Toronto chefs and restaurateurs explain why all your favourite kitchens are pivoting
It’s shaping up to be a year of change for the restaurant industry
In the past few months, a number of popular Toronto restaurants have shifted gears to face a seemingly fickle crowd of diners who are either easily bored or responding to the realities of the current economy.
Chef and restaurateur Hemant Bhagwani has leaned fully into this idea with Oro, a kitchen designed to switch things up completely every six months to a year. Since opening this summer, it has already transitioned from modern Indian to Thai barbecue. The idea seemed a bit crazy at first—but maybe he’s onto something.
We rounded up a list of the most substantial shifts around the city and spoke to the chefs and owners involved about why they felt change was necessary.
Related: The outrageous customer behaviour Toronto restaurateurs can’t stand
Café Zuzu Pizzeria
What it was: Café Zuzu, a casual but stylish Italian restaurant serving familiar classics like baked ziti and chicken Milanese as well as fancy cocktails.
What it is now: A pizzeria that still offers bigger-ticket items, like hanger steak and all the parms, while maintaining a bang-for-your-buck spirit.
“Zuzu has always been about great Italian American food, but we realized the brand needed to feel more accessible for the neighbourhood right now,” says owner Janet Zuccarini. “Spending habits have changed, the economy is tight and we wanted to meet people where they are. Adding pizza was a natural move for us since we already do it well across the Gusto restaurant group, and it allowed us to offer something familiar at better price points. I think restaurants have to be malleable. You can’t be precious. You have to evolve with what your customers want and need in the moment.”
Bar Allegro
What it was: Vinoteca Pompette, an Italian-ish wine bar and bistro offering house-made pasta, burgers and seafood dishes.
What it is now: A good-time bar with a list of 100 wines from around the world and 20 cocktails, serving fancy snack plates like bone marrow with house brioche, devilled eggs with ginger mayo and spicy chili oil, and mussels in a shallot-fortified beurre blanc.
“When we originally came to Canada in 2019, we opened this space as a wine and cocktail bar, but Covid forced us to pivot,” says co-owner Jonathan Bauer. “Seven years and a few concepts later, the state of the world is calling for what we set out to do in the first place: something casual and relaxed—a place people can return to again and again. Bar Allegro aligns with our original vision and with how people are choosing to spend their money these days.”
416 Short Turn
What it was: Short Turn, a late-night bar with a tight snack menu designed to cater to cocktail fans and industry folk.
What it is now: A value-minded all-day diner serving internationally inspired comfort-food classics like jian bing omelettes, dressed-up tater tots, Singaporean chicken rice and a no-notes cheeseburger. There’s also a cocktail program that rivals its previous incarnation. The sleeper hit: a frothy whipped orange juice Garibaldi built on a bittersweet amaro blend.
“We decided to switch things up at Short Turn—which was originally designed to handle the overflow from 416 Snack Bar—because the economic climate created an opportunity to serve our neighbourhood in a totally different way,” says owner Adrian Ravinsky. “What was missing was a truly solid lunch or dinner spot: something comforting and affordable. The premise remains the same—it’s still the sidekick to 416—but now it’s focused on satisfying a different kind of need.”
Notte Ristorante
What it was: Amano Trattoria, a slightly more refined Italian kitchen.
What it is now: A modern Italian spot with a classic cocktail program and two happy hours, offering a salumi bar, Roman-style pizza, pasta and bone-in veal parmigiana. It’s equally suited to quick after-work bites or a go-all-in kind of night.
“The creation of Notte Ristorante is about reimagining ideas that have worked for us before and refining them for where dining is right now,” says co-owner Adam Teolis. “Prices are climbing everywhere, and even great restaurants can feel out of reach. With Notte Ristorante, we wanted to create a place that still feels special but gives people options—a full evening or something simple at the bar. It’s about lowering the barrier without lowering the experience.”
Belle Isle
What it was: A quirky bar slinging cleverly named cocktails alongside whimsical snacks like Jell-O shots, Coney dogs and Smartfood-inspired shrimp toast.
What it is now: A more formal, sit-down dinner space that shows off the skills—and Cantonese Canadian roots—of new head chef Keith Siu (Mimi Chinese, Frilu, See You Soon). Dishes from the current menu include cheung fun, tendon-and-shank terrine with confit onion, and soy-sauce chicken. The cocktail list remains tight (but still takes about an hour to read).
