If all goes according to plan, The Forth will be open by mid-April.){kind=link}
Is this guy ok? You can’t compete with Zorba’s over there. Only if you put a name restaurant like Cheesecake factory can you attract business. Say bye bye to the money invested, I give it six months.
They haven’t even started the reno yet, I don’t think mid-April will be the opening date. But I look forward to them being in the neighbourhood!
As a Danforth resident I look forward to dining there.
Stodgy? You are uninformed! The Dan hosts some of TO’s best – and most romantic restaurants, like Lolita’s Lust (an east side gem for over 16 years) and The Globe? As well as countless others. Wise up!
Finally something exciting and new on the Danforth. I love Greek food, but I’ve had it all before! It will be nice to see some of the West End rub off on to the East End. It’s about time! Opa!
Lots of nice restaurants on the Danforth !!! …. But if you really want to try authentic Greek food try Athens Restaurant 707 Danforth the best of everything !!!!
You clearly don’t live nearby (or you do an that’s why you’re grossly overcompensating for such a dire selection, and still only manage to mention 2 half-decent but by no means exceptional venues). Not everyone wants “romantic” restaurants when dining out. I’ve lived here my whole life and “stodgy” is a gentle way of putting the general dining scene. Whenever any of my friends ask to come down here for dinner, I groan loudly and ask if we can just go elsewhere instead. Let’s see if The Fourth can change the atmosphere around here. Please!
Yes you can compete. Not everyone wants Greek food all the time, and some people want a classier dining experience on a night out than Zorba’s. Mixing up the selection will help diversify the dining scene and draw people in that avoid the Danforth because they don’t want the same-old Greek souvlaki that is associated with the D (Thanks, Taste.). And, I’m sorry, no, putting a Cheesecake Factory will NOT attract business. Have big chains like St. Louis or Fox & Fiddle done ANYTHING other than make the area look cheap and attract young drunks and losers? Nope. Putting in high-quality, unique, locally-owned and diverse eating experiences will attract business. Enough with the Greek take-out places and Mediterranean-themed bistros. It’s saturated enough. It can still be Greektown with some different styles thrown in. There’s more to food (and the business of food!) than that.