Beloved Toronto Vietnamese restaurant closing permanently after 30 years
Toronto is about to lose yet another longstanding local establishment, but this time, it's not a rent increase or faltering customer base driving the restaurant's decision to close.
It's hard enough to keep a restaurant open in Toronto for one year, so when one stays open, with a dedicated fan base no less, for decades, the sight of a closure notice in its window stings all the more.
Toronto's endured plenty of those heart pangs in recent years, from the loss of the iconic Imperial Pub after 80 years to Patrician Grill after 70. The latest to join the club that no one wants to be a part of will soon be Scarborough's Vietnam Noodle Star, it seems, after eagle-eyed diners noticed a sign in the restaurant's window announcing that it'll soon close permanently after 30 years.
While many longstanding local restaurants cite rent increases, property development, or shrinking margins for their closures, Vietnam Noodle Star is closing for a far more positive reason.
"The owner is retiring," the closure notice in the restaurant's window simply reads. "Thank you for your support over the years!"
According to the notice, the restaurant's last day will be Sunday, Sept. 27, before it closes for good.
On the bright side, there's no shortage of other Vietnamese restaurants in the surrounding area where locals can feed their cravings. A few blocks up the road, you'll find Lang Chai (formerly Pho Anh Vu), Di Di Vietnamese Breakfast and Linh Anh, all within a meagre walking distance.
Still, Vietnam Noodle Star will surely be missed, just like all the other longstanding local stalwarts that have fallen before it.
Vietnam Noodle Star is located at 4188 Finch Ave. E.
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