I don't need to be the one to tell you that 2020 was quite a year. Unfortunately, we all know that our beloved restaurants, bars and cafes suffered the brunt of it. With one too many closures to mention them all, we saw several Toronto institutions shutter their doors this year -- unable to keep up rent payments or negotiate with impossible landlords. Nothing is the same and this year, we have witnessed a major transformation in the Toronto food scene and the industry in general. From meal kits to pop-ups and the constant mantra delivered to owners to "pivot" and "adapt," -- this turbulent year has not been an easy one to navigate.
With a demand for comfort food and meals that are designed for takeaway, we have seen the success of several restaurants and shops that opened this year (believe it or not). So, as this end nears, we want to salute those who have managed to stay afloat, bow our heads for those who have lost their storefronts and commend those brave enough to open a new venture in the hardest 12 months the hospitality industry has ever faced.
Below is not an exhaustive list but we have compiled some of our favourite restaurants to open in 2020; whether it was prior to the March apocalyptic mayhem or in the midst of our "new normal," these new openings have all lent a slight glimmer of hope, that one day (hopefully not too far off), our industry will rebound.