Located on Young, just north of Wellesley He later added the Stables, entrance off St. Nicholas for more casual eating . In the background is the Coronet (Savoy) Theatre. Introducing brunch was so . However, memories of food cooked beyond our kitchen, during my boyhood years, include the hot dogs and the aroma of the ice cream waffles in the tunnel under Albert Street. Back in the 80s/90s a lot of corporate chain restaurants had unique distinctive decor. Toronto Archives, S0372, SS058, item 2482. Upstairs was where everyone went for their delicious steaks! 16 Places . In the 60s we liked to meet at Queen and Yonge at Joe Birds, part of Diana Sweets. For her, there was no turning back. and the ceviche to start, followed ." 2. And thanks to Toronto History 's photo archive, we can take a peek at what exactly was going on in the city in the city 40 years ago. For those of us who grew up in the city/suburban Toronto in the 80s and 90s: which ones were your favourites? Remember, I said reasonably.. Bassels Restaurant, which occupied the equivalent space of three stores on Yonge Street. Sure would like to know who you are. I especially enjoyed their Spinach layer salad. I worked in that restaurant! It was closed to make room for an apartment building and was relocated in the new building, but it lost its charm. I also remember the Organ Grinder on the Esplanade. I remember Floritine Court, first on west side of Church St. south of Adelade, then east side of Church St. just south of Richmond. NW corner of Yonge and Bloor, and IIRC there was another on Bloor near Spadina. The 25 Best Restaurants in Toronto, from Omakase to Diners | Cond Nast Traveler Video SALE: SUBSCRIBE AND GET 1 YEAR FOR $21.99 $5 North America Canada Ontario Toronto Destinations 25 Best. Reading the message involving Prime Restaurant was pleasantly surprising. One of the first restaurants my friends and I visited was the Swiss Chalet. However, the original location on Bloor Street closed in 2006; a condo is now on the site. In the photo, the black building in the distance, on the far left, is a Coles Book Store. Also like Vetere's, the Pizza was phenomenal, and their 99 cent Root Beer floats with take home glass were the stuff of playground legend. It was dark and expansive, with stuffed seagulls and angels and god-knows-what else hanging from the ceiling and booths on multiple levels. . A Comfort Inn. It closed up years ago. Photo of the front (insert) and the interior of Quo Vadis Restaurant, from Chuckmans Postcard Collection (chuckmantorontonostalgia.wordpress.com). Sep 13, 2019 - Restaurants that I ate at as a child..most no longer exist. 1980s - Restaurant patios at Ontario Place or marina. From chef Akira Back, who garnered a Michelin Star for his restaurant in Seoul, his namesake Toronto restaurant offers an incredible experience, from the expertly crafted food and beverage program and the exceptional service right down to the show-stopping design. Because it was considered a classy restaurant, we felt very grown-up whenever we went there. We also offer outdoor dining on our glass enclosed, heated Terrace/Veranda year-round. Images are not to be reprinted, reposted or used for any purposes whatsoever outside of the Urban Toronto forum without my express consent. The only place in the city where we could find the swiss fondue style menu (there was a restaurant out near Port Credit that also specialized in raclette fondue. Does anyone remember a cafe that was located by the Toronto waterfront Le Select just came to mind. Sadly was not able to go there since covid and they are now closed. One man served. The restaurants housed an authentic Cowboy styled atmosphere with saloon doors, stag horns, wood walls, yellow and brown uniforms for the staff and red and white checkered table clothes. I also remember the Tivoli on Yonge south of Gerrard on the east side. I remember the first time I went there with a friend. A reader wrote in an asked for the recipe of a shrimp dish named Les Scampis Amoureux (Shrimp in Love). Originally part of the Pillsbury Corp., the restaurant was founded in 1976. TOPS restaurant at the corner of Dundas and Yonge, I remember the TOPS restaurant on Yonge, spent many a late night in a booth there, people-watching with some friends. However, I have very pleasant memories of dining on the smaller ship of Capt. As one of the two owners of Lgardys and Quenelles restaurants on church Street this was priceless. 