Restaurant Comings & Goings

[Northern Light]

Lonestar Texas Grill piloting a new "Cantina" concept, and their Whitby Centrum location will get the massive makeover.

View attachment 545038
View attachment 545039

Interesting that Lone Star still has a strong presence in Ontario, many years after abandoning their only City location at Front/Simcoe.

I really liked the store-made tortilla chips, the salsa was ok, but needed a bit more kick; regrettably, the rest of the menu was pretty uninspired.

 

[Northern Light]

Burger's Priest will be closing their original (?) location at 1636 Queen St E (east of Coxwell), and moving into a new location further east at 1922 Queen St E (a couple blocks east of Woodbine) in the Beaches area:

Iconic Toronto eatery Burger's Priest is closing its OG location but there's more

Sunday will be the last day that Torontonians can redeem their burgers “one at a time” at The Burger's Priest’s staple location.

streetsoftoronto.com

Yes, the original (OJ) that Shant himself opened June 2010. It was time to move to a bigger spot..

A much improved location geographically, it was really stranded where it was in an area that is not strong from a retail perspective.

Equally true that its near-zero seating and cramped space for lines/order waiting was a problem a few weeks after the original opening, and has only gotten worse.

I expect I'll make more use of them in the new spot.

Now, if only Torisho (the Karagge place) would fix their similar mistake. Well sited, in their case, but no seating; they're relying heavily on pick-up/delivery for home consumption, which is really a problem for them in summer, when The Beach is overflowing w/people, but they have to take the order to go and try to find a spot in the park with a table, near a washroom etc.

I get keeping seating low, trying to minimize rent; but making it so that anyone not driving/uber-eating etc. is basically being turned away is really weird to me.

 

[TossYourJacket]

Interesting that Lone Star still has a strong presence in Ontario, many years after abandoning their only City location at Front/Simcoe.

I really liked the store-made tortilla chips, the salsa was ok, but needed a bit more kick; regrettably, the rest of the menu was pretty uninspired.

Being from Eastern Ontario, the lack of them in Toronto was initially a surprise when i moved here, they're big outside of the city. Back in Kingston they have a converted heritage firehall downtown that's also one of the only waterfront patios.

As for the food, yeah it's... forgettable. Tbh I would mostly go there with friends to get free chips while drinking margaritas on said patio.

 

[evandyk]

I’ve been seeing huge billboards advertising Freshii’s dynamic pricing. Un-bowl-ievable.

 

[Towered]

Being from Eastern Ontario, the lack of them in Toronto was initially a surprise when i moved here, they're big outside of the city. Back in Kingston they have a converted heritage firehall downtown that's also one of the only waterfront patios.

As for the food, yeah it's... forgettable. Tbh I would mostly go there with friends to get free chips while drinking margaritas on said patio.

It's a similar situation as Arby's - they have like 40-ish locations in Ontario, but none in the GTA proper (closest is in Burlington). If you spend all your time in Toronto, you'd think they ceased to exist. They used to have several locations in the city 20+ years ago, so I'm kind of mystified as to why a market of 3 million people can't seem to support a single local outpost. Mismanagement? I mean, if A&W can come back from the dead to seemingly have a store on every second corner, and now disturbingly Taco Bell is opening several new locations downtown, I don't see why Arby's can't.

 

[Fritter]

It's a similar situation as Arby's - they have like 40-ish locations in Ontario, but none in the GTA proper (closest is in Burlington

There is an Arby's at the corner of Taunton and Ritson in North Oshawa. I also wonder about the lack of locations in the GTA

 

[Towered]

There is an Arby's at the corner of Taunton and Ritson in North Oshawa. I also wonder about the lack of locations in the GTA

Oshawa, Burlington, Barrie - it seems the GTA has an Iron Dome against Arby's

 

[Northern Light]

Oshawa, Burlington, Barrie - it seems the GTA has an Iron Dome against Arby's

@Towered What happened to your skin tone? Are you unwell? I'm pretty sure that much pale-ness in your kind is a sign of iron-deficiency.

 

[Towered]

@Towered What happened to your skin tone? Are you unwell? I'm pretty sure that much pale-ness in your kind is a sign of iron-deficiency.

If not the skin tone, at least the tunic is still suitably verdant

 

[Northern Light]

If not the skin tone, at least the tunic is still suitably verdant

From Frightenstonian to Irish; quite the transition.

 

[artyboy123]

TORONTO — Bridgette Bar Canmore

www.bridgettebarcanmore.com

A Calgary restaurant coming to Toronto

 

[gregv]

Arby's Army is preparing to descend on an Ontario Arby's location to protest the lack of a Toronto location:

Hundreds of people going to Ontario Arby's to protest lack of Toronto location

The self-named Arby's Army is preparing to descend on an Ontario Arby's location this weekend all because there are none in Toronto. Diners at the ...

www.blogto.com

 

[Richard White]

Arby's Army is preparing to descend on an Ontario Arby's location to protest the lack of a Toronto location:

Hundreds of people going to Ontario Arby's to protest lack of Toronto location

The self-named Arby's Army is preparing to descend on an Ontario Arby's location this weekend all because there are none in Toronto. Diners at the ...

www.blogto.com

This strikes me as something that will fall apart as fast as I type this.

 

[Northern Light]

Arby's Army is preparing to descend on an Ontario Arby's location to protest the lack of a Toronto location:

Hundreds of people going to Ontario Arby's to protest lack of Toronto location

The self-named Arby's Army is preparing to descend on an Ontario Arby's location this weekend all because there are none in Toronto. Diners at the ...

www.blogto.com

I feel like that merits a counter protest; that there are any Arby's anywhere at all.

Seriously.......

 

[artyboy123]

What's on the menu at Hot Pork, a new deli counter serving sandwiches and house-made charcuterie

Also: poutine topped with local curds and gravy made using drippings from the smoked brisket and pork belly

torontolife.com

What’s on the menu at Electric Bill, an Aussie-themed cocktail bar from the Civil Liberties team

Including sausage rolls, Marmite-glazed cabbage and mushroom “scallops”

torontolife.com

Sort-of Secret: Golden Horseshoe BBQ, a new pop-up attracting crowds with Texas-style barbecue

Pitmaster Andrew Golden and his sous-chef mom are bringing barbecue to the city’s breweries

torontolife.com

This is Toronto’s hottest new destination for steak sandwiches

Bear Steak Sandwiches has been attracting lineups since it opened in November

torontolife.com

What's on the menu at Lisbon Hotel, a new all-day café and cocktail bar in Corktown

But it’s not Portuguese or a hotel

torontolife.com

What's on the menu at Chambers, a swanky new steakhouse and supper club with a rooftop patio, valet parking and a baby grand piano

It’s in the old Consumers’ Gas building

torontolife.com

What's on the menu at Blue Bovine, Union Station's new 16,000-square-foot steak-and-sushi house

It’s the sister spot to Casa Loma’s BlueBlood Steakhouse

torontolife.com