megas toronto

Greek restaurant closes after 30 years in Toronto

A restaurant that's been a staple in Toronto for years has closed its doors, but there seem to be mixed signals about whether or not they're really gone for good.

Open for around 30 years on the Danforth, cherished Greek restaurant, Megas, was about as quintessential for the area as Greek restaurants come; a sure-thing when it comes to a souvlaki plate or Greek Salad, a lively spot for holiday dinners or celebrations and a community-centric venue that housed regular live music and performances over the years.

The Danforth, Toronto's Greektown, was once rife with such restaurants — family-owned stalwarts occupying the same little slice of the city, each purporting to offer the best Greek food in town and all being quite possibly worthy of the title — but, over time, a number of them, along with a host of other businesses on the street, have shut their doors.

Whether due to an owner's retirement, as in the case of the iconic Asteria, or expropriation to make way for the Ontario line, like 40-year-old bakery, Akropolis, the old guard of long-running Greek businesses seem slowly but surely, to be disappearing, and yet another has been added to that list.

An unmissable addition to the Danforth streetscape for around 30 years, Megas was a classic spot for — you guessed it — Greek cuisine, paired with their thematic interiors and lively atmosphere, where you could regularly partake in live music nights, plate smashing and plenty of flaming imbibements.

In late September of this year, the restaurant broke the hearts of its numerous devoted regulars (many of whom come from generations of Megas-frequenters) when owners Jim and Roula took to the resraurant's Instagram account to announce that it would soon be closing its doors.

In the post, the first of two videos sharing montages of photos and clips taken at Megas over the years, Jim and Roula (who had owned the restaurant for the past five years) announce that it's "time for this journey to come to an end," confirming the impending closure of the restaurant.

Conflictingly, though, a second video was posted shortly after the first, which seems to reverse the entire notion of Megas' journey coming to an end entirely — hinting that a new beginning for the legendary restaurant may be just around the corner.

"Our legacy will live on!" text on screen in the video reads, "stay tuned for a new location coming soon."

Since then, no further details have been shared about Megas' potential comeback, and at the time of publication, the restaurant has not responded to blogTO's request for comment.

Despite Megas' future in Toronto being unknown, though, there's no disputing the vibrant memories the restaurant's played a major part in forming over the years. Whether or not the restaurant does end up re-opening down the line, it lives on in the hearts and minds of the people who loved it.

Megas was formerly located at 402 Danforth Avenue.

Lead photo by

Megas (via Uber Eats)


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