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.

Boat livery and restaurant, Humber River . - 1910 Vintage Restaurant Photographs
1910 – Boat livery and restaurant, Humber River.
Gem saloon - 1910 Vintage Restaurant Photographs
1910 – Gem Saloon
Restaurant sign. - [ca. 1910] Vintage Restaurant Photographs
1910 – Restaurant sign
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 - 1910? Vintage Restaurant Photographs
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.
P.V. Meyer & Co. Restaurant, 1801 Queen Street West looking east - July 28, 1911 Vintage Restaurant Photographs
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 - Vintage Restaurant Photographs
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 Vintage Restaurant Photographs
1913 – Orr Brothers restaurant, adjoining billiard academy, with over-hanging Humphrey gas arc lamps
October 15, 1913 - High Park — Vintage Restaurant Photographs
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
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
April 7, 1923 – Sunnyside RestaurantKing, Queen and Roncesvalles, north-west corner
Sunnyside Pavillion - 1924
1924 – Sunnyside Pavillion
Main entrance to Sunnyside Pavilion Restaurant. - [1928?]
1928 – Main entrance to Sunnyside Pavilion Restaurant
Yonge Street near Wilton Square - Royal Restaurant on far right - 193?
193? – Yonge Street near Wilton Square – Royal Restaurant on far right.
382 Yonge Street, Charles' Restaurant - 1950
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 – 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 – 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 – 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 – 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 – looking south-east toward 387-391 Yonge Street, at Gerrard Street, occupied by Bassel’s Lunch
1950 - New Empress Grill
1950 – New Empress Grill
Exterior views of "The Flame" restaurant - Oct. 19, 1953
Oct. 19, 1953 – Exterior views of “The Flame” restaurant.
April 7, 1954 - 389 Yonge Street (Bassel's Restaurant)
April 7, 1954 – 389 Yonge Street (Bassel’s Restaurant)
Dufferin Street, Eglinton to Wilson. - 1955
1955 – Dufferin Street, Eglinton to Wilson.
1957 - Ace Restaurant - The Queensway widening
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 – 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
1958 – 2995 Bloor Street West, Hong Kong Gardens Restaurant
1960s - Janewood Restaurant - 2701 Jane St
1960s – Janewood Restaurant – 2701 Jane St
Seaway Restaurant - King Street West near John Street during snow storm - jan 26 1961
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
June 15, 1971 – View of Harry’s Steak House on Church Street at Maitland Street
1974 - Fuller's Restaurant, Eglinton Avenue East
1974 – Fuller’s Restaurant, Eglinton Avenue East
April 16, 1975 - View of Century Restaurant on the west side of Yonge Street, south of Scollard
April 16, 1975 – View of Century Restaurant on the west side of Yonge Street, south of Scollard
View of Gatsby's restaurant, on Church Street north of Carlton Street - may 3, 1975
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
1976 – Varsity Restaurant, 328 Bloor Street West, north side, east of Spadina Road
Nanking Restaurant and Tavern, famous Chinese cuisine, Hagerman and Elizabeth - 1978
1978 – Nanking Restaurant and Tavern, famous  – Chinese cuisine, Hagerman and Elizabeth.
El Toro Steakhouse on Colborne Street - May 31 1979
May 31 1979 – El Toro Steakhouse on Colborne Street
Flickers Restaurant at Ontario Place - 1980
1980 – Flickers Restaurant at Ontario Place.
Ontario Place restaurant patio - 80-84
1980-1984 – Ontario Place restaurant patio.
View of the Loop restaurant at 1201 Bathurst Street, across from Hillcrest - July 31, 1982
July 31, 1982 – View of the Loop restaurant at 1201 Bathurst Street, across from Hillcrest.
Restaurant on corner of Pearl and unidentified street - 1988
1988 – Restaurant on corner of Pearl and unidentified street.
1980-90 - Water's Edge restaurant at Harbourfront Centre.
1980-90 – Water’s Edge restaurant at Harbourfront Centre.
King St W - "Ed's Warehouse" restaurant - view is east from Duncan - oct. 9, 1981
Oct. 9, 1981 – King St W – “Ed’s Warehouse” restaurant – view is east from Duncan.
King St W - "Ed's Warehouse" restaurant - outside - oct. 9, 1981
Oct. 9, 1981 – King St W – “Ed’s Warehouse” restaurant – outside.
Restaurant on corner of Pearl and unidentified street - aug 6, 1983
Aug 6, 1983 – Restaurant on corner of Pearl and unidentified street.
Restaurant patios at Ontario Place or marina - 80s
1980s – Restaurant patios at Ontario Place or marina.
199? - 4D's / Flo's restaurant, 10 Bellair at Critchley Lane
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.

 

 

 

About Joel Levy 2531 Articles
Editor-In-Chief at Toronto Guardian. Photographer and Writer for Toronto Guardian and Joel Levy Photography