Toronto restaurant closing down after 20 years says ‘it’s time to move on’

A Toronto restaurant that’s been an essential in the neighbourhood for 20 years has announced it’ll be closing down next month, but it may not be goodbye for good.

When it comes to elevated Iranian fare in Toronto, few spots hold a candle to West Queen West stalwart, Banu.

Founded in 2005 by sibling team Amir Salar, Samira and Salome Mohyeddin, the restaurant pairs sleek, stylish interiors that pay homage to 1970s Tehran with a menu of Iranian fare — from braised cow tongue to racks of lamb drizzled with pomegranate molasses — done absolutely right, earning them an uncontested reputation for being one of the best Persian restaurants in the city.

More than just another gem among Toronto’s glimmering culinary treasure trove, though, Banu has also always been a vehicle for activism, as the Mohyeddin siblings unabashedly spread education on the political climate in Iran.

While their political stance has, at times, subjected them to unsavoury responses from those who disagree, they’ve held strong on their stance that Banu is more than merely a place for a great meal.

To date, a scrolling banner on the restaurant’s website reads “down with the Islamic Republic in Iran.”

After 20 fruitful years in their location on Queen West, though, it’s the end of an era for Banu, as the Mohyeddin family recently took to Instagram to announce that the restaurant is due to close in a matter of weeks.

“Restaurant work is not easy but this place was never just a restaurant for us, it was a passion and we will carry that forward no matter where we are,” the caption of the closure announcement reads, although they note that the closure will not be a permanent one.

“Banu is not done but she is taking a much much needed time out.”

The Banu team tells blogTO that the closure comes as a response to the changing tides in the neighbourhood they’ve operated out of for the past two decades and the sense that it’s time to “breathe new life” into Banu.

“Queen West has changed a lot in 20 years and so have we,” they tell blogTO, “it’s time to move on from this neighbourhood.”

While there are no details quite yet on when or where Banu 2.0 will be born, the restaurant’s team does note that they plan to offer catering in the interim, as well as taking a “much needed break to be together as a family.”

“20 years in the restaurant industry is like 100 years in normal life,” they say.

Understanding the important role the restaurant has played — and continues to play — for scores of Toronto residents, they’ve opted to give ample advance warning before the doors of the restaurant close for good so that Banu’s many fans can have the chance to dine on their favourite dishes before the hiatus.

Banu will be officially closed as of Feb. 28, so whether you’re a seasoned regular or a first-timer, you still have over a month to stop by.

Banu is located at 777 Queen West.