29 h. ago Toronto restaurant that was a local staple closes after almost a decade

A Toronto restaurant and cafe that gained a cult following for its unique blends has closed its doors permanently after almost a decade in the neighbourhood.It's been a storied several years for Chef Koki Oguchi, marked by various ventures on the Japanese cuisine scene, including handmade udon spot Bushi Udon Kappo and Danforth's long-shuttered Sakawaya.It was upon returning to Danforth and opening Sakawa Coffee in 2016, though, that he really struck gold.The cafe and Japanese restaurant truly had something for everyone, serving up a quirky combination of coffee and lattes alongside classic Japanese cuisine, from udon and sashimi to katsu and karaage.While the mix was perhaps unlikely, it cemented Sakawa as a neighbourhood staple; the kind of place you could visit at 7 a.m. for your morning cup of joe and return to at 7 p.m. for a casual dinner and drinks — just the type of place that thrives on Danforth.But after nine years, it appears to...

Other

60 h. ago Chefs teaming up to bring one of Toronto's most iconic lost restaurants back to life

Two Toronto chefs are joining forces to bring one of the city's most legendary now-defunct restaurants back to life for one night only.Spend enough time with anyone who lived in Toronto during the '70s, '80s and '90s, and eventually the question "remember Ginsberg & Wong?" is bound to come up.For my part, being born in 1999 and all, I never got the chance to experience the legendary Jewish and Chinese proto-fusion restaurant that held court at Village by the Grange for years before quietly closing down in the '90s, but its legend has always loomed large.A perhaps unlikely combination of cuisines at the time, Ginsberg and Wong combined all the staples of a Jewish deli with Chinese classics. If one person was in the mood for a Reuben sandwich and another wanted Szechuan chicken, everybody was happy.Frankly, it sounds about as close to a utopia as you could possibly get.While many of the restaurant's print and radio ads from its heyday, as you may ...

Other

5 d. ago Popular Toronto restaurant chain denies allegations of under

A popular Toronto restaurant chain is responding to allegations of underpayment and tip withholding from former employees.When it comes to Middle Eastern fare in Toronto, there's really no shortage of great places to go, and Tabule, a chain with three locations in the city known for its elevated yet approachable take on the cuisine, is among the best.Falafels, fried cauliflower, lamb chops and flatbread are all among the dishes that have delighted diners since the restaurant first launched in 2005, but, according to a tip sent to blogTO from a self-identifying former employee, it's not quite as pleasant to work there as it is to eat.The former employee, who remains anonymous for the purpose of this article, claims in a statement made to blogTO that over the years they worked at Tabule, they regularly worked well over 44 hours a week, the provincial overtime threshold, but did not receive overtime pay for it."After arranging coverage for much-needed sick d...

Other

5 d. ago Two men who intervened in Toronto bar fight on trial for manslaughter

The manager of a Jack Astor's restaurant in Toronto where a bar fight turned deadly testified that the accused were defending him after an unprovoked assault.

Other

6 d. ago Striking $5 million Ontario mansion is a dream home if you love natural light

You'd be hard-pressed to find any potential home buyer (or window shopper, like me) who'd prefer fewer windows to more, but this Ontario home takes natural light to the next level.Located in the prestigious Mississauga enclave of Mineola, 267 Kenollie Avenue is a striking, custom-built gem on an 80 x 193 ft. lot, boasting around 7500 sq. ft. of living space and, as you may have gathered by now, a deluge of natural light from large windows around every corner.It's also located close to public and private schools, waterfront trails, Port Credit's vibrant shops and restaurants, and it is a short commute to downtown Toronto on the QEW or GO Transit. Not too shabby!The entrance of 267 Kenollie Avenue.The home's resort-inspired design is immediately evident in its variety of sleek, contemporary finishes from the moment you enter the home. Heat-engineered hardwood floors, a breathtaking floating staircase and 20 ft. ceilings are some of the first things you'll see u...

Economics

6 d. ago Nearly 30 Toronto restaurants just ranked among the 100 best in Canada

The annual ranking of Canada's top 100 restaurants has just been released by Canada's 100 Best for 2025, and it should come as little surprise that Toronto's food scene made a huge impression.It's no secret among locals that Toronto is home to some seriously great restaurants — I have a full-time job writing about them, after all — but it always feels extra special when hometown heroes get recognized on a national stage.This year's ranking of Canada's 100 best restaurants does exactly that, with Toronto spots occupying more than a quarter of the spots on the list, with a whopping 29 entries.Rounding out the top five, Alo, Edulis, and 20 Victoria managed to secure third, fourth and fifth place standings, followed by Quetzal (a personal favourite of mine, but that's neither here nor there) in eighth.The remainder of the top 50 goes on to include Sushi Masaki Saito (16), Aburi Hana (29), Dreyfus (42), Sushi Yugen (43), Be...

