A Toronto barbecue restaurant just closed down after 15 years — here's what's replacing it
A longstanding barbecue restaurant in Toronto has closed after 15 years, and a new business is already set to move in.
It’s official: 2025 has seen Leslieville’s food scene enter a state of complete flux. While beloved institutions like Ascari Enoteca, Greta Solomon’s and Samaira’s Kitchen — not to mention the century-old Reliable Fish & Chips in late 2024 — have gracefully bowed out of the neighbourhood, a flurry of new eateries have opened up shop.
While Ascari and Samaira’s usurpers have yet to make themselves known, the old Greta Solomon space is now home to Bar Mini, a chic snack and cocktail bar appealing to the neighbourhood’s burgeoning young-and-hip population, and Reliable Fish & Chips has been replaced by a sister location of Dovercourt Village staple Masa Deli.
All of this is to say that, as painful as the loss of longstanding local staples can be, with the businesses that have recently moved in, Leslieville just so happens to be on a fast track to becoming one of the city’s new foodie hubs.
So, with that said, we’ll break the bad news to you. Leslieville Pumps, a local stalwart for pulled pork, grilled chicken sandwiches and some of the best poutine in the city, has closed its doors after 15 years.
At the time of publication, Leslieville Pumps has not responded to Dished Toronto’s inquiries as to whether the closure is permanent or if they plan to eventually reopen in a different location. The concept spent a decade in a Western-inspired gas station just down the block before moving to their most recent location, after all, so a relocation wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility.
On that front, Leslieville locals will just have to wait and see whether they’ll be able to get their fill of the Pumps ever again, but they can already start getting excited about what’s coming next for 913 Queen St. E.
Taking over the lease is none other than Ramona’s Kitchen, a Thornhill-founded brunch business that now boasts three locations in the GTA, with sisters in Richmond Hill and Leaside.
Opening a location in Leslieville, a representative from Ramona’s Kitchen tells Dished Toronto, has been a dream for the team since they began expanding in 2019.
“This neighbourhood, with its vibrant energy and growing community of young families, has always felt like the perfect fit for us,” they tell Dished Toronto. “In fact, we nearly took over the old Lady Marmalade space on Queen Street when it first became available.”
Ramona’s offers a day-to-night menu that runs the gamut from all-day breakfast and brunch staples to salads, seafood and even schnitzel, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
“Unlike many brunch spots that close early, we’re here for the long haul every day, offering comfort food whenever you crave it,” the representative tells Dished Toronto.
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You’ll have to wait a bit longer before you sink your teeth into Ramona’s utterly enticing menu, though; the representative informs Dished Toronto that the team is still hard at work making the space their own, and, if all goes to plan, the restaurant should be opening at the beginning of August.
Out with the old and in with the new proves once again to be the motto of the year in Leslieville, but who can be mad about it when it tastes this good?
Ramona’s Kitchen
Address: 913 Queen St. E., Toronto
Opening: TBD
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