The Month That Was: the Toronto restaurants and bars that opened and closed in March
It can be hard to keep pace with all the new restaurants and bars that open and close in Toronto—which is why every month, we round them all up.
Openings:
• The Federal Reserve—Four friends, mostly with other jobs in the industry, opened this new Dundas West brunch spot, with a late-night menu and cocktails to follow. Read our Introducing post »
• Thirsty and Miserable—A new Kensington Market bar in a storied space, with a fine slate of craft beers (and a menu written on a piece of cardboard). Read our Introducing post »
• Tori’s Bakeshop—Just as the Beach wakes from its winter slumber, this vegan and refined sugar–free bakery café opened its doors. Read our Introducing post »
• Chantecler—At this Parkdale restaurant, the owners serve “progressive Canadian cuisine,” which turns out to mean seasonal Canadian ingredients (like the namesake bird) cooked with a culturally promiscuous range of techniques. Read our Introducing post »
• Bestellen—The long-awaited (and oft-delayed) new spot by Top Chef Canada runner-up Rob Rossi finally opened just west of Little Italy. Read our Introducing post »
• This End Up—A new sandwich shop and cocktail bar on Dundas West from a couple who got their start at All the Best Fine Foods. Read our Introducing post »
• Pizza e Pazzi—The popular Italian restaurant spawned a second location a few blocks east at 671 St. Clair Avenue West. [Blog TO]
• Banh Mi Boys—After a soft opening and then a renovation, this Queen and Spadina eatery is finally properly open. Read our Introducing post »
• RaviSoups—The popular soup chain from Ravi Kanagarajah has expanded to the Junction with a full sit-down restaurant. [Post City]
• The Grove—After a long gestation and construction period, this Dundas West restaurant with contemporary English food finally opened its doors. Read our Introducing post »
• Rebozos—This Rogers Road Mexican restaurant opened up a stall in Kensington Market’s Perola grocery store. [Eat]
• Rawlicious—The ever-growing local chain of raw food restaurants opened a new Markham location. [Vegan Is the New Sexy]
• The Commissary—This café and bistro opened up shop in what the owners are calling the Lower East Side of Toronto—i.e., Leslieville. Read our Introducing post »
• Actinolite—An ambitious neighbourhood eatery from a food stylist and a TV food consultant. Read our Introducing post »
• L’Avenue—A classic French bistro on Bayview. Read our Introducing post »
• Mill Street Airport Pub—Locally brewed craft beer, now available at Pearson Airport. [Canadian Beer News]
• The Big Fish—A new fish and chips shop at Queen and Spadina. Read our Introducing post »
• Drake Cocktail Bar—The ever-expanding Queen West Hotel complex squeezed a cocktail bar into its dining room. [Drake Hotel]
• Dark Horse Espresso—The space that was once home to beer mecca Smokeless Joe now houses the latest member of the Dark Horse chain. [Post City]
• Toucan Taco Bar—The owners of Le Rossignol decided to move that French restaurant in with sister establishment Le Canard Mort to make way for a new taco bar. Read our Introducing post »
• Camp—A casual Junction restaurant from the founder of Queen West’s The Beaver. Read our Introducing post »
• Leslieville Cheese Market—The popular cheese shop with the increasingly inaccurate name opened a fourth location on Donlands. [Leslieville Cheese Market]
Closings:
• L.A.B.—The inventive Little Italy restaurant known for its molecular touches shut down after two years. Read the entire story »
• Reither’s Fine Food International—The owners of this Church Street specialty food shop decided to pack it in after 23 years. [Post City]
• Four Seasons—The Lobby Bar and Avenue at the Yorkville mainstay shut down after the hotel itself closed to make way for a condo (the new Four Seasons isn’t slated to open until August). Read the entire story »
• Bistro 990—This one-time society staple finally closed over the weekend of the 17th to make way for a condo. [National Post]
• Harvey’s—The original location of Harvey’s, in Richmond Hill, was shuttered to make way, naturally, for a new condo. [Post City]
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