atlas toronto

One of Toronto's only Moroccan restaurants is closing

Toronto doesn't have many Moroccan restaurants, and it looks like the city is losing another one. 

The French-Moroccan spot Atlas on Dupont has announced that after two years, the restaurant is calling it quits after struggling to break even.

"It was a hard decision, but it was the right one,"said Chef Doug Penfold. "There's not enough support or interest in Moroccan food."

Two years ago we took a big gamble: we opened Atlas with the ambitious goal of offering high quality Moroccan food paired with the service standards for which we have come to be known. Everyone at Atlas gave it all they had, and our guests responded with very positive feedback. Alas, despite our best efforts, we have made the difficult decision to close Atlas and to concentrate our efforts on upcoming projects. Atlas has been a labour of love. Every staff member who has worked here has done it for the love of hospitality, pure and simple. Atlas will have its last service on March 16th. We would love to see you again in the next few weeks. Please call or email us to book a table and celebrate the wonderful two years we have had. #atlasrestaurantto #moroccanfood #to_finest #dupontstreet #torontolife #torontofood #peertopeerhospitality

A post shared by Atlas Restaurant (@atlasrestaurantto) on

According to an Instagram post, Atlas will be closing officially on March 16 to focus on "upcoming projects." 

The project in question: a new French bistro called Lapineau on King Street, which Penfold describes as a "faster-paced" project. 

That project is still a long way down the road, but Penfold says he hopes to one day bring Atlas back in the future, when Toronto is ready for "something that's not just French or Italian." 

Lead photo by

Hector Vasquez


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