A family-owned Indian restaurant in Toronto is gearing up to close its doors for good this month after four years in business.
The Tale Indian Cuisine and Bar, located at 3747 Lake Shore Blvd W in South Etobicoke, has been serving the community since 2021, offering a pure vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menu, with dishes like tandoori paneer tikka, rajma, and shahi paneer.
For the owners, Gurleen Kaur and Mohnish Bhagat, the restaurant held a deep personal meaning.
“This restaurant means a lot to us,” Kaur shared. The couple first opened up the restaurant during the challenging days of social distancing and lockdowns. In an effort to stay connected to their community, they installed two walls inside of their restaurant where customers could pin their stories and experiences, which helped foster a sense of social connection.
“It was my dream to open the restaurant. We have so many memories attached to this restaurant,” Kaur said. Their son, who is now three years old, grew up in the restaurant, which Kaur says made it even more difficult to say goodbye to the space.
“Finally, we decided to sell the store as my husband started woodworking last year and I am the one handling the restaurant, working everyday morning to night. It’s hard to focus on my kid so we decided to take a break,” she said.
“I am still not sure what I will do in the future because the restaurant was my dream and I am happy we achieved everything.”
During their four years in business, the couple made an effort to help those in need, and beyond serving as a restaurant, offered free meals and employment to folks struggling financially.
“I am gonna miss this place. This is the best four years of my life and I am happy we helped lots of people during these four years,” Kaur said.
The Tale Indian Cuisine and Bar will officially close its doors on Feb. 28, 2025.