80 Blue Jays Way. We had our wedding reception upstairs at Scotts on Bloor street it later became Scotts Chicken Villa and then KFC. To my surprise, I could find not only no pictures but no references at all. The appitizers, the main course, the deserts were all served exactly as ordered but the tea or coffee was missed by one person, the principal, who had to ask for his drink. Their favourite (and a family treat for birthdays) for many years was Carmens. Theatorium (Red Mill) TheatreToronto's First Movie Experience and First Permanent Movie Theatre, Auditorium (Avenue, . I grew up in Leaside and have dined at most of the restaurants you mention. Chips in a cup Alo is the ultimate Toronto French fine-dining experience. Many of these places I remember my parents going to and talking about. 1980-90 - Water's Edge restaurant at Harbourfront Centre. On Saturdays, in the TV Guide that was inserted into the Toronto Star, there was a special feature. Does anyone else remember the Balkan? It was called Between Friends. The Golden Nugget Restaurant was slightly further north. Bobby. I worked at Ontario Hydro in the late 60s and all the girls went to Bassels or Mallonys after work to meet guys! Also was Western Sizzlin Sizzler Red Lobster was starting to come into it's own There were 2 UK fish & chips houses that we. Arcadian Court in Simpson's Doug Taylor, Toronto history historic Toronto Queen Street West tayloronhistory.com Toronto's restaurant of the past. Great places to eat before or after going to the movies at one of two screens at the Hollywood Theatre, the first cinema in Toronto specifically built to show talking pictures in 1930, or the Hyland Odeon Theatre. Photo, Toronto Archives, F0124, Fl 0002, Id. Trailblazing 1980s nightclub Twilight Zone brought diverse crowds and sounds to Toronto's Entertainment District long before such a designation even existed. The Senator | 1929, 88 years old. The restaurants housed an authentic Cowboy styled atmosphere with saloon doors, stag horns, wood walls, yellow and brown uniforms for the staff and red and white checkered table clothes.. Because Maple Leaf Gardens was a few blocks south of it, it was very busy on nights when the Leafs played home games. Nonetheless the industry fought a proposed increase in the federal minimum wage from $2.30 to $3.00 an hour. There was a Chinese Restaurant, closeby, called Spring Garden. Our children liked to say that we were married at KFC. 10 Places. In the space recently vacated by Menalon, the 50ish-year-old Greek diner and dive bar, is Paradise Grapevine, Bloorcourt's favourite new wine bar . Maxi owned the bar/restaurant and always greeted you at the door. Larry's Hideaway. When I commenced working full time, in the 1960s, I had a few more dollars to spend. My wife and I often had a special dinner at the Balkan on Elm Street, just west of Yonge. We always started the meal at the Mermaid with the Copenhagen Seafood Chowder, which was a Danish version of New England clam chowderrich and creamy. New Orleans Seafood & Steakhouse 334 reviews Closed today Steakhouse, Cajun & Creole $$ - $$$ Menu "The Cajun Calamari were made to perfection and very tender." homefinder.ca 4 days ago Report Ad 3 Pictures 1004 Kingston Rd, Toronto, On M4E1T2, Toronto, Toronto $ 69,999 Another popular restaurant was the Three Small Rooms in the Windsor Arms Hotel. It was near a Toys R Us) for a friend's birthday several years in a row. Cherry Street Bar-b-que. The well-seasoned spicier foods that ethnic eateries offered were challenging the more bland style of dishes that Canada inherited from Great Britain. #777 of 6,034 Restaurants in Toronto 37 reviews 920 Queen St E Leslieville 0.1 km from Queen Street " The BEST gelato and ice cream. The Goulash Pot at Yonge and Bloor was another Hungarian restaurant. The Florentine Court was on Church near Dundas. I think le Select is now on Wellington St. We were wearing freshly-ironed sport shirts and neat trousers. Maybe around Bloor St. and Avenue Rd. To view previous blogs about movie houses of Torontohistoric and modern, and Torontos Heritage Buildings: http://tayloronhistory.wordpress.com/2013/10/09/links-to-toronto-old-movie-housestayloronhistory-com/. The restaurant was very successful