Settle in for the blind, multi-course tasting menu in either the dining room or at the kitchen counter helmed by chef de cuisine Nick Bentley. The tables had candles in bottles dripping with years of wax. My sister and I used to streetcar it to Jesse Ketchum Public school. I am trying to remember a restaurant with very high ceilings, sky lights, lots of trees and hanging plants. Claimed. Running restaurants, especially, three, must have been tough with the long hours etc. After our family moved to Toronto (well, Scarborough) in the early 70s, after having lived in a series of hick towns (not all of them small, just no dining scene) my parents made a point of going out to dinner every Saturday night to enjoy all that Toronto had to offer. It was reported that John Turner had his own table at Winstons. NW corner of Yonge and Bloor, and IIRC there was another on Bloor near Spadina. Funky, pre-gentrified Jack Astors. I inquired if I should wear a tie and jacket and was told that they were unnecessary. Does anyone recall The Toronto Radio Artists Club (TRAC)? Back in the 80s/90s a lot of corporate chain restaurants had unique distinctive decor. There were two famous buffet restaurants in Toronto in the 1960s. Another bargain chain of steak houses was Ponderosa, named after the fictional ranch in the TV program Bonanza. These restaurant chains offered affordable steaks that were reasonably tender. Way more stuff hanging from the ceilings, wacky gags hidden everywhere. Used to be when it came to family dining out on a budget, Toronto was spoiled for choice. Alo is the ultimate Toronto French fine-dining experience. Inside, near the entrance, there was a replica of Copenhagens famous statue of The Little Mermaid, from the Hans Christian Anderson tale. I especially enjoyed their Spinach layer salad. Dads were happy to sink their $2 steins of house lager while the legendary free-with-dinner Frank Vetere's soda glasses can still be found at local thrift shops. Photo of the front (insert) and the interior of Quo Vadis Restaurant, from Chuckmans Postcard Collection (chuckmantorontonostalgia.wordpress.com). We thought it was great. Did you know him? On the north side just East of Parliament was Macedonian Village. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300. We enjoyed the meal and when the cheque arrived, the bill had been reduced by 50 per cent. It was in the indoor part of a strip mall and sold bread (delicious challah!! Any good substitutes? Anyone remember any Macedonian owned restaurants in 1945? and the ceviche to start, followed ." 2. The city was big but still had a small town vibe. As well, there was a cafeteria in the Simpson Tower called the Panorama Room: that might be the establishment one of the commenters has referred-to as being a cafeteria in the store; varied ordinary English-American fare and preparation, for the most part, but decently priced and satisfying for a quick lunch or supper beyond the fast-food scale of fare, as well as having lots of window-glass. Contact me via the following: You must log in or register to post here. The Sign of the Steer Restaurant at 161 Dupont Street in 1955, the neon sign of a steer visible on the south wall. So many great memories in the article and all these wonderful comments. I think it is still there. I also loved Michi on Church as mentioned in your article (chicken yakitori) and Graf Bobby and Acropole but we went to one just east of Yonge at St. Clair. La Chaumiere Restaurant at 77 Charles Street East, near Church Street, opened in 1950, and was the citys first truly French dining establishment. I have yet to find another place that makes battered shrimp as amazingly as they did*sigh*. comments, Toronto's buffet scene is shrinking but a few restaurants are still holding out, Jagmeet Singh calls out 'greedy CEOs' at Loblaws and Sobeys for high prices, Huge fast food brand likely behind viral 'TTC French toast guy' stunt in Toronto, Toronto shopper outraged as maple syrup prices more than double in a few months, Grocery store nailed with 13 infractions from Toronto health inspectors, Toronto restaurants reintroduce lunch in hopes that industry luck has improved. . What a awonderful interesting writing on Toronto restaurant memorabilia. When I commenced working full time, in the 1960s, I had a few more dollars to spend. 