This Week in Food: Pacific Junction Hotel, Street Food Friday, Cupcake Bike Ride, Hot and Spicy Food Festival, Waterfront Night Market, ESE pops-up all weekend

This Week in Food rounds up the week's food news, restaurants openings and closings, chef movements and upcoming food events in Toronto. Find us here every Friday morning.

OPENINGS & CLOSINGS

• Pacific Junction Hotel opened this week at 234 King Street East in the space formerly occupied by Veritas.
• Ottawa chain The WORKS Gourmet Burger Bistro will open the doors to another Toronto location soon at 2245 Bloor Street West.
• Grindhouse Burger Bar (365 King Street West) has closed its doors at King and Peter.
• Glatt kosher eatery Marky's Deli & Restaurant (280 Wilson Avenue) is closing after 43 years serving the Bathurst and Wilson community.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Tonight (Friday, July 20th) is the first Street Food Friday event hosted in partnership with Scadding Court Community Centre's (SCCC) Market 707 and Food Truck Eats. This yummy new event will feature street food from around the world on the third Friday of each month from 5pm to 10pm at 707 Dundas Street West.
• The Hot and Spicy Food Festival takes place this weekend from July 20th to 22nd. The weekend-long event includes a Taco Takedown, Iron Chef competition and World Cafe.
• Gear up for a Cupcake Bike Ride starting at 1pm on Saturday, July 21st. The route begins at Tori's Bakeshop (2188 Queen Street East) in The Beaches and makes its way to Le Dolci (1006 Dundas Street West) by Trinity Bellwoods Park.
• A Street Art Play Day pops up in the 109OZ (109 Ossington) parking lot on Saturday, July 21st from noon 'til 6pm featuring really good street eats like ESÉ, Oxalá, Caplansky's and more.
• The Stop's Beer Garden takes place in the Green Barn at 601 Christie Street from 1pm tp 5pm on Sunday, July 22nd. This weeks beer is by Steam Whistle and food by ESÉ.
• Foodies on Foot host their inaugural Chef Series Dinner at Vertical Restaurant on July 24th starting with a 6pm cocktail reception. Chef Giacomo Pasquini will serve up a 5 course summer menu for $99, and tickets are available now.
• The Regional Barista Competition comes to the Hart House (7 Hart House Circle) on July 24th and 25th. Open to coffee pros and enthusiasts, this event features coffee samples, baked goods and of course an espresso beverage challenge that will land the winner one of five spots in the upcoming national competition.
• The Waterfront Night Market starts tonight and runs through this weekend. This is a much smaller version of the night market that took place in Markham last weekend. Check out photos of last year's event here.

OTHER NEWS


• Acadia (50C Clinton Street) celebrates its One-Year Anniversary with a four-course prix fixe menu for $49.
• Creme Fraiche Market is now offering a daily lunch menu of salads, sandwiches and grilled halloumi out of their take-out only space at 639 Annette Street.
• New Koreatown restaurant The White Brick Kitchen at 641 Bloor Street West is finally licensed to serve liquor.

Photo courtesy of The Works Gourmet Burger