and a great meeting spot for Danish Xpats. The dining room was Victoriana gone wild; the decor was part of the attraction. And yes, they were licensed which was odd for the type of restaurant at the time. https://www.historypress.net/catalogue/bookstore/books/Toronto-Theatres-and-the-Golden-Age-of-the-Silver-Screen/9781626194502 . Greek cuisine was not well known in the 1960s. The Restaurant Boasts Of Its Food And Location. Add to Favorites 1980's Toronto Blue Jays Sticker Collection Starliner Permanent Stickers Collectible . The Graf Bobby Restaurant on Wellington Street. The food fashion cycle quickened as diners discovered a taste for arugula, radicchio, goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, sushi, crab cakes, Pad Thai, mesquite grilling, and fresh ingredients. Old school style and service, updated with the freshest local ingredients, no MSG and Zero Trans Fats. 0111. Dining in Queen Street and West Queen West (Toronto), Ontario: See 302,621 Tripadvisor traveller reviews of 8,980 Toronto restaurants and search by cuisine, price, location, and more. Then, Ed Mirvish appeared and inquired, Whats the problem?, He smiled, apologized, and told the waiter, Escort them to the table that has been reserved.. Used to be when it came to family dining out on a budget, Toronto was spoiled for choice. The menu is ever-evolving, but memorable mouthfuls include pleasure-pocket taleggio cheese, grape, and onion agnolotti; and delicate hamachi topped with xo sauce, tomato consomme, and creme . Two teenagers, even girls, can eat a lot! Other places: an Italian restaurant at Bayview Village (where Il Fornello is now), Max's (now O&B) and before it was Max's, I think it was a pub called Charlie's (shut when I was six or so). I loved Frans on Yonge St across from Sams. We were offended, as the clothes they offered were grubby looking, and we were certainly not hobos. Lime Ricky's on Eglinton was the first to come to mind. I also visited Carmens Steak House at 26 Alexander Street (now closed) and Tom Jones Steak House at 17 Leader Lane, located on the east side of the King Edward Hotel. My mother ignored his comments. Canary Restaurant, Cherry St. by Patrick Cummins. Located in the heart of Hoggs Hollow just south of York Mills and Yonge, Toronto's famous Jolly Miller has been reborn as the Miller Tavern, complete with a bar lounge, elegant casual dining and one of the city's largest outdoor patios. But there was another one, Lous, on Dufferin St. run by one of my mothers cousins. During the years 1980-1986, I did a lot of street photography in Toronto. During the '50s when dining out meant Chinese food or steak and more. It had old world charm. Or the broken pieces of crispy crunch chocolate bars, sold by the pound at Eatons candy counter, which wed munch as we walked the tunnel. Businessman Brian Alger acquired the expired trademark to Mother's Pizza - one of his favorite brands growing up (along with the Pop Shoppe, which he also acquired) - then teamed with Restaurateur Geeve Sandu to reboot the franchise using the same original formula. Oh for the good old days. Lime Ricky's was a 50s-inspired diner that thrived in the 80s. There are many more Toronto restaurants of the 1960s and 1970s, as I have only listed the ones that either I visited or remember well. That is, until 2008 when Bennigan's went bankrupt. The building where the restaurant was located was designated a Heritage site in 1980. Member Bio Joined Mar 14, 2008 Messages 1,656 Reaction score 1,524. It was on the West side of Yonge street just south of Hogs Hollow. One of the ethnic restaurants that stands out in my memory is Acropole. Loved Le Savarin. Another bargain restaurant chain we frequented in the 1960s was the Steak and Burger. Mothers Pizza. The hotel was a favourite of Hollywood stars such as Katharine Hepburn. We thought it was great. I recall Bentleys as being on the east side of Yonge, a block or two south of Teddington Park. Late Night Restaurants. The tables had candles in bottles dripping with years of wax. - also score high on the nostalgic food-o-meter, primary thanks to their yummy deep fried ice cream, piping hot plates and cheap margaritas. The last one was OTooles. A small cozy establishment, owned by John Lundager, it featured Danish/Canadian cuisine. 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