Introducing: Peoples Eatery, a new Chinatown restaurant from the 416 Snack Bar team
Name: Peoples Eatery
Neighbourhood: Chinatown
Contact Info: 307 Spadina Ave., 416-792-1784
Owners: The team behind 416 Snack Bar: Adrian Ravinsky, David Stewart, Matthew See and Dustin Gallagher
Chefs: Dustin Gallagher and his chef de cuisine Jonah Snitman
The Food: The one-page snack menu is meant to reflect Spadina’s past, present and future. Gallagher pays homage to the area’s Jewish roots with deli standards like potato knishes and smoked whitefish salad, while Chinese-inspired menu items—pork bao and cold chicken with daikon—reflect the strip’s present. Gallagher sees international influences, including Israeli and Indian cuisine, shaping Spadina’s future. Like 416 Snack Bar, the mostly shareable bites and platters are meant to be consumed without cutlery. The restaurant’s soon-to-open second floor will serve a more refined chef’s menu designed to be eaten with (gasp!) utensils.
The Drinks: The Ontario-heavy wine list includes several wines by the glass. For hops lovers, the lineup of American and Canadian craft beers includes bottles from small breweries like Left Field and Goose Island. Yanjing, a Chinese lager, is also available.
The Place: Peoples Eatery replaces an unassuming Cantonese restaurant by the same name. After extensive renovations, the tight squeeze of a main floor is now dominated by a green marble bar and a smattering of two-toned wood tables. In an attempt to preserve the two-story Victorian’s history, Ravinsky and crew restored the carved wooden detailing and exposed some original wallpaper buried under layers of fake wood paneling and other bad décor choices. Other historic nods: a whole wall papered with Trudeau-era posters opposing the Spadina expressway, and the former occupants’ neon Peoples Eatery sign, which beams bright despite being demoted to a basement wall fixture.
The Numbers:
• $107 for the most expensive wine, a 2007 Status red
• 80 seats total, 40 on the main floor and 40 on the soon-to-open upstairs dining room
• 13 snack items on the menu
• 7 months of renos
• $5.46 is the average price of a snack
• 2 sharing platters: Peking duck and smoked fish
• 1 lucky loonie buried under the polished concrete floors
273551 The unassuming facade of the new <strong>Peoples Eatery</strong> at 307 Spadina Avenue (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-04/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-04 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
273562 (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-15-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-15.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-15/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-15 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
273549 (Image: Caroline Aksich) IntroIntroducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-02/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-02 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
273550 In a nod to the area’s history, this wall near the door is papered with Trudeau-era posters opposing the proposed Spadina expressway (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-03/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-03 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
273553 There’s a small, semi-private dining room at the back of the restaurant (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-06/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-06 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
273564 (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-17-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-17.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-17.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-17/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-17 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
273558 Beer and wine dominate the drinks list (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-11/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-11 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
273560 There are 13 snacks on chef Gallagher’s short menu (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-13/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-13 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
273552 Watermelon salad with avocado mouse, feta, mint, chili, Maldon salt and olive oil ($5) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-05/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-05 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
273555 Open-faced <em>sabich</em> sandwich topped with eggplant, quail eggs and fresh herbs ($7) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-08/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-08 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
273556 Smoked fish board. ($25) The one pictured includes pastrami-spiced trout, sturgeon, sable, pickled mackerel, trout roe, house cream cheese, pickled veggies and bagel chips from nearby Nu Bügel (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-09/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-09 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
273557 Whitefish salad with wasabi-flavoured tobiko (i.e. flying fish roe) ($6) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-10/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-10 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
273559 General Tso’s tofu (or, as chef Gallagher calls it, General Tso-fu) ($4) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-12/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-12 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
273561 Chicken-liver paté on fried challah with foie gras, caramelized onions and French's mustard ($9) (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-14/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-14 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
273548 A luck loonie embedded in the polished concrete floor (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-01/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-01 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)
273563 These bros mean business. From left to right: <strong>David Stewart, Adrian Ravinsky, Matthew See</strong> and <strong>Dustin Gallagher</strong> (Image: Caroline Aksich) Introducing: Peoples Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-16-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-16.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-16/ peoples-eatery-toronto-restaurant-16 0 0
(Image: Caroline Aksich)