A long-standing Toronto restaurant that was known for its legendary patio and comfort food will soon be replaced by a local brewery.
Amadeu’s Restaurant, formerly located at 184 August Ave., made the heartbreaking decision to close its doors following 36 years in business earlier this year. Since 1989, the restaurant had been serving up classic Portuguese dishes on its iconic patio that overlooked Kensington Market.
In a statement, the restaurant’s owners said that the decision to sell the restaurant was not made lightly.
“Celeste, now 75, has decided it’s time to slow down. While she has cherished every moment spent watching patrons enjoy her food, she feels it’s time to focus on her garden, spend quality time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and savour life’s simple pleasures — sunshine, holidays, and family gatherings,” the statement reads.
“These were sacrifices made during years of dedication, and now it’s time to embrace the joys they bring. We leave behind more than just a restaurant; we leave behind a community filled with friends, stories, and memories.”
Although the restaurant’s legacy will live on, a Toronto-based brewery will soon be calling the iconic space home.
Burdock Brewery focuses on lagers, pale ales, and grape ales, and makes all kinds of beer from classic bitter German pils to beer-wine hybrids to even innovative pickle-brine seltzers.
The brewery boasts a restaurant, music hall, and bottle shop at 1184 Bloor St. W. and also operates a bottle shop at 6 Denison Square, right next to the now-shuttered Amadeu’s Restaurant.
In an announcement posted on Monday, the brewery’s team revealed that they will be expanding into the former Amadeu’s Restaurant space. Since moving in next door in 2021, the brewery’s co-owner, Matthew Park, says that they have gotten to know the family behind Amadeu’s.
A year and a half ago, the family approached the brewery and mentioned that they were thinking about retirement. “They approached us and let us know that we might be a good fit to be the next stewards of that space,” Park said.
“It’s huge boots to fill, everyone knows that patio. When you talk about a landmark in Kensington Market, it’s one of the most iconic.”
Park says the brewery is aiming to open up its expansion before the patio season in May, and in the meantime, will be completing some renovations. Their Kensington location’s menu will feature some similar items to their Bloor location, although you can expect lots of new dishes with a focus on regional specialties.
The beer menu will also be more lager-focused to showcase what they are brewing next door.
“We were a little nervous given how well-loved Amadeu’s was, but our neighbours have been really supportive of us. The market is struggling a little bit, and it’s had a hard time during COVID, and the hospitality industry hasn’t recovered. Hopefully, with this expansion, we’ll bring even more traffic to the market,” Park said.
“We think we make really good beer, and the best way to drink our beer is fresh on draft, and this is just another opportunity for people to do that in one of the most iconic patios in the city.”