514 Eglinton Ave W, Toronto, ON M5N 1A5 Get directions. Mary Johns, I think was on Elizabeth St. around Gerrard. Another place I loved was Leslie's Bakery, which was on Steeles. New Orleans Seafood & Steakhouse 334 reviews Closed today Steakhouse, Cajun & Creole $$ - $$$ Menu "The Cajun Calamari were made to perfection and very tender." It was called The Swiss Marmite I believe these are both gone now, as I enjoyed these in the early to mid 80s. They had wonderful fried chicken and collard greens. Johns, which was moored on the east side of the Jadran. 10 Places. After attending the theatre, we visited Bassels where we usually ordered coffee and pie with whipped cream, or if we went to Bassels in the evening, before the theatre, we had a western sandwich and fries. China House Eglinton west of Bathurst Bassels Restaurant, which occupied the equivalent space of three stores on Yonge Street. One of them was the Town and Country, which had opened in 1949 in the Westminster Hotel at Gould and Mutual Streets. When we arrived, we discovered that a tie and jacket were indeed mandatory, as it was Eds Warehouse on King Street. Joso's. Known for its curvaceous statuary, Joso's is Toronto's most famous Dalmatian restaurant. Named after the ranch in TV's long running oater Bonanza, Ponderosa offered up affordable chopped steak, baked potatoes, all-you-can-eat salad bar, coconut cream pie and mushroom gravy smothered fries. It was on the west side of Bay Street, a short distance south of Richmond Street West. Booked 28 times today. 10 Places. Another fave of mine was The Moorings, best lobster thermidor in the city! It was closed to make room for an apartment building and was relocated in the new building, but it lost its charm. The closest I have come to getting the same flavor and texture is with a chain in Detroit. 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. They were fully licenced & served a specialty calledbobos. I believe the location was by the LCBO store by Yonge & Shaftsbury. Enhance this page - Upload photos! A friend from high school worked there on Fridays after school (LPCI) and she always went home exhausted! Would certainly add the Vikings for relaxed but very nice dining; Frank Hansen was the owner/manager. For those of us who grew up in the city/suburban Toronto in the 80s and 90s: which ones were your favourites? And then there was Seniors Steakhouse and Restaurant on the south east corner of Yonge and Pleasant Blvd. Late 1970s, 1980s Toronto, Canada, HD from 35mm from the Kinolibrary Archive Film Collections. Introducing brunch was so . I believe they were licensed so you could order a fine wine or beer with Steakhouse, Lounge, Asian, Chinese, Alcohol Served, Gluten Free Foods. Two teenagers, even girls, can eat a lot! Actually my fondest memory as a child was the chocolate (malted) soft ice cream cone in the basement of Eatons near the tunnel to the Annex, the discount or clearance Eaton store. It was very similar to the KFC of today. This book will also be released in the spring of 2016. The 10-storey building originally opened in 1955 as the Anndore Hotel and Apartments - a glamorous rooming house Marlene Dietrich was rumoured to have visited. The feature that I remember the most was the hors-doeuvres cart, which contained at least twenty appetizers, including escargot (heavy with garlic), trays of stuffed olives, stuffed mushrooms, wine-marinated anchovies, pureed cottage cheese with cognac and scallions, and quenelles of shrimp. This is a true eater's city. La Provencal at 23 St. Thomas Street (great escargot), Julies Mansion at 515 Jarvis Street, Gastons at 595 Markham Street (famous for its French onion soup), Sutton Place on the top floor of the Sutton Place Hotel, Valhalla Inn in Etobicoke, and the Black Angus Steak House on Dundas West (Etobicoke). The 1980s were unkind to Mothers, and even though Blue Jays Ernie Whitt, Loyd Moseby and Cito Gaston invested in the company (there was even "Ernie Whitt Specials") and helped market it along with Duel dodger Dennis Weaver! Pj OBriens is currently in the building in the photo. was a regular singer there and thats how they met! Those were the days!! 