The biggest restaurant closures in Toronto of Summer 2025 | Daily Hive

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When one door closes, another one opens, but that doesn’t keep us from being heartbroken over the restaurant closures in Toronto this summer.

Restaurants are like seasons: they come and, before you know it, they’re gone. Summer 2025, now that we’re well and truly into the fall, felt a lot like that.

While restaurants in the city, all too often, are over before they even started, others manage to stand the test of time, becoming as much a fixture in the neighbourhood as the old man who feeds pigeons on the corner or the local outdoor cats.

It’s those restaurants whose closures stick with us the most, and, unfortunately, we lost no small number of them this past summer.

Here are some of the biggest restaurant closures that happened in Toronto during Summer 2025.

By The Way Cafe

There’s something about the closure of a restaurant that’s been around since the year started with a 19 that stings especially hard. This Annex brunch spot had been a local staple since the ’80s before closing down earlier this September.

It’s not all bad news, though, because the space it left behind will soon be home to Brasserie Cote, a sister location of Ossington’s lauded Cote de Boeuf.

La Cubana Roncesvalles

This Cuban restaurant now has several locations in Ontario, but, really, could anything ever beat the original? Still, Chef Corinna Mozo took to Instagram in mid-September to announce that, after 13 years, she’d be shutting down La Cubana’s original Roncesvalles location to pursue exciting new ventures.

We can’t wait to see what she has up her sleeve!

Leslieville Pumps

A legacy spanning 15 years and two locations (one of which was a literal gas station) was left behind when this beloved neighbourhood sandwich and barbecue joint quietly closed its doors this summer.

Luckily for Leslieville diners, the location isn’t staying vacant for long: Ramona’s Kitchen is gearing up to move in soon.

Vivoli

20 years in business and a glowing endorsement from Toronto’s unofficial mascot, Drake, came to a close in July 2025 when this Little Italy gem closed its doors for good.

Fear not, because Chef Adam Pereira of St. Clair West’s Cano is soon taking up the mantle, transforming Vivoli into his new Italian venture, Osteria Alba.

Lucia

Not all closures are as they seem, and this Junction Triangle Italian spot, known for its $25 lunch prix fixe, is the perfect example of that.

Yes, the restaurant closed, but it was for owners Michael Sangregorio and Chef Fabio Bondi, and their entire team, to move over to their new Little Italy venture, Sal’s Pasta & Chops — a worthy swap, in our opinion.

Cold Tea

Okay, this one wasn’t technically a restaurant, but this Queen West speakeasy was as iconic as they come, so it’s more than deserving of a spot on this list.

Open for around a decade (albeit in different locations), Cold Tea was the ultimate spot for a night out before it closed this summer to much outcry from its loving public.

Offworld/Grizzly Bar

Once an immersive, outer space-inspired experience, this Queen West bar transitioned into the ultimate — and perhaps, only — Canadian-themed bar in the spring of 2025. Still, come August, its owners took to Instagram to announce that the end for the bar, in all its forms, was nigh.

Surprise! Though the bar has been closed for more than a month, it has announced that it’s coming back for one last scare with the return of its Halloween pop-up, Hellbar, this year.

Superpoint

After nearly a decade, this Ossington pizza staple ominously closed down. The news of the closure was all word-of-mouth before the pizzeria wiped its entire social media, save for its very first post.

The plot thickens, though, as the restaurant kept the message “THANKS 4 COMING. BRB” in the caption. Could a Superpoint revival be on the way? We sure hope so.

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Glory Hole Doughnuts

One of the best (and best-named, if we do say so ourselves) doughnut shops to grace the Toronto scene closed for good after 14 years in business at the end of August 2025.

The good news? A new business has already planted its flag in the doughnut shop’s former Gerrard East home. Keep an eye out for Jupiter Bakehouse, coming soon.

Jawny Bakers

Despite being a neighbourhood staple for over 30 years, this beloved family-run restaurant suddenly closed its doors in early September, much to the chagrin of its devoted customer base.

We’ll have to wait and see whether whatever new business fills its shoes will be able to pull off as long and fruitful a legacy.

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