Longstanding restaurant in Toronto mall closing after nearly 20 years

A chain restaurant location that's been a stalwart in a Toronto mall is closing permanently this week after nearly two decades.

Few locations on the Earth's surface carry as deeply-held memories as mall restaurants. Maybe it's the reminder of the bygone days when hanging out at the mall was a pastime people actually enjoyed, or maybe it was just the novelty of eating a lettuce wrap after dousing yourself in seven different Bath and Bodyworks scents.

Either way, for the past 18 years, the Moxies location at Yorkdale has been a backdrop for the memories of millions — yes, millions — of diners. Sure, it ran into its fair share of complications during that time, but it was dependable: the sort of place you assume will just always be there.

Such assumptions, however, would be incorrect, though, as the Moxies chain announces it'll be closing the longstanding location permanently this week.

Yorkdale's food lineup hasn't been rocked this hard since the closure of the Rainforest Café back in 2014. Okay, maybe that loss impacted me personally more than it did the mall itself, but either way, it's big.

A release from Moxies announcing the closure states that the restaurant served over 2 million guests since opening in 2007.

"While it's always difficult to close a restaurant, we remain proud of our team's role in creating memorable experiences for those who have visited our long-standing Yorkdale location," says Moxies President and Chief Operating Officer Joanne Forrester.

"This closure is not an end but a step toward our continued evolution, allowing us to focus on future growth opportunities. We are deeply grateful for the loyalty and support of our guests."

The "future growth opportunities" in question include the chain's return to Barrie with a new location at Park Place, opening date yet to be revealed. 

The last day of operation for Moxies Yorkdale will be Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026.

Without the Yorkdale location, Moxies operates four locations in Toronto and a total of 19 in Ontario.