“We felt like we were in a liminal space—somewhere between a bar and a restaurant, familiar and new, snacky and dinner-y,” says co-owner Zac Schwartz. “So when the cosmos presented an opportunity to work with Keith, we jumped at it. We love his perspective, his whimsy, his ambition and the way he interprets Hong Kong–style Cantonese cuisine. It felt like a sign to go for it. Keith brought in Ronan Shaftoe, formerly of Bonito’s, to round out the team, and together they’ve coalesced into a big, beautiful dinner machine.”
Antler
What it was: A restaurant hyper-focused on Canadian game meats, hunting culture and foraged produce, where wild ingredients and nose-to-tail cooking drove a rugged but refined menu.
What it is now: A more inclusive modern reimagining of the original. The menu is still heavy on game meat but now includes an expanded selection of sustainably sourced Canadian seafood.
“For us at Antler, it’s not so much a pivot as it is an evolution,” says co-owner Jody Shapiro. “Over the last 10 years, we always felt strongly that Antler could play a role in presenting what Canada has to offer. We’ve had the good fortune during this time to also travel and cook across the country and along the coasts, and we’re excited to bring those experiences back home for our guests.”
Mimi Chinese
What it was: A splashy regional Chinese restaurant in Yorkville that leaned into theatrical dishes like four-foot-long belt noodles and supreme fried rice finished with salmon roe.
What it is now: A refreshed dining room with new dishes on the menu that, according to co-owner David Schwartz, are more rooted and repeatable: Chinatown staples like soup, different kinds of dumplings, char siu ribs and a charbroiled steak section focused on Canadian beef with Chinese accompaniments.
“A major part of running a successful business in any industry is constant evolution and tuning in to what your guests are actually looking for,” says Schwartz. “The Mimi Chinese space was in need of some integral renovations, so we used this as an opportunity to hone the concept. We are still focused on celebrating regional Chinese cooking, but we have shifted toward a more classic, approachable experience. A place people want to come on a Tuesday night just as much as on a Saturday.”
Little Baba by Amal
What it was: Bar Chica, a moody cocktail spot serving Spanish-inspired small plates with a distinctly Toronto sensibility—things like patatas bravas crowned with a hidden quail egg under black garlic, burnt tomato and parsley purée.
What it is now: A premium fast-casual modern Lebanese concept—the first of its kind from Ink Entertainment—with a menu rooted in fresh ingredients and thoughtful execution and aligned with the standards of its sister spot, Amal. Since the space has limited seating, the menu is built to go with classic dips (hummus, baba ghanouj, muhammara), sandwiches (tawook, tenderloin, kefta, halloumi, falafel, fried cauliflower) and sides.
“We focused on freshness, balance and accessibility, offering full meals that feel good to eat at a price point that makes sense,” says owner Charles Khabouth. “As dining habits evolve and people become more mindful of value, this is about giving them quality and choice—without ever compromising the experience.”
Sad Songs Burgers
What it was: Sad Songs Cantina, serving a range of Latin classics like ceviche, nachos and DIY taco platters.
What it is now: A classic burger joint with a menu anchored by its signature 100 per cent brisket patty, smashed on the flat-top and finished with cheddar, grilled onion and poblano pepper. There are rotating specials too, like triple-decker BLTs and daily breakfast sandwiches built around a pillowy egg-and-chive soufflé. Margaritas are still on deck, though, because you shouldn’t fix what isn’t broken.
“We knew we had to pivot—Toronto diners have changed their habits, and many just aren’t going out for dinner the way they used to,” says co-owner Christine Pountney. “Looking at Bloordale and what it actually needed, we realized that while we were part of what’s become a thriving Little Mexico, there was room for something that worked in an all-day capacity. So we started with a burger and breakfast sandwich pop-up to test the waters. That experiment has since evolved into what we’re building now: a cozy little diner—and so far, it’s really working.”
Melani
What it was: Byblos, a lavish Mediterranean and Middle Eastern destination built around sharable plates inspired by Morocco, Lebanon and Turkey.
What it is now: A purely Greek restaurant celebrating familial Aegean cooking. The current menu lists humble gigantes plaki (giant beans), oversized souvlaki skewers and grilled lamb chops, all served as sharable platters in a space that’s elevated in the signature style of owner Charles Khabouth.
“We want Melani to capture the soul of Greek dining: rich in culture, full of connection and alive with energy,” says Khabouth.
Erin Hershberg is a freelance writer with nearly two decades of experience in the lifestyle sector. She currently lives in downtown Toronto with her husband and two children.
