Hidden gem noodle shop re-opening on the Toronto street it left behind months ago

A Toronto noodle shop heralded by its fans as a hidden gem is making a return to the same street it closed on just months ago.

How does one define a hidden gem? Great food goes without saying, but it needs to fly low enough under the radar to remain your little secret — at least until the food influencers discover it and make it a destination.

In the case of the Annex's now-defunct Szechuan Noodle Bowl, the location wasn't the issue: it sat right at the always-buzzing intersection of Bloor and Bathurst. It's just that the noodle shop was literally hidden, obscured by a bus shelter that covered nearly the entire storefront.

Still, that didn't stop those in the know from flocking to the restaurant for its cheap-and-cheerful bowls of hand-pulled noodles, attracting an evangelical fanbase devoted to its dan dan noodles alone.

Though Szechuan Noodle Bowl still operates locations in Hamilton and Mississauga, when news broke in July 2025 that the chain's sole Toronto location had closed to be replaced by a Tim Hortons location, hearts broke across the city.

Now, though, there's good news on the horizon: Szechuan Noodle Bowl will soon be making a grand return to Bloor West, albeit a few neighbourhoods over.

Szechuan noodle bowl reopening
byu/Xxxxx2022 inFoodToronto

A Reddit post shares images of signage at Szechuan Noodle Bowl's new location in Bloorcourt, just a stone's throw from the intersection of Bloor and Dovercourt, taking over the space that most recently housed Pat's Jamaican Jerk.

There's no word just yet on when the restaurant will open for business, but with signage already up, it looks like it won't be too long a wait.

Szechuan Noodle Bowl will be located at 1030 Bloor St. W.