Toronto diner closes after 51 years
Yet another one of Toronto's greasy spoons has shuttered for good.
The Annex's Apollo Eleven Restaurant is no more after 51 years of cheap breakfast specials and bottomless coffee.
Owned by Pavlos Gitzias, Apollo Eleven has been around since 1969: the same year as the eponymous space mission from which the diner drew its decor inspo.
Photos of the Apollo 11 lunar landing were a hallmark feature of this restaurant serving Greek breakfasts and pancakes (with, at one point, bottles of the discontinued Old Tyme syrup on the side).
It's unclear when exactly the diner closed in the last few weeks. The interior of the restaurant has been emptied, and the phone line has been disconnected.
New singage outside the property at 1093 Bathurst St. indicates it could soon be replaced by a pizza joint.
It's a tough time for mom-and-pop diners right now. The closure of Apollo follows a number of other fallen fixtures that have shuttered permanently during the pandemic, from the 63-year-old Scarborough staple Wexford to Parkdale's Pete's Corner Grill.
Universal Grill, another cherished Annex spot, announced its closure this summer after 24 years at Dupont and Shaw.
Thankfully, the 65-year-old Vesta Lunch, located directly across the street from Apollo, remains open 24-hours for pick-up and delivery following a brief closure scare.
