Restaurant Comings & Goings

[mburrrrr]

The Esplanade
Closed Jan 1, 2026 Goose Island
Closed Jan 19, 2026 The BierMarkt

Legendary downtown Toronto bar closes permanently after almost 30 years

A bar that's been a cornerstone of one Toronto neighbourhood for more than 20 years has closed permanently. Toronto, like any major city, exists in s…

www.blogto.com

Facebook rumour from Scotland Yard staff that Esplanade Restaurants might takeover. (The Old Spaghetti Factory & Bar Cathedral, Eloise & Bar Cart, Scotland Yard). They seem to know what they are doing. Let’s hope!

 

[Richard White]

The Esplanade
Closed Jan 1, 2026 Goose Island
Closed Jan 19, 2026 The BierMarkt

Legendary downtown Toronto bar closes permanently after almost 30 years

A bar that's been a cornerstone of one Toronto neighbourhood for more than 20 years has closed permanently. Toronto, like any major city, exists in s…

www.blogto.com

Facebook rumour from Scotland Yard staff that Esplanade Restaurants might takeover. (The Old Spaghetti Factory & Bar Cathedral, Eloise & Bar Cart, Scotland Yard). They seem to know what they are doing. Let’s hope!

Screw grinding axes.. grind my organs!

 

[ShonTron]

**** sakes. Always something cool that shutters, never the bland mainstream garbage.

Prenup is owned by the same people as Sin & Redemption, Village Idiot, and Town Crier. All have similar European-focused beer lists and German & Belgian food items. Perhaps they overextended themselves but similar venues aren’t far away.

 

[JasonParis]

I believe he's also behind this.

 

[AlbertC]

I'd rather have the Prenup Pub around than not of course, but I think it's closure is also due to the redevelopment of the buildings on that block:

191 College | 95.18m | 31s | Unix Housing Group | Icon

As there is no up to date Cover Letter for the above, here are the stats from the most recent Arch. Plans: @Paclo Unit Count and Height in storeys appear unchanged.

urbantoronto.ca

 

[txlseries4]

I'd rather have the Prenup Pub around than not of course, but I think it's closure is also due to the redevelopment of the buildings on that block:

191 College | 95.18m | 31s | Unix Housing Group | Icon

As there is no up to date Cover Letter for the above, here are the stats from the most recent Arch. Plans: @Paclo Unit Count and Height in storeys appear unchanged.

urbantoronto.ca

Yea, I remember telling a friend that its days might be numbered well over a year ago because someone, maybe the local councillor, lamented its speculated closure.

 

[artyboy123]

https://torontolife.com/food/an-olive-garden-will-open-in-vaughan-this-summer/

File this under: we are so back.

The GTA will be home to an Olive Garden, at last, as of this summer. In a press release, Recipe Restaurant Group International announced that the Italian-American restaurant chain will open a Vaughan Mills location, with another planned for Ottawa.

 

[RGB_11]

https://torontolife.com/food/an-olive-garden-will-open-in-vaughan-this-summer/

File this under: we are so back.

The GTA will be home to an Olive Garden, at last, as of this summer. In a press release, Recipe Restaurant Group International announced that the Italian-American restaurant chain will open a Vaughan Mills location, with another planned for Ottawa.

I LOVE Olive Garden. I just wish they were also opening up in Toronto downtown or mid town. Or even Scarborough some place...

 

[torontowest91]

I LOVE Olive Garden. I just wish they were also opening up in Toronto downtown or mid town. Or even Scarborough some place...

I am sure they will - I think it was 30 locations across Canada (or was it Ontario?). They are likely testing Vaughan (as it's close to their head office) and Ottawa (for a more suburban/non toronto audience). Downtown rent is very expensive.

 

[Richard White]

I am sure they will - I think it was 30 locations across Canada (or was it Ontario?). They are likely testing Vaughan (as it's close to their head office) and Ottawa (for a more suburban/non toronto audience). Downtown rent is very expensive.

I wonder how well Vaughan will do given the local Italian population out that way. It's a bit like putting a Mandarin at McCowan and Steeles, the locals know what real food tastes like.

 

[fiendishlibrarian]

I wonder how well Vaughan will do given the local Italian population out that way. It's a bit like putting a Mandarin at McCowan and Steeles, the locals know what real food tastes like.

This is a bit of a hoary old stereotype. As someone who's part Italian and has Italian friends in Vaughan, I can tell you that my friends' kids (I'm 51) are the third (and even fourth) generation Italians in this country and a lot of the old "Nonna" recipes have died out with them. My friends still try to keep some of the culinary traditions alive, but *their* kids likely won't. They're more likely to hit a Thai or Ramen place or a Kelsey's/Jack Astors/Milestones along Highway 7 or Rutherford than a resto specializing in Sicilian, Roma or Tuscan dishes. About the only hard-core Italians I know that still cook in the traditional manner are still in North York and never made the trek north after starting on College, then St. Clair and then Downsview.

 

[Richard White]

This is a bit of a hoary old stereotype. As someone who's part Italian and has Italian friends in Vaughan, I can tell you that my friends' kids (I'm 51) are the third (and even fourth) generation Italians in this country and a lot of the old "Nonna" recipes have died out with them. My friends still try to keep some of the culinary traditions alive, but *their* kids likely won't. They're more likely to hit a Thai or Ramen place or a Kelsey's/Jack Astors/Milestones along Highway 7 or Rutherford than a resto specializing in Sicilian, Roma or Tuscan dishes. About the only hard-core Italians I know that still cook in the traditional manner are still in North York and never made the trek north after starting on College, then St. Clair and then Downsview.

That makes sense.

My Grandparents are Hungarian and while they were very traditional, my mother was not as she became westernized. I love my culture but cooking Hungarian is alot of work and dancing in folk outfits is not my thing.

They don't even cook traditional Hungarian Food as much in Hungary anymore either.

 

[evandyk]

Makes sense for Hungarian food. Why would you eat that with so many better options. Doesn't make quite as much sense for Italian. But Italian food is not dying out in Toronto at all. The city is stuffed with restaurants making very traditional Italian food, as well as American-Italian food, and updated versions of Italian classics. A lot of them are staffed by young Italian folks who have fled to Canada because there are no jobs in Italy.

 

[narduch]

Vaughan Mills is essentially a tourist trap. I think this Olive Garden will probably do well.

 

[evandyk]

Probably better than the Jamie Oliver Italian restaurant ever did at Yorkdale.