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.