French restaurant that was a local favourite in Toronto shuts down

A Toronto restaurant known for its brunch and French staples has permanently closed its doors. 

Gare de l'Est Brasserie, formerly located at 1190 Dundas St. E. in Leslieville, was named after one of the largest and oldest railway stations in Paris. 

The restaurant served classics and seasonal dishes in the tradition of a classic French brasserie, including steak tartare, spaghetti à la truffe, steak frites, cassoulet toulouse, and beef bourguignon.

Locals also regularly flocked to the restaurant on Saturdays and Sundays to indulge in its hearty brunch menu, which included dishes like brioche à la canelle, œufs bénédicte Nordiques, omelette, burger frites, pain perdu.

Meals were almost always accompanied by the restaurant's signature mimosas (featuring fresh-squeezed orange or grapefruit juice), Caesars, or buzzy cocktails such as the Campari Gin Sour, Empress Lemonade, or St. Germain Spritz. 

Despite the lack of an official statement from the restaurant, news of its impending closure began to circulate in community Facebook groups this month, with locals quickly mourning the loss of the cherished brunch spot. 

"I am going to miss that French onion soup so much. And the whole place, and everyone in it," one customer wrote in response to the news. 

"Too bad. We had great brunch and wonderful dinner there a while back," another person chimed in. 

Gare de l'Est Brasserie officially closed its doors on Sunday, Feb. 18.

blogTO reached out to inquire about the reasoning behind the restaurant's closure but the team there declined comment. The restaurant shares the same ownership group as Ascari Enoteca.