Other

7 d. ago Toronto tops in Canada for restaurants offering vegan, vegetarian dining

Bad news, everyone. Toronto is not the coolest city in Canada. But take solace in the fact that it might be the most vegan- and vegetarian-friendly place for diners. That is what the folks at Betway discovered when they did a deep dive into the hippest places to live in North America, with Boston taking […]

Other

9 d. ago Restaurant known for Toronto's best jerk chicken opens second location

A hidden gem Toronto Caribbean restaurant that's gained a reputation for serving the best jerk chicken in the city has finally expanded with a new location.Leslieville's Gerrard Square Shopping Centre is one of those if-you-know-you-know places in Toronto that make the city so unique.For my part, the mall always carried a sort of looming, ominous air. Probably because my parents used to joke that they'd leave me there whenever I behaved badly growing up, but I digress. The mall's inescapable 'Gerrard Scare' and 'Scary Square' nicknames just go to show that I'm not the only one.More recently, though, the mall's been getting a renewed wave of respect — even popularity — as more and more people in the city flock to it for, more or less, one reason: the food.The mall food court has seen several buzzworthy tenants come and go over the past few years, but its main claim to fame, in my opinion at least, has a...

Other

9 d. ago 5 new places for brunch in Toronto you need to try at least once

New brunch restaurants in Toronto are putting unique spins on all the staples you reach for to start your day.From loaded breakfast sandwiches piled high with pillowy eggs, juicy proteins, and epic cheese pulls to exquisite pancake stacks drizzled with Nutella and an ample serving of whipped cream, these are serious contenders for your new go-to spots.Here are my picks for the new brunch spots in Toronto you need to try at least once.

Other

9 d. ago Vote for your favourite Farm Boy products and get a chance to win a $100 gift card

It's that time of year again — the fifth annual Farm Boy Fan Faves is here, and it's time to vote for your favourite products!From humble beginnings, Farm Boy began as a small produce shop in Cornwall, Ontario, back in 1981 and has since grown into a beloved local staple, with 51 locations across the province.From locally sourced produce to chef-prepared dishes, fresh seafood, plant-based options, and so much more, Farm Boy provides a wide range of high-quality, value products that inspire delicious meals and cherished family moments.How to voteBut what's your favourite? Now, it's your turn to show some love to the items that make it into your cart every time!From Monday, April 21, to Monday, May 12, you can cast your vote for your favourite Farm Boy private label products — from your meal-time must-haves to the delicious snacks that satisfy your sweet tooth.You'll vote for your favourites across 13 categories, ...

Economics

9 d. ago Toronto cafe that abruptly closed down is reopening under new ownership

An indie coffee shop on one of Toronto's busiest streets for foot traffic has triumphantly reopened after a sudden closure that many feared would be its ultimate end after close to a decade serving the community.HotBlack Coffee has been serving up third-wave espresso drinks alongside a curated selection of local wines, merchandise, baked goods and other snacks near Queen Street and University Avenue since 2016, when it debuted with a fancy under-counter espresso machine, reverse-osmosis water filter and more in a polished space.But at the end of March, the Entertainment District staple abruptly locked its doors, posting a notice of an indefinite closure in its windows and on social media."Ever since the owner, Jimson, passed away, the company has sort of been sailing blindfolded in the middle of the ocean, mainly because [of] legal issues. This has to be sorted in the right way, and we figured the only choice is to end this chapter," staff wrote sho...

Other

9 d. ago Toronto bars and restaurants getting major boost during Leafs playoff games

Toronto is abuzz with excitement after the Maple Leafs pulled off a Game 6 series-clinching win against the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the NHL playoffs, but bars and restaurants close to the action have extra reason to celebrate.According to data from Moneris, Canada's leading commerce provider, Toronto's restaurant industry, and those institutions in and around Scotiabank Arena in particular, saw a boost in customer spending during the first two games of the series.During game one, Moneris reports that food and beverage institutions near Scotiabank saw a five per cent increase in business, which, considering the game was played on a holiday Sunday, is no small feat.During game two, spending for the bars and restaurants in the area saw an even greater increase at six per cent.As for the bars and restaurants elsewhere in the city, Moneris' data also shows that, during the first two games of the series, bars and restaurants elsewhere in the c...

