Toronto sushi bar closing permanently after a hard year
Exactly one year after opening their doors to Pape Village, popular neighbourhood spot Hikari Sushi Bar has announced they're closing for good.
The Greektown restaurant for dragon rolls and teriyaki ginger bowls closed its doors last week. Owner Chris said that managing the restaurant while raising their seven-month-old son became too difficult for him and his wife and Hikari co-owner, Erika.
"It's so sad because our neighbourhood have been supporting and sending us such beautiful messages," says Chris to blogTO.
"As first-time parents, we wanted to give our son all the love and attention we can. We also didn't want our absence at the restaurant to lower our quality. It wouldn't be fair for our community."
According to Chris, a new chef will be taking over Hikari with a brand-new concept and new management. Hikari's current Instagram account is being taken over as well. The restaurant's new name has yet to be announced.
Hikari initially hinted that the restaurant would be closing for two weeks while undergoing "a major change."
The sushi bar opened last March right behind the Greek restaurant Tzatziki, right at the onset of the pandemic.
Over the last year, the restaurant has won over locals with sushi roll combos, housemade matcha cakes and a candy bar with Japanese snacks like Pocky and Daruma soda.
It's unclear what Hikari will look like when it opens under new ownership, though Chris says it is likely to remain a sushi spot.
Hikari Sushi
