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Taverns & Restaurants

2020 - The former Bank of British North America at ‪49 Yonge St and Wellington St E on the northeast corner in the Financial District of Toronto

Bank of British North America – A Magnificent Toronto Gem

June 23, 1971 – Looking northeast towards the Brown Derby Tavern once at the corner of Yonge St and Dundas St E

Brown Derby Tavern – Hats Off to the Landmark Once at...

2022 - Looking northwest towards the Canadian General Electric Company Building at 212 King St W and Simcoe St

Canadian General Electric Company Building – A Beaux-Arts Gem

Between 1988 and 1990 - The Canary Restaurant sign (notice the sign has lost its neon tubing) and the Cherry St sign

Canary Restaurant & Palace Street School – Over 165 Years of...

1984 - Captain John's second floating restaurant and the Toronto Star Building on Queens Quay at the foot of Yonge St, looking northeast

Captain John’s Harbour Boat Restaurant – Once a Waterfront Icon

July 1973 – Looking northeast towards The Colonial Tavern during the Yonge Street Mall (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1118, Series 377, Item 782)

Colonial Tavern – The Historic Venue’s Part in Toronto’s Music Heritage

1982 - A night view of Ed's Warehouse, Ed's Folly, Old Ed's and Ed's Seafood on King St W at Duncan St, looking west

Ed’s Warehouse – The Beloved Restaurant That Was an Attraction in...

2022 - Filmores Hotel is located at 212 Dundas St E in the Garden District of Toronto

Filmores Hotel – Toronto’s Heritage Property with a Colourful History

Mid-1970s - Looking southeast towards the former Friar's Tavern at the corner of Yonge St and Dundas Sq. Nickelodeon also shared the building's second floor. In December 1975, an entertainment listing in the Globe and Mail shows that Dublin Corporation was performing at Friar's, while Mike Lewis was performing in the Drawing Room

Friar’s Tavern – Playing Its Part in Creating the Yonge Street...

May 13, 1977 - Looking west towards the intersection of Dundas St E and Sherbourne St with George's Spaghetti House on the right. Doug Cole, known as the founder of Toronto’s jazz movement, opened the live jazz club in 1956. In 1983, he sold the restaurant, and a year later, the jazz club moved upstairs

George’s Spaghetti House – Canada’s Premier Live Jazz Club

Circa 1912 - Looking east towards what’s known today as The Keg Mansion at 515 Jarvis St, just north of Wellesley St E. The part of Jarvis St was once known as “Millionaires Row” and was where the city’s upper class went to escape the busy downtown

Keg Mansion – The Gothic Heritage Home that once Belonged to...

Vintage Pizza Pizza commercial

Pizza Pizza – 967-11-11 Call Pizza Pizza, hey, hey, hey!

March 15, 2020 - Bar Poet at 1090 Queen St W at Dovercourt Rd was once home to the Slavic Pentecostal Church

Slavic Pentecostal Church – Today Home to Bar Poet

June 23, 1971 – The Brown Derby Tavern was once located at 311-313 Yonge St, at the northeast corner of Dundas St E, in the Downtown Yonge area of Toronto. Opened in 1949, the Brown Derby became a popular tavern known for its live jazz, swing entertainment, and a small restaurant. In the centre of the main floor bar, there was a revolving stage. To keep up with changing trends, the tavern later introduced rooms that featured different music genres, including rock 'n' roll, country, jazz, and more. In 1969, The Derby's exterior got a whole new look, adding a bit of fun to the already lively intersection. Above the barnboard siding were large signs showing Ben Turpin, Laurel and Hardy, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Roscoe Arbuckle (possibly), and Charlie Chaplin, all donning derbies. On April 20, 1974, an all-day wake was held at the Derby on its closing day. The building was torn down in the late 1990s

Taverns in Toronto – More Than Just a Place to Drink

February 10, 2024 – Club Zanzibar at 359 Yonge St is one of Toronto's last surviving adult entertainment clubs. When the venue opened in 1951, it was called the Zanzibar Tavern and was advertised as being "Toronto's Finest Dining Room," serving lunch, dinner and post-theatre snacks with live musical entertainment

Zanzibar Tavern – A Building in the Body Business Since 1895

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