Openings + Closings: Coffee Shops, Bakeries, Restaurants & More

While we are in a province-wide lockdown, you just can’t put a damper on new businesses opening. You might think that now is not the time for new restaurants or stores but the show must go on and if we all come together to support, then hopefully these new ventures will prevail and go on to succeed even after COVID-19 is a thing of the past. However, with every new beginning, we can’t forget those restaurants and stores that we’re losing. The pandemic is pushing restaurant and business owners to their maximum and unfortunately, some have just simply gone under. We do hope though that once we eventually move into a post-COVID world that these closed ventures can come back and hopefully be even better than before.

Here are a handful of businesses and restaurants that have recently opened and sadly closed.

Openings:

Azhar

 

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The latest restaurant under the wing of Janet Zuccarini is Azhar. The Middle Eastern restaurant is currently open as a marketplace for folks to pick up spices, dips, spreads, marinated cheeses, and so much more as well as fresh-made wood-fired bread. The resto is set to open up later on this month for takeout and delivery and we can hardly wait!

Dimes Cannabis

There’s a new cannabis store in town and yes, you need to know about it. Dimes Cannabis just opened on Queen West and it’s co-owned by businessman JP Adamo, who co-owns local fave Bar Piquette, as well as the highly anticipated Crosley’s on Ossington. Dimes approaches cannabis retail with a hospitality frame of mind thanks to the soon-to-come Sunday Brunch feature where edibles and cannabis-infused beverages will be paired together. If you ask us, 2021 is already getting off on a “high” note.

Tsuchi Cafe

 

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Serving up plant-based Japanese goodness is Tsuchi Cafe, located on College near Ossington. Expect to enjoy goodies like a silky vanilla flan, matcha tiramisu, nitro cold brew, house-made tofu, meal kits, and so much more. 

Poured Coffee

 

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Poured Coffee is Toronto’s first no-waste coffee shop and we couldn’t be more excited to check it out. The shop prides itself on having no paper cups, containers, napkins or disposable products insight and its store is filled with eco-friendly products ready to shop. Customers 

Coast Yonge & Eglinton

 

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Coast is a delivery-only fresh seafood and smash burger ghost kitchen that’s operated by star chef Matt Dean Pettit. The ghost kitchen has one location near Adelaide and Jarvis but due to its immense success, it’s opened another kitchen at Yonge and Eglinton. Now folks who live further uptown can tuck into Matt’s insanely delicious lobster rolls, smash burgers, poutine, among other tasty dishes.

Cookery Bloor West

 

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Known as being one of the best kitchen supply stores out there is Cookery. The store has two locations, one at Yonge and Lawrence and another on Roncy and it recently opened a third on Bloor West. It’s here that you can find top-notch kitchen items like small appliances, utensils, cookbooks, linens, dishes, spices, and more. 

Closings:

Prairie Girl Bakery

 

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Say it isn’t so! It’s just been announced that well-loved Prairie Girl Bakery has officially shut down all operations as of January 5. The bakery has been a favourite of many for 10 years and we know for a fact that people everywhere will be missing its tasty vegan and gluten-free treats. 

The Gap Flagship

The intersection of Bay and Bloor is about to look a little different because The Gap’s flagship store is officially closing. The store had been open there for more than 30 years and its closing is part of The Gap’s strategy to adapt to the increase in demand for online shopping, especially while stores are closed due to COVID.

Little Nicky’s

 

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Another one sadly bites the dust because another one of Toronto’s independent coffee shops has shuttered its doors. Located at Queen and Peter, Little Nicky’s has officially ceased operations after being in business for a decade.

Featured Image: @chefstucameron