You'd think the cold weather would slow construction but the minus twenty degree temperatures aren't stopping entrepreneurs from opening some intriguing new restaurants and cafes in the coming months. On Gerrard East near Jones, in an area where there's nothing good to eat except for a Peach Garden, a new spot looks to further the gourmet burger trend in Toronto. Called the Great Burger Kitchen, the soon to open restaurant promises naturally raised, locally sourced and free range meat plus fine poutines.

In my final opening soon round-up of 2009, I cross the city to get a glimpse of four places that will have some construction to do before welcoming their first customer. In Leslieville, next to Red Rocket, a Napoletana pizza joint is expected to open in the long vacant space previously occupied by furniture store Karl Ciesluk and the Mango event space. Details of the new restaurant are scant but it may or may not be called East Ender and no word whether the goods here will rival Libretto, or even Lil' Baci down the street.

A number of new restaurants and a cafe are under construction gearing up for openings later this month or early next year. On College, Sage West couldn't make the cut so in its place a new drinking establishment called The Emmet Ray is remaking the space. A sign on the front window suggests they'll be "purveyors of fine alcoholic beverages and such." (Thanks to Mick South for the tip)

Burger Shoppe is expanding, and I'm not sure if there was a better location to do it then the long mourned The Stem. The old diner on Queen West closed back in the summer of 2008 and I guess the narrow space didn't appeal to the mega-chains who've had a recent love affair with this part of Queen. So instead we get a home grown, mini-chain. This will be Burger Shoppe's third location following their bustling gourmet burger shacks in Riverside and Lower Ossington.

A number of intriguing new spots are pushing construction to be open before the end of the year. At the corner of Bellevue and Nassau, taking over the combined space formerly home to Left Feet and Heart on Your Sleeve, the conveniently named The Bellevue has put up a sign saying Howdy to the neighbourhood. There's no indication exactly what to expect here so if anyone has some info please add it to the comments below.

As we move into November, a number of new Opening Soon signs (or liquor license applications) have appeared in windows around Toronto. On King West near Tecumseth an old industrial building is being restored into a new bar/restaurant called The Garrison. Wait, didn't that just open on Dundas West?