32 h. ago Toronto neighbourhood brewery issues candid note as it closes permanently

A Toronto brewery that's been a summertime staple in its neighbourhood for years has closed permanently.As someone who spent the first quarter-century of my life living in The Beach(es), I've seen firsthand just how hard it can be for restaurants to stay alive along the Queen East strip.Yes, members of the neighbourhood ride hard for their local businesses, and a handful have managed to stand the test of time, but when a small window of summertime business accounts for a large majority of the area's foot traffic, it's difficult to make it work.The latest neighbourhood casualty was something of a local success story, having been in business for the past six years, but hey, all good things must come to an end, right?As of Wednesday, Dec. 3, Beaches Brewing Co. has closed permanently.    View this post on Instagram           A post shared by Beaches Brewing Company ™ (@beachesbrewco)In the ...

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64 h. ago Gen Z Struggles with Underemployment as Layoff Fears Shake Workforce Confidence Entering 2026, New Data from Employment Hero Reveals

One in four Canadian employees are anxious about getting laid off in 2026. TORONTO — As 2025 comes to a close, a new poll from Employment Hero, a leader in employment solutions for Canadian businesses, reveals a workforce grappling with uncertainty. The survey of over 800 Canadian employees (part-time and full-time) explores how this year’s […]

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3 d. ago With playoff hopes fading, a closer look at Brad Treliving’s work as Maple Leafs GM

Toronto GM has made some good moves as they pertain to the current roster. Others, not so much.

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3 d. ago Pair of notable Thai chefs team up to open new Toronto restaurant this month

A duo of chefs who've been behind two of Toronto's most talked-about Thai restaurants are joining forces to open a new place this month.It's only been about a year since Pii Nong Thai opened the doors of its ambitious second location, a multi-storey "Thai experience" that includes a restaurant, spa and market that's been a veritable success, but its team is already moving on to what's next.The eponymous Chef Pii Nong, having built notoriety at her pre-existing restaurants with flavours and dishes inspired by her childhood spent by her mother's side selling street food in Bangkok, is about to head in a new direction with her latest restaurant, set to debut this December.Replacing what once was Pii Nong Thai's original Bayview location, Chon Modern Thai Cuisine is slated to be the newest addition to the fleet, this time centring around "a new facet of Thai cuisine, one grounded in ancient recipes yet expressed through modern artistry.&qu...

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4 d. ago Restaurant review: B.C.’s Baan Lao offers ‘devotion served on porcelain’

The haute Thai treasure has again been named the best restaurant in Canada by the World Culinary Awards for a reason

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8 d. ago Thai restaurant in Toronto has closed and here's what's already replaced it

A contemporary Thai restaurant in downtown Toronto has permanently closed its doors after just six months in business due to trademark and branding issues.Same Same (Thai) but Different, formerly located in the Entertainment District, was a modern, refreshing take on Thai cuisine, with dishes like grilled pork cheeks, crispy shrimp toast, egg fried rice, beef holy basil, and of course, pad Thai. Meals were accompanied by a signature cocktail menu inspired by characters from HBO's The White Lotus.  The restaurant was helmed by Chef Warakorn "Tempo" Suriyawong, who led the team at Vancouver's Song (by Kin Kao) to Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition. In an unexpected turn of events, staff at the restaurant revealed this week that Same Same had closed due to "branding matters," as another company owns the trademark for "same same but different."     View this post on Instagram    &n...

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1 week ago Toronto reports more visible drug use after supervised injection sites closed down

The City of Toronto is reporting an increase in visible drug use in the wake of the Ford government's decision to pull funding for several safe-injection sites earlier this year.

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1 week ago Asian restaurant in Toronto permanently closes after 39 years in business

A long-standing Asian restaurant on Queen Street West has quietly closed its doors after nearly four decades in business, marking the end of an era for a block of Toronto known for its high turnover and rapid change. Saigon Flower Restaurant, located at 1138 Queen St. W., has permanently closed its doors without an official announcement. The family-run spot first opened up in 1986, long before the arrival of the Drake Hotel, which would later transform the block. Since opening, the restaurant's signature bright yellow sign has become a familiar landmark, and sat for years between two Drake Hotel properties on Queen Street West near Beaconsfield Avenue. The restaurant was known for its comforting mix of Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese dishes, including spring rolls, chicken balls, and steaming bowls of pho. Throughout the years, owner Rose Vuong had been reportedly approached a few times with offers to sell to the Drake but declined, and continued to run the...

