With high-profile newcomers Book Bar announcing a June opening date and others such as Pizzeria Badiali set to open in May, Mirvish Village is on the cusp of a shift — from construction project to a destination neighbourhood that will draw visitors from across the city.
Along Markham Street, finishing touches on the public realm are lining up with the arrival of these early tenants, offering the clearest signal yet of what this reimagined stretch of the Annex is about to become.
“We’re very excited,” said Ryan Baddeley, of Pizzeria Badiali, about the opening. “[The new location] takes inspiration from old European cafés and restaurants, with lots of beautiful tiling and wood accents. It will be the same concept as our Dovercourt location but will have more indoor and outdoor seating.”
Another exciting opening on the way soon is Book Bar, a two-storey bookstore and bar housed in one of the original Victorian homes along Markham Street.
“The development itself is so unique, and I think it’s just going to be a gem in the city,” said Tom Freeman, one of the founders of Book Bar, along with his partner Robin Storfer. “So we’re just so excited to be a part of the community, and we just think, with the level of retail that’s coming into the place, it’s going to be just amazing.”
The Mirvish Village project replaces the former Honest Ed’s site with a five-building, mixed-use community.
Rising between 13 and 26 storeys just west of Bathurst Street and south of Bloor Street West, the development brings more than 900 rental units together with retail, institutional space and a network of pedestrian-oriented streets and courtyards.
Markham Street at street level will be the focal point. But, it is taking time, and city councillor Dianne Saxe has been working on it.
“I’ve been pushing very hard to get this project finished and opened,” said Saxe. “I passed some motions at TEYCC and today [April 22] to implement the site plan changes for traffic control. Markham Street should open in the next few weeks, and the [Honest Ed’s] park later this spring.”
The rebuilt streetscape prioritizes pedestrians, with pavers replacing traditional asphalt, raised planters installed along the edges and a shared-street design intended to slow vehicles and encourage foot traffic.
The row of heritage storefronts — long associated with the old Honest Ed’s block — has been carefully restored, with repaired brickwork, updated windows and subtle contemporary interventions that prepare the spaces for new retail.
Within the site, the public realm is in place. Curving walkways connect Markham Street to the interior courtyard, where new trees, planting beds and timber seating areas have been installed.
A glazed market hall beneath the towers is also nearing completion and is expected to open later this year, adding even more retail and food offerings.
What happens next will depend largely on the tenants. With independent operators like Badiali and Book Bar leading the way, the early signs point to a mix that leans local.
If that approach holds, Markham Street could quickly establish itself as a destination and more organic extension of the Annex.
