convenience bar toronto

Toronto is getting a retro convenience store restaurant

Feeling nostalgic? Toronto will soon be home to a retro convenience store-themed restaurant, named Convenience Bar, which aptly references its design as both a convenience store and a bar all in one.

Equipped with all the fittings of a corner store of your childhood, this West Queen West restaurant will fill not only your hunger for food, but your hunger for the past.

Entering the space is promised to be like teleporting to an era long passed. A hopscotch pad will greet you in the entrance-way, through the convenience store in front to the bar and restaurant in the back. Neon signs, He-Man, and She-Ra will line the walls, and the basement will feature party-line phones.

The store will sell grab-and-go options for lunches and snacks, but will also have traditional corner-store options like sodas and candy.

As far as sit-down options go, look for comfort food, but also hefty vegetarian options. Some examples menu items being played around with are Venezuelan hot dogs, yuca fries, and an assortment of different corn dogs, like lobster and jalapeno.

Beer, wine, and staple cocktails will all be served on tap, which is an interesting twist on the soda bar theme.

If the decor is anything like their Instagram feed, the aesthetic should be on-point.

Convenience Bar is set to open in November at 1184 Queen West in the former Addis Ababa space. Until then, the staff will be selling pumpkins on the patio to prepare for Halloween from October 25 to 30. All proceeds will go to West Neighbourhood House in Parkdale.

Oh, and there will be free apple cider. Now that's a welcome way to enter a neighbourhood.

Lead photo by

Convenience Bar


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