Vegetarian restaurant permanently closes after 30 years in Toronto

A classic vegetarian restaurant nestled in Toronto's east Chinatown is officially closed after nearly 30 years of reliable service and delicious food. 

Simon's Wok Vegetarian Kitchen, located at 797 Gerrard Street East, was closed throughout the majority of lockdowns, but has since shuttered its doors for good. 

Lovers of this vegetarian Chinese eatery will have to bid farewell to the restaurant's extensive menu that included innovative mock-meat plates, from crab, to duck, to pork. 

The restaurant opened back up in 1994, and managed to pick up a regular customer base that would retreat to the humble eatery for some of the best veggie meals the city had to offer. 

Owner and chef of Simon's Wok, Simon Peng, immigrated to Toronto from Shenzhen in 1987. According to the new occupants, the restaurant has closed following Peng's retirement. 

The space is now home to Ona Noodle, which offers delectable Indonesian street food and authentic rice meals such as Pandang rice, chicken satay, and Indonesian style fried rice. 

Although Simon's Wok is officially closed, its remaining traditional storefront serves as a bittersweet last reminder of its impact on the neighbourhood's culinary scene.