Viral Toronto sandwich spot expanding beyond the city with first 905 location
A family-run restaurant that has exploded into one of Toronto's top sandwich spots over the course of just a few years is expanding with a new location — its first outside the city's bounds.
Grandma Loves You has been at the forefront of the recent loaded sub wave, leading the pack when it comes to adding some serious layers of gourmet to a game that was, for too many years, dominated by chains like Subway and Mr. Sub.
Its hot dogs and foot-long submarine sandwiches, which come in both hot and cold varieties ranging from veggie-laden cold cut to sauce-doused meatball, have garnered it a large following both on the ground and on social media, where it boasts more than 56,000 fans.
And, any of those devotees who are located outside of Toronto proper (and who thus have to trek into the city for their fix) are in for a big treat, as the newest outpost of the shop is getting ready to open in the 'burbs.
Owners announced in an Instagram post on Monday that the latest Grandma Loves You is set to make its grand entrance in none other than Aurora — this writer's hometown, and a less than one-hour drive from the downtown core in non-rush hour traffic — in early September.
"Over the moon & full of love… we're finally in York Region! All signs point to Aurora," the team wrote in the caption of a reel that gives a sneak peek of the new space.
Though the post doesn't reveal an exact address, the restaurant will be opening in the town's St. Andrew's Village plaza at Yonge St. and Orchard Heights Blvd.
The launch is on September 6, and the first 100 customers who arrive after the doors unlock at noon will get a free sandwich and drink to mark the occasion.
Of the move, owners tell blogTO that being able to better serve customers outside of the 6ix has actually been a primary goal of theirs for some time.
"We've always dreamed of bringing Grandma Loves You beyond Toronto, but we wanted to do it with heart, not just growth for the sake of it," they told us on Tuesday.
And, Aurora ended up being the perfect place to bring that vision to life, as it felt "special," along with being "beautiful, family-oriented and full of community spirit." The team loves St. Andrew's Village in particular due to its "unique European charm and warmth," saying that it "reminded us why we started in the first place: to share food made with love in a setting that feels welcoming and connected."
They also gave us some major hints about the future of the brand, which will include setting up shop in more Ontario locales outside of the GTA.
For those of us who reside within T.O., Grandma Loves You still has locations at 111 Richmond St. W., 42 Wellington St. E., 40 St. Clair Ave. W. and 846 Sheppard Ave. W.
Hector Vasquez
