These days, it seems like Toronto restaurants come and go faster than you can say “table for two.” Culture and lifestyle reporter Briony Smith recently looked back at five Toronto restaurants Star staffers miss most, from Oddfellows on West Queen West to Judy Cuisine in Richmond Hill.
Readers had dozens of their own to add, and the comments turned into a running love letter to the city’s vanished dining rooms. Here’s what you had to say:
Kom Jug Yuen, Chinatown
Susan remembered the owner and staff here by name: “The owner Ping Pong and long time staff, Yeung, Johnny, and Ming made you feel at home. In my case, they made me feel like family. When I was a broke university student, they would let me put my meal on a tab and I would settle my bill the next time I got paid.
When my partner and I got married, they gave us a wedding gift. And when we had our first child, they had a red envelope waiting for us.” She singled out the food too: “I miss their legendary Yeung chow fried rice and hot and sour soup, but what I miss most is that feeling of family, comfort, and belonging.”
Cody backed her up with a memory of his own: “I remember Kom Jug, it was a staple in my early 20s living in Kensington Market in the early 2000s. Someone tried to rob us out front waiting for our order one New Year’s.”
Our own food reporter Karon Liu has lamented the loss of this institution himself: “A Chinese barbecue place is crucial in maintaining a Chinatown’s working-class roots. It’s why I still lament the closure of downtown Chinatown’s Kom Jug Yuen all those years ago.”
Le Papillon, Jarvis and Adelaide
Diane’s family kept this one alive long after it moved locations. “When my husband and I met in 1977, one of our first dates was at Le Papillon at its first location on Jarvis and Adelaide. We had the large onion soup and salad. After we married, we tried to visit wherever they were and ate the same thing on every anniversary. The restaurant changed location and ambience and price, but the soup was the same. We used to go to the Front Street location frequently. We miss it.”
Spadina Garden, Dundas Street
Rosa still craves the Hakka classics: “For us it was the best Hakka in the city. We still pine for their spicy peanut chicken and crispy ginger beef.” Brenda agreed, keeping it brief: “Spadina Gardens. Food with a kick. Some contenders but no replacement.”
Olympic 76 Pizza, Gloucester Street
Per reader Sandra, “Olympic 76 Pizza was the best!”
And Stephen is still searching for a match: “I still miss Olympic 76 Pizza. The Panzerotto was a particular favourite. I’m still looking for a suitable replacement, seven years later.”
Miller’s Country Fare, Dundas Street West
For Carolyn, this one was tied to family ritual: “Miller’s was a wonderful restaurant. I always loved the country decor. It felt like my grandmother’s farm house when I was a little kid. My son and I used to go there at Thanksgiving. I was so disappointed when I discovered it was gone.” Audrey remembered the Sunday spreads: “Their weekend brunch was soooo good.”
Toby’s, various locations
Katie folded this one into a whole lineup of departed spots: “I still miss Toby’s, Ponderosa, the Bloor Street Diner, Viva Zapata, Tucker’s Marketplace, Ginsberg and Wong, Mr. Green Jeans, and the Butler’s Pantry on Roncy!”
On the food, Laura had a simple verdict: “Oh yes, best burger ever at Toby’s,” while Sandra was a regular too, for a different reason: “Toby’s and their huge fries.”
Colborne Lane, King Street
Jay’s list of losses mixed restaurants with something more personal: “Hopgood’s food liner. Colborne lane. Wah Sing. My Grandma’s kitchen, because she’s too old now.”
Star culture reporter Briony Smith replied with her own memory of the molecular-gastronomy spot: “I meant to include Colborne Lane in my list! I interviewed Claudio Aprile not long ago and told him how special that place was to me. Almost 20 years later, I STILL think about the molecular gastronomy ‘apple pie.’”
Sai Woo’s, Dundas Street
Carolyn couldn’t pick just one favourite, but this was near the top: “It is very hard for me to choose just one restaurant that I miss, as every single restaurant that was ever my favourite has closed. I don’t even have a current favourite. I really miss is Sai Woo’s on Dundas Street. The BEST Chinese food I ever ate.”
Cafe Leopold
This one was a place Arlene kept coming back to: “Cafe Leopold was a bistro that opened on 672 St. Clair at Christie in 2010 and closed within the year. I lived further west along Davenport at the time and would walk up to it — it had a great vibe, a distinctive personality, bright and modern, but comfortable, great food!”
We want to hear from you. What Toronto restaurant do you miss the most and why? Let us know in the comments section below.