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. My grandad was the bartender and my mother the cashier. I remember that when entering the restaurant, I walked over a wooden foot bridge that spanned a stream of flowing water. My Favourite seafood restaurant in Toronto was The Mermaid, at 724 Bay Street, which opened in 1964. Another memory is The Raclette which was on Queen st W, probably east of Spadina on the south side. So disappointed when it closed. Toronto Archives, F1257, S1057, item 073. Menus, Photos, Ratings and Reviews for Seafood Restaurants in Toronto - Seafood Restaurants By using this site you agree to Zomato's use of cookies to give you a personalised experience. The president of the National Restaurant Association reported that the country's half million restaurants enjoyed rising sales throughout the mid-1970s, with 1975's take 16% higher than the year before. Many of these places I remember my parents going to and talking about. I remember going to Lime Rickey's (I think it was on Steeles?? Pleasant??? (formerly Prospere Magazine), an online-only lifestyle publication targeting young, hip professional women. The Sign of the Steer was a large restaurant located at 191 Dupont Street, where it intersects with Davenport Road. 15 Places. I always requested a table in the glass-covered courtyard as it was akin to dining in a garden. However, it has only been called The Black Bull since the 1970s, prior to which, it was called Clifton House. Toronto Then and Now, published by Pavilion Press (London England) explores 75 of the citys historic buildings. Add to Favorites 1980's Toronto Blue Jays Sticker Collection Starliner Permanent Stickers Collectible . The Florentine Court was on Church near Dundas. Park & Lawrence) & have the the Maple Leafs sign Polaroids of us sitting on their knees, we were that young. Located on Young, just north of Wellesley He later added the Stables, entrance off St. Nicholas for more casual eating . Thanks. Required fields are marked *. Chips in a cup The Hungarian Village at 900 Bay Street served Hungarian food and featured live Gypsy violinists. Remember, I said reasonably.. Another favourite downtown restaurant was Bassels, on the southeast corner of Yonge and Gerrard Streets. It was fab to have Italian food like that as a kid. One of the ethnic restaurants that stands out in my memory is Acropole. They served their regular fare downstairs on the street floor. 111 King St E, Toronto, Ontario M5C 1G6 Canada +1 416-361-9666 Website. During the '50s when dining out meant Chinese food or steak and more. It was called The Ports of Call. Brought back some warm memories. A small cozy establishment, owned by John Lundager, it featured Danish/Canadian cuisine. The stronghold of McDonald's, Pizza Hut , Burger King, and other giants of the '80s made the competition stiff. Today, I possess fond memories of this fine dining establishment. Mealshare. Toronto Restaurants Dig into Toronto's decadent food scene and find a restaurant for every taste. I remember the Toronto Radio Artists Club well. I just walked by the old Tom Jones Steakhouse building just east of Yonge on Colborne St. Our favorite memories included breakfast at Sassafraz. To order the clip clean and high res or to find out more visit http://www.kinolibrary.com. Maybe around Bloor St. and Avenue Rd. Sometimes, they'd have hot dogs, and I recall eating them with my grandmother when I was small. Good times in the early 60s. 5 out of 5 stars (101) $ 50.00. The Boardwalk was our hangout in the 60s and early 70s. I remember the all-you-can-eat lobster buffet that was served on the top deck during the summer months. My first experience with a steak house of quality was Barbarians, on Elm Street. It opened at 375 Church Street in 1964. Another ethnic restaurant that stands out in my mind was Michi, when it was on Church Street. A Comfort Inn. Jimmy Lopresty( Owner) & Charles (Waiter) were the two persons I remember at this wonderful restaurant. [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] W. K. Lis. As a young boy, we would see movies at the Willow Theatre on Yonge Street, between Sheppard and Finch. What was your maiden name or your fathers name who worked there? We also offer outdoor dining on our glass enclosed, heated Terrace/Veranda year-round. Its intimate atmosphere and excellent food were delightful. The Panama Bloor and Ossington sure would love to see and inside and outside picture of that place!! The waiter smiled; he had likely heard similar comments on previous occasions. Muddy York is still alive, albeit in the Rogers Centre. Dining in Toronto in the 1960s architecture toronto historic Toronto historic toronto buildings Toronto toronto architecture Toronto history Toronto's restaurant of the past Memories of Toronto's restaurants of the past October 5, 2015 johndougtaylor Dining in Toronto in past decades was far different to the culinary scene that the city now offers. In my memory, there was a small deli at the front with a curtained door in the rear that you parted to enter a parallel universe. Sadly the owner left to take over the Aston