Economics

2 w. ago Toronto snack store has permanently closed due to rent increase

A Vietnamese snack store in Toronto known for its banh mi has officially closed its doors after only a year in business. Saigon Snacks is just the latest store to bid farewell to the busy Ossington strip, just a few months after celebrating its one-year anniversary. The humble snack store became a reliable place to grab a quick coffee, milk tea, smoothie, or treat, including build-your-own banh mi with your choice of protein, from grilled chicken and grilled pork to cold cuts or fish cake. If you were craving something sweet, there was no shortage of desserts to choose from, including bubble waffles and durian crepes. Despite building a regular fanbase, the snack store took to its Instagram page earlier this month to announce it was closing its doors on Nov. 9. Staff explained that the store was closing due to a rent increase, but that it would hopefully reopen in a new location "when the time's right."     Vi...

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2 w. ago Charming Toronto home built in the 1880s is surprisingly priced at just $800K

Maybe it's because I just binge-watched Trading Up with Mandy Rennehan the second it dropped on Netflix, but I full-on gasped when I saw this Toronto home.Tucked along one of Weston's prettiest, most character-soaked streets, 49 Queens Dr. is a bona fide 19th-century gem that just hit the market for under $800,000.Now, yes — that's still about eight times what you'd pay for something similar in Yarmouth, N.S., but for Toronto? This is about as close to a real estate miracle as it gets.The living room with tall ceilings and a big bay window. Because let's be honest: finding a freehold house in Toronto with a yard, history, and genuine potential — priced lower than most downtown condos — is basically like winning the housing lottery.The front porch. Built in 1888, this gingerbread-like Victorian has watched Toronto transform from a sleepy rail town into a sprawling megacity, and it still stands proudly with all the old-world ch...

Economics

2 w. ago Viral bakery with loyal following permanently closes Toronto location

A Toronto bakery known for its inventive Vietnamese-inspired desserts has officially shut down one of its locations. LA LA Bakeshop, founded in Toronto by partners Brian Tran and Harry Pham, along with their friend Michelle Pham, first opened up in the summer of 2021 and quickly became known for its nostalgic yet creative approach to signature Southeast Asian flavours. Menu items include cakes in a variety of flavours, like pandan sticky rice, salted egg, Vietnamese coffee, taro, and durian, as well as mini cakes, roll cakes, croissants, and buns, in flavours such as crème brûlée, matcha, and pistachio. In a message shared to its Instagram page, the bakery's team announced that its Annex shop, located at 346A Bloor St. W., was due to close on Nov. 17. The team expressed gratitude to its customers while acknowledging how bittersweet the news felt, although they redirected patrons to the other locations and hinted that more informa...

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2 w. ago Huge crowds descended on Imperial Pub's last call after over 80 years in Toronto

Masses came out to support a Toronto pub on its final weekend in business after 81 years serving up thirsty patrons.It has been a year of heartbreaking restaurant and bar closures in Toronto, but few losses resonated with the public quite like the news that the Imperial Pub's taps would run dry after generations at Dundas St. E. and Victoria in downtown Toronto.Last call for the Imperial finally arrived this past weekend, and throngs of the pub's loyal patrons flooded the bar to celebrate its longevity and get one last pint in before the doors closed for good at the end of a raucous Saturday night.Damn... pic.twitter.com/ZlKG1E8ZWI— Karon Liu (@karonliu) November 14, 2025Long lines snaked around the block.If you're planning to say goodbye to the Imperial Pub today, we suggest going early, these were the scenes last night. pic.twitter.com/bSXQcAjExe— West End Phoenix (@westendphoenix) November 15, 2025The bar and surrounding businesses are destined to be demol...

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2 w. ago Raptors could move close to top of East with easy schedule looming

Toronto just won 4-of-5 on the road for the first time in ages and could have won them all, losing only a close one in Philadelphia.

