Toronto pizzeria open since 1957 announces it's permanently closing

A Toronto pizzeria and spaghetti spot that's been around for over 60 years is shutting its doors.

"We at Vesuvio have proudly served our valued customers and the community for over 63 years, but the time has come to say farewell," begins a post the pizzeria made to their social media today.

"The business was built by the four Pugliese brothers, starting in 1957.  It was the first 'New York" style pizzeria in Toronto," it continues.

"Quality helped Vesuvio thrive in the Junction despite the neighbourhood being under a 'dry' prohibition-era designation, making it very difficult for restaurants to operate. The team at Vesuvio, along with other Junction business owners, were instrumental in finally abolishing prohibition in the neighbourhood in 1997."

The restaurant is known for making some of the best lasagna and delivering some of the best pizza in the city, and they're currently open for takeout and delivery, so you still have a chance to chow down on the nostalgic Italian goodness before they shut down for good.

"The decision to close was a difficult one, but like many restaurants, our business has been affected by the COVID-19 crisis," reads the post.

"We're proud of what we have achieved and look to the future with optimism. And after 63 years, we're also looking forward to a little downtime."

The restaurant is encouraging fans of the establishment to comment on their post with some favourite memories of their times at Vesuvio, and the last day for the restaurant will be April 19.