Garfield-themed restaurant in Toronto reopens after dispute with landlord
Toronto has already lost a handful of beloved neighbourhood eateries to evictions as businesses continue to struggle to make rent amid the global pandemic, and there was almost another location to add to the list.
North America's first ever physical location of GarfieldEATS opened in Toronto's Bloorcourt neighbourhood roughly a year ago, and they've been serving up hilarious cartoon-themed menu items ever since.
But Friday afternoon it seemed the joint's infamous Garfield-shaped pizzas would be no more, at least for a while, because the restaurant had shut down after being locked out by their landlord.
ATTENTION ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE IN TORONTO WHO ALSO LOVES TO EAT GARFIELD-SHAPED THINGS pic.twitter.com/PQbLub792Z
— Barry Hertz (@HertzBarry) May 22, 2020
According to a press release from the owners, the restaurant had turned into "a nightmare for the beloved cat and founder Nathen Mazri" after their landlord locked them out for not paying rent.
Prior to being evicted, GarfieldEATS had been offering food for takeout and delivery using their own mobile restaurant app throughout the pandemic, and they were even selling other products such as face masks, hats and comics.
And while their food hasn't exactly received rave reviews from Torontonians over the past year, the strange concept has provided welcome entertainment to those who are genuinely intrigued by the idea of eating a pizza that's shaped like a cartoon cat.
"Garfield has entertained the world for 41 years and a heartless landlord has shown no form of appreciation to the beloved cartoon," reads the press release.
But after an hours-long dispute, the issue was resolved at 4 p.m. on Friday and the one-of-a-kind eatery is once again open for business.
Amy Carlberg