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3 w. ago Manulife to enter India insurance market as part of diversification refocus

TORONTO — Manulife Financial Corp. is looking both further afield and closer to home as it charts a refreshed course for the years ahead. The insurance giant says it plans to enter the insurance market in India to capitalize on rapid growth in one of the world’s largest economies, while at the same time it […]

Economics

3 w. ago Staple Toronto restaurant closes permanently after over 25 years

A Toronto restaurant that has been a neighbourhood staple for the past 25 years has officially closed for good.There was a time when Little Portugal, the strips of Dundas West and College between Dovercourt and Lansdowne, was, more or less, the only place in the city where you could find great Portuguese food.That was decades ago, mind you, and, in the years since, Portuguese cuisine, much like every other global influence in the city, has outgrown the bounds of its historic enclave and planted roots in nearly every neighbourhood. Now, you don't have to look farther than a few blocks in any given corner of the city to sink your teeth into simmering fish stews or salty sardines; the city is rife with stalwart institutions that do Portuguese cuisine proud.In the case of the Junction Triangle, one such staple, since 1998 anyway, has been Piri Piri Grill.Fittingly named for Portugal's most ubiquitous culinary export, piri piri chicken, the restaurant has been a le...

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3 w. ago A Toronto neighbourhood's most iconic restaurant may be gone for good

A Toronto restaurant that defined its neighbourhood may have closed its doors permanently after being kicked out by its landlord.Kensington Market is known for a lot of things: thrifting, colourful community atmosphere, tacos, to name only a few. But, for me and plenty of others, at least, it's always been the scent of jerk chicken getting charred on an outdoor grill drifting up and down Kensington Avenue, embedding itself into my hair and clothes on sticky summer days.The source of the aroma? None other than Rasta Pasta, a stalwart on the strip for over a decade, beloved for its dual concept serving an affordable menu of Caribbean classics, traditional Italian pastas and, best of all, fusion dishes that blend the two.There's nary a soul that has visited Kensington Market and hasn't eaten at Rasta Pasta or, at the very least, been intrigued by its name and enticed by the fragrant air it emits.That's what makes it particularly heartbreaking to deliver t...

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3 w. ago Toronto holiday tradition is officially dead but here are 5 fun replacements

Toronto's iconic holiday windows at Hudson's Bay are officially a thing of the past, but that doesn't mean you can't fill that hole in your holiday to-do list with another fun tradition.The themed window vignettes at the former department store's flagship location at Queen and Yonge were a beloved seasonal tradition, first halted by transit investment.What began as a temporary interruption — Ontario Line construction halted the displays in 2023 — quickly became permanent after the retail giant filed for credit protection and officially closed its Toronto flagship store earlier this year.With these beloved vignettes no longer part of Toronto's festive season, you may be looking for other traditions to fill the gap. Luckily, the city has plenty to offer this time of year.Here are five seasonal attractions to help you move on from the loss of the holiday windows at Hudson's Bay.Holiday at The WellThe Well's Nordic-inspired holiday m...

Society

3 w. ago Divisive Toronto restaurant from celebrity chef closes after under a year

A Toronto restaurant from celebrity chef Matty Matheson that made a huge splash upon opening in late 2024 appears to have already closed.Being a big name on the Toronto restaurant scene is about as sure a golden ticket to city-wide notoriety as any, but, as Matty Matheson's ill-fated Bar Clams is seemingly proving this week, it's not a promise of longevity.It was ambitious to open an East Coast-style diner with a menu that featured items like gravy-smothered open-faced turkey sandwiches, donair and all manner of sea creatures battered and deep-fried, sure, but Matheson has never been the type to blend in.And, ostensibly, he was on to something. Folks flocked to the restaurant the moment it officially opened for business in December 2024, perfectly willing to drop $20 on a relatively meagre serving of fish and chips or a duo of taco-sized donairs (the real Nova Scotian deal comes in the size of your head for under $10). The more folks who visited the restaurant...

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3 w. ago Remembrance Day plans in Toronto, including what’s open and closed

Various ceremonies planned across the city, while federal government services and offices will be closed

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3 w. ago Toronto coffee shop permanently closing after landlord refuses to renew lease

A neighbourhood coffee shop in Toronto is gearing up to close its doors next year after its landlord decided not to renew its lease. Coco's Neighbourhood Coffee Shop, a cozy café in Little Italy known for staples like espresso-based drinks, matcha lattes, and apple cider, plus a variety of baked treats, will serve its last customers in January.In a heartbreaking announcement shared on Instagram, the coffee shop's owner, Nicole, revealed that Coco's landlord declined to renew their lease. Although they were reassured that they were perfect tenants, the landlord has decided to hand over the space to his sister, who will open a homeopathy clinic in place of the cafe. Unfortunately, the news came after the coffee shop had invested heavily in the space, including adding a new patio. While Nicole shared that the business has been trying to find a new location, working under a limited budget and a short timeline meant that Coco's was ultimately un...

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