Politics

1 week ago Man arrested after customer finds hidden camera in Toronto restaurant bathroom

One person has been arrested and charged in connection with a Toronto Police voyeurism investigation after a camera was allegedly discovered in a local restaurant bathroom.A release issued by Toronto Police 42 Division on Monday outlined the disturbing allegations and resulting criminal charges.Police allege that in October 2024, the owner of a local restaurant, Yomie's Rice X Yogurt, "installed a hidden video camera" inside the restaurant's washroom. A month later, in November 2024, police allege a customer discovered the camera and notified them.News Release - Man Arrested in Voyeurism Investigation, Finch Avenue East and Midland Avenue area, Image Releasedhttps://t.co/gwltAiZ6rJ pic.twitter.com/ORANietBc4— Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) April 28, 2025As a result, an investigation was initiated and police announced on Monday that a 25-year-old Toronto resident had been arrested and charged in connection with the allegations on...

Economics

1 week ago Canada's first Hard Rock Hotel has officially opened early in Ontario

While people in Ontario have gotten to experience a small taste of the Hard Rock brand through its themed restaurants in Niagara Falls and Toronto, the international hospitality name has just brought a whole new experience to locals through its first-ever Hard Rock Hotel on Canadian soil.And, the attraction has actually opened earlier than expected.As edgy as corporate can get, Hard Rock Hotels are known for their unique riff on glamorous accommodation. Each location is chock-full of one-of-a-kind music memorabilia, is home to robust live concert programming, and has "signature music amenities" that include in-room record players and guitar rentals.To complement an existing portfolio that ranges from all-inclusive resorts in beachy locales to hotels and casinos in major cities across the globe, Hard Rock has multiple new complexes on the go — including two here in Ontario.These are the Hard Rock Hotel London and Hard ...

Other

2 w. ago Ontario pizzeria wins top prizes at two national competitions within a week

One Ontario pizza chef is taking the industry by storm after first-place wins at two major national competitions within the space of one week.It's been a veritable pizza party across North America in recent weeks, after the annual International Pizza Challenge brought together pizzaiolos from around the world to compete for glory, ending in some major wins for Toronto pizzerias.Just a week later, the competition continued on home turf, with the return of the Restaurants Canada (RC) Show and its eagerly anticipated pizza competition in Toronto, followed immediately by the Canadian Pizza Summit's Chef of the Year competition in Montreal.The mere existence of these competitions is enough to give the average pizza-lover goosebumps, but for one Ontario pizza chef, they've proven particularly exciting.Chef Bart Nadherny, the owner and head chef at Burlington's Son of a Peach Pizzeria and The Sunshine Doughnut Co., is enjoying some particularly well-deserved praise aft...

Society

2 w. ago Trendy Toronto cafe announces sudden and indefinite closure after a decade

An award-winning Toronto cafe that has been a mainstay in the city's most tourist-heavy neighbourhood has unexpectedly shuttered, with management's confusing (though heartfelt) goodbye message leaving the community wondering about what's to come for business — and the prime address it has called home for close to a decade.On the surface, the closure of HotBlack Coffee appears to simply be the latest casualty in the undeniable demise of the Queen West strip, but missives posted both in the coffee shop's windows and on its social media pages explains that its situation is a bit more complicated, and its future, quite up in the air.General Manager Momi Kishi explained in a post dated March 25 why the cafe's doors, a stone's throw from Osgoode subway station, would have to close for at least a while a mere five days later. And surprisingly, it wasn't due to a rent increase or rising c...

Other

2 w. ago New Japanese and Italian restaurant replacing popular Toronto Michelin spot

It's out with the old and in with the new in Little Italy, as one well-loved Toronto Michelin spot is getting replaced with a brand-new concept from a powerhouse husband-and-wife duo.It's no secret that Little Italy is far from wanting for great restaurants. As it happens, the neighbourhood is literally teeming with them, but that did little to lessen the blow when Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient La Bartola closed its doors just last month.A local staple for five years, the Mexican restaurant specialized in plant-based cuisine, working alongside pioneers like Planta and contemporaries such as the also-now-shuttered Rosalinda to prove once and for all that vegan food doesn't have to be boring.Just a hair over a month after La Bartola's last service, though, a brand-new concept is already on the precipice of opening the doors of 588 College once again, and this time it's taking the shape of a Japanese and Italian farm-to-table concept called Radici Project.Whi...

Other

2 w. ago Former Raptors superstar allegedly Involved in fight at sushi restaurant

DeMar DeRozan appeared to be involved in an alleged altercation with a fan at a sushi restaurant in California.

Other

3 w. ago Popular Jamaican restaurant hit with 11 infractions from Toronto health inspectors

Scotthill Caribbean Cuisine remains open to the public

Science

3 w. ago Ontario’s free trade legislation is a game changer for Canada’s internal trade framework, but more provinces need to get on board

Toronto, April 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Restaurants Canada congratulates the Ontario government for tabling legislation to remove its Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) exceptions, adopt mutual recognition with reciprocating provinces, liberalize labour mobility and allow direct-to-consumer sales of alcohol. “Every premier in Canada should be looking to Ontario and doing what it did yesterday […]

Economics