This week in food: Toronto restaurant openings, closings, and our top picks

This round-up spotlights the newest Toronto restaurant openings, bar openings, upcoming closings, and some special spots that should be on your radar.

Here’s what’s up in the city’s food scene right now.

Just Opened

• The Momo House will open its doors in Parkdale on Thursday, October 17.
• Toronto’s first Globally Local has opened at 492 College Street, serving up vegan fast food on the fly.
• New York City-based vegan eatery by CHLOE. is officially opening its first Canadian location in Toronto today, and offering free burgers to the first 250 customers.
• Fahrenheit has officially opened its doors vendor station inside Assembly Chef’s Hall at 111 Richmond Street West, and they’re serving free drinks this week to celebrate.
• Now open at 5361 Yonge Street, Si FU BAO specializes in pork and chicken floss cakes, available in seaweed and crab egg flavours respectively.
• Happy Coffee and Wine has soft-opened its doors in Parkdale at 1304 King Street West. Currently serving cappuccinos and lattes, the wine selection is still to come.
• DUNK Burgers and Chocolate is open at 696 Queen Street West, with 50% off eats until October 25.
• Alongside Fahrenheit opening inside Assembly Chef’s Hall, LosCo Vegan is now serving up plant-based eats in the same space.

Opening Soon

• Born in Leslieville and ready to take on the west end, laid-back local eatery The Green Wood is bringing sustainably-sourced wholesome food to 461 King Street West in November.
• Lapinou is a soon-to-be-opened neo-bistro and wine bar, inspired by regional French flavours, coming to 642 King Street West.
• Modern, Japanese-inspired bakery Neo Coffee Bar is gearing up to open a second location at 770 Bay Street (Unit 3) at the end of the month. Until then, find them at Unit 100 of 161 Frederick Street.
• By the folks behind Kanpai Snack Bar and Goa, Popa will open inside Bayview Village in mid-November.
• Primrose Bagel, has announced that it’s bringing a storefront to St. Clair West. And according to a recent Instagram story, it’s coming real soon.
• Madame Levant is gearing up to open its doors at 821 Gerrard Street East, with “true Levantine cuisine” on offer.

Our Top Picks

by CHLOE.

After successful restaurant openings in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Providence, and London, popular plant-based eatery by CHLOE. will open its doors at Yorkdale Shopping Centre, near to Restoration Hardware, at 6 pm on Thursday. And to celebrate, the first 250 guests to visit the shop will get a free Guac Burger (read: one of the spot’s most iconic offerings). Even if you miss the promotion, you’ve got to stop by for the Mac n’ Cheeze or Pesto Meatball sandwich — the perfect fuel for a day of shopping.

Address: Yorkdale Shopping Centre, near Restoration Hardware

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• See also:
  • Indigenous and feminist chefs serving dinner at Gardiner Museum this week
  • Drink beer from a barn at this brewery near Toronto this fall 
  • One of Toronto’s best bagel pop-ups is opening a bodega

Globally Local

The London, Ontario-based eatery, proclaimed to be the country’s “first vegan drive-thru,” has soft-opened at 492 College Street. And although, considering the condensed downtown core, this spot isn’t a drive-thru, it is still a quick-service, fully vegan restaurant. The spot’s menu is vast, offering everything from breakfast sandwiches to takes on crispy “chicken” burgers and mock Big Macs, and everything is totally free of animal products. Stop in here to get your cruelty-free comfort food on.

Address: 492 College Street

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Happy Coffee and Wine

This new coffee shop and wine bar has soft-opened its doors in Parkdale at 1304 King Street West. Serving cappuccinos, lattes, espressos and more energizing goodness, the spot is flooded with light, clean lines and a neutral colour palette. Coming soon to the space will also be a roster of wines, allowing it to shift from day to night as seamlessly as you do when 5 pm hits.

Address: 1304 King Street West

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Last Call

It’s coming up to closing time on these establishments. You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.

• The Office Pub in the King West neighbourhood has been forced to close after a failed health inspection on Tuesday; it’s unclear when it will reopen.
• Known across the city for attracting both Tom Hanks and Ryan Gosling during consecutive TIFF runs, Grinder Coffee is gearing up to close its doors on October 27.
• Grand Electric’s Trinity Bellwoods location is set to shutter in November, but the owners have something new in-store.
• “After 18 years of business it is time for change,” chef Anthony Rose wrote in an Instagram post, announcing that restaurant Rose and Sons is closing (and Big Crow already has).
• Dundas West’s lovable Unlovable has announced that it’ll be closing its doors after a final service (read: party) on October 31.