Home The City History Vintage Restaurant Photographs from the Toronto Archives
This week, I was browsing the Toronto archives for vintage restaurant photographs. I love old signs and seeing how the streets have changed over the years so I thought that this would be a great gallery to curate.
For this album, I chose photos from a 100 year period dating from 1900-2000. On Bloor Street or Yonge Street, at Ontario Place or the CNE, these places fed the residents of Toronto’s past.
1910 – Boat livery and restaurant, Humber River.
1910 – Gem Saloon
1910 – Restaurant sign
1910? – Lettering on restaurant window is partially in Hebrew. Photo appeared in the Toronto World, December 4, 1910, “Picturesque if not Artistic–Glimpses of ‘The Ward’.” – Chicken warehouse, Agnes Street.
July 28, 1911 – P.V. Meyer & Co. Restaurant, 1801 Queen Street West looking east.
April 15, 1913 – Humber Valley looking to Gough’s Restaurant on old Bloor Street West
1913 – Orr Brothers restaurant, adjoining billiard academy, with over-hanging Humphrey gas arc lamps
October 15, 1913 – High Park — restaurant
ca. 1916 – Interior of long narrow restaurant with bentwood chairs, mosaic floor and ceiling reminiscent of a railway car
April 7, 1923 – Sunnyside RestaurantKing, Queen and Roncesvalles, north-west corner
1924 – Sunnyside Pavillion
1928 – Main entrance to Sunnyside Pavilion Restaurant
193? – Yonge Street near Wilton Square – Royal Restaurant on far right.
1950 – 382 Yonge Street, Charles’ Restaurant
1950 – 331-333 Yonge Street, occupied by Le Coq d’Or Tavern, 333 Yonge Street, with Olympia Bowling and Billiards on the 2nd floor, 331 Yonge Street
1950 – 357-361 Yonge Street, occupied by S.C. Cooper Drugs, 357 Yonge Street, Rosticceria-Tavern, 359 Yonge Street, and Geo. Richards Men’s Shop, 361 Yonge Street
1950 – 367-371 Yonge Street, occupied by the Dominion Grill, 367 Yonge Street, Robinson’s Clothes, 369 Yonge Street, and Acme Wines Ltd, 371 Yonge Street
1950 – 379-383 Yonge Street, occupied by the Bermuda Tavern, 379 Yonge Street, and the Yonge Street Mission, 381-383 Yonge Street
1950 – looking south-east toward 387-391 Yonge Street, at Gerrard Street, occupied by Bassel’s Lunch
1950 – New Empress Grill
Oct. 19, 1953 – Exterior views of “The Flame” restaurant.
April 7, 1954 – 389 Yonge Street (Bassel’s Restaurant)
1955 – Dufferin Street, Eglinton to Wilson.
1957 – Ace Restaurant – The Queensway widening
1958 – G. Tamblyn Ltd., drug store, 2772 Bloor Street West, New Kingsway Restaurant, 2994 Bloor Street West, and Canada Paint Co. Ltd., 2998 Bloor Street West, north side at Willingdon Boulevard
1958 – 2995 Bloor Street West, Hong Kong Gardens Restaurant
1960s – Janewood Restaurant – 2701 Jane St
Jan 26 1961 – Seaway Restaurant – King Street West near John Street during snow storm.
June 15, 1971 – View of Harry’s Steak House on Church Street at Maitland Street
1974 – Fuller’s Restaurant, Eglinton Avenue East
April 16, 1975 – View of Century Restaurant on the west side of Yonge Street, south of Scollard
May 3, 1975 – View of Gatsby’s restaurant, on Church Street north of Carlton Street.
1976 – Varsity Restaurant, 328 Bloor Street West, north side, east of Spadina Road
1978 – Nanking Restaurant and Tavern, famous – Chinese cuisine, Hagerman and Elizabeth.
May 31 1979 – El Toro Steakhouse on Colborne Street
1980 – Flickers Restaurant at Ontario Place.
1980-1984 – Ontario Place restaurant patio.
July 31, 1982 – View of the Loop restaurant at 1201 Bathurst Street, across from Hillcrest.
1988 – Restaurant on corner of Pearl and unidentified street.
1980-90 – Water’s Edge restaurant at Harbourfront Centre.
Oct. 9, 1981 – King St W – “Ed’s Warehouse” restaurant – view is east from Duncan.
Oct. 9, 1981 – King St W – “Ed’s Warehouse” restaurant – outside.
Aug 6, 1983 – Restaurant on corner of Pearl and unidentified street.
1980s – Restaurant patios at Ontario Place or marina.
199? – 4D’s / Flo’s restaurant, 10 Bellair at Critchley Lane
Browse more vintage restaurant photographs on the Toronto Archives . Stay tuned for next week’s gallery.
Editor-In-Chief at Toronto Guardian.
Photographer and Writer for Toronto Guardian and Joel Levy Photography