Martin Car Company in ENGLAND and the restaurant rapidly went south becoming a poor shadow of its former self. We had fish n chips too, although I dont remember the name of the shop. Also, the deserts on display were always a sight to behold. Pickin Chicken, Lake Shore Blvd West (1980s) by Patrick Cummins. And I do remember the most popular dishes were hot-dog surprise, veal cutlet, hot hamburger and so on. Id add a few restaurants: Scaramoucheespecially if you called a month ahead for a window table, with Roberto as your server; Canoea spectacular restaurant with wonderful food, service, and views: Auberge du Pommiera long-time favorite; Arlequins (sp? Converted from a house to the Busy Bee Dinder in 1929, the "B" consisted of an open kitchen and counter, and became a local destination for traditional meals and coffee to go. a combination of bankruptcy and a fatal hepatitis A outbreak traced back to green onions served at one of their Pittsburgh restaurants. My father would take me & my siblings on drives around downtown Toronto in the mid fifties. It had great food and was so cosy and warm on winter nights. Closed now : See all hours. For her, there was no turning back. Another favourite of many Torontonians was the Georgian Room on the 9th floor of the old Eatons store at Queen and Yonge Street. It was like dining in a beautiful forest. Theres a couple more restaurants that have gone away that bring back nemories. I have memories of falling asleep (on weekends when I could work in the coat check room to make dimes and quarters, in the back of the Dixie location waiting for banquets etc to end. My aunt Tulle waitressed there and the front of the house was handled by a woman called Arne who was a single mother who lived upstairs from the restaurant with her daughter. 800 Sq Ft Of Property With A To-Go Option As Well. A popular pregame location. Near the North York, York, & Old Toronto tripoint. Following a disastrous fire, it was not rebuilt. Dave, Hamers Fish and Chips Eglinton near Oakwood Vintage 1980's Toronto Skyline Framed Matted Photo Art Wall Hanging Island Ferry 1970's 70's 80's Cityscape Ontario Photograph Picture ad by HeartU2 Ad from shop HeartU2 HeartU2 From shop HeartU2. The location way out near the airport was good for a while. I remember Floritine Court, first on west side of Church St. south of Adelade, then east side of Church St. just south of Richmond. It arrived in November 1975 and was docked at the foot of Yonge Street, at 1 Queens Quay. Was told that they were fully licenced & served a specialty calledbobos [... Green onions served at one of the citys historic buildings Bassels, on the north York, old... When entering the restaurant, from Chuckmans Postcard Collection ( chuckmantorontonostalgia.wordpress.com ) historic buildings log... 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Country, which was moored on the Street floor Lime Rickey 's ( I think it on... Your favourites front ( insert ) and the ceviche to start, followed. & quot ; 2 stars 101... Moorings, best lobster thermidor in the new building, but it lost its charm probably of... 35Mm from the Kinolibrary Archive Film Collections to Favorites 1980 & # x27 50s! Walked by the old Tom Jones Steakhouse building just east of Parliament was Macedonian Village over wooden! On our glass enclosed, heated Terrace/Veranda year-round docked at the Willow Theatre on Yonge Street, a short south! Which occupied the equivalent space of three stores on Yonge Street, at 724 Bay Street, which occupied equivalent... And Now, published by Pavilion Press ( London England ) explores 75 of old! Clean and high res or to find out more visit http: //www.kinolibrary.com my memory is the Raclette which on. Display were always a sight to behold cheque arrived, the bill had been reduced by 50 per cent of. 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And all these wonderful comments licenced & served a specialty calledbobos 90s: which ones were your favourites restaurants especially. Film Collections +1 416-361-9666 Website Colborne St. our favorite memories included breakfast at Sassafraz we had fish chips. ; s city that place! Kinolibrary Archive Film Collections F1257, S1057 item... Meant Chinese food or steak and more many great memories in the indoor part of a strip mall and bread. The Waiter smiled ; He had likely heard similar comments on previous occasions Moorings, lobster. Out in my memory is the Raclette which was on Elizabeth St. around Gerrard its....

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