The 5 oldest restaurants in Toronto

Nailing down a list of the oldest restaurants in Toronto is much harder than you might think. There's no central database (that I know of) that details exactly when each of this city's thousands of eateries were founded, and there are all kinds of grey areas. Like whether or not a hotel or bar that serves food counts as a restaurant, or if a move to a premises kills some of the magic. Because this post was intended to be a list of places one can dine in historic surroundings, we had to establish a set of ground rules.

We decided changes are OK, but the restaurant has to have remained in the same location--moves reset the clock, the primary purpose of the business must be serving food (apologies to the Wheat Sheaf, Kind Edward, and Royal York,) and prolonged closures (more than a couple of years) are also grounds for disqualification.

With these criteria in mind, here's a list of (what might be) the oldest restaurants in Toronto.

The Senator - 1929

Hiding out just steps from the clamour and bright lights of Yonge-Dundas Square, the venerable old Senator opened as Busy Bee Lunch in 1929. A classified ad printed in the Globe in 1936 tempted prospective customers with "delicious meals; dinners at reasonable prices." Not much has changed since. The diner was renamed The Senator in 1948 and given its current interior fixtures courtesy of the Toronto Refrigeration Fixture Company the same year. In 2013, the diner's kitchen was given an overhaul, but the original interior remains.

Duckworth's Fish and Chips - 1930

Opened by the eponymous Edith and Jack Duckworth at 2638 Danforth Ave. in 1930--the year before the Toronto Maple Leafs moved to Maple Leaf Gardens--Duckworth's has been serving up Britain's most beloved dish for almost 85 years. The company, now run by its founder's grandchildren, has also produced two spin-offs: on Kingston Rd. and another in Atherley Narrows, both run by members of the family.

Reliable Halibut and Chips - 1930

As its name suggests, Reliable has been consistently serving halibut and chips to the denizens of Leslieville for more than 80 years. The owners and signs have changed (the business was given a complete overhaul during an episode of Restaurant Makeover in 2007,) but Reliable has never budged from its corner location on Queen between Logan and Carlaw. Right now, it's tied for the title of oldest fish and chips restaurant in the city with Duckworth's.

Lakeview Restaurant - 1932

Cleaned up and overhauled in 2008 after a brief closure and change of owner, the Lakeview Restaurant is, once again, a neighbourhood institution. Interestingly, it's also the second historic Toronto restaurant on this list to feature Refrigeration Fixture Company booths--the Lakeview's ones are made out of solid mahogany. Some time before the 2008 refit the gorgeous old neon sign that used to hang over Dundas St. was lost. Unlike the old cooking oil found in the deep fryer, it's missed.

Steve's Restaurant - 1946

This Bathurst and Wilson stalwart traces its roots back to 1946, making it a shade older than its nearest rivals: Steak Pit (previously The Small Fry) on Avenue Rd., which opened in 1948, and the 60-year-old Vesta Lunch at Dupont and Bathurst. Like its contemporaries on this list, Steve's serves home-style dishes such as omelettes, hamburgers, pancakes, and sandwiches, proving perhaps the restaurants with the most staying power are the ones with the heartiest food.

What did I miss? Add your suggestions in the comments below.

Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Images: City of Toronto Archives, Patrick Cummins (Reliable)

by Chris Bateman via blogTO