Tom the backroads traveller hosts this weekly meme.
Toronto ON
It was founded in 1959 by Harry Barberian (1930–2001) and is now owned by his son, Arron Barberian. The restaurant includes two main dining rooms, two private dining rooms, and a two-storey underground wine cellar housing over 20,000 bottles in 22 foot tall racks, with antique chandeliers, and a dining table for exclusive parties.
Harry Barberian was the youngest of four children born to Armenian refugee parents. After working as manager-chef at Le Baron steakhouse, Barberian bought a cottage at 7 Elm Street for $6,000 and founded his own restaurant.
Patrons over the years have included Robert Morley, James Beard, Rudolf Nureyev, Veronica Tennant, Mick Jagger, Denzel Washington, Eminem and every Canadian prime minister since John Diefenbaker. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were engaged at the restaurant in 1964.
Click here for a history of Toronto lane naming and a list of other lanes with neighbourhood descriptions. That post is a work in progress, and gets updated frequently.
Elm St. just west of Yonge St.
According to their website Barberian's is "perhaps" the most famous steakhouse in Canada. Funny, we've never eaten there, but then we prefer our steaks at home. The cheapest and smallest (my pet peeve I don't want to eat 10 oz of meat) is a 10 oz top sirloin $44 and their most expensive is a porterhouse 32 oz $125.
However, after reading about their extensive collection of Canadiana, it might be worthwhile going for a drink.
This is their 2021 summer patio and they do open for lunch. Due to Covid Toronto has allowed patios to be set up anywhere.
It was founded in 1959 by Harry Barberian (1930–2001) and is now owned by his son, Arron Barberian. The restaurant includes two main dining rooms, two private dining rooms, and a two-storey underground wine cellar housing over 20,000 bottles in 22 foot tall racks, with antique chandeliers, and a dining table for exclusive parties.
Harry Barberian was the youngest of four children born to Armenian refugee parents. After working as manager-chef at Le Baron steakhouse, Barberian bought a cottage at 7 Elm Street for $6,000 and founded his own restaurant.
Patrons over the years have included Robert Morley, James Beard, Rudolf Nureyev, Veronica Tennant, Mick Jagger, Denzel Washington, Eminem and every Canadian prime minister since John Diefenbaker. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were engaged at the restaurant in 1964.
I took these photos in 2018.
Interesting. Now I´d like a steak (even though it´s only 08:00 am) and I love the last pic especially!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about steaks. I don't want to eat a whole cow. I am not sure how this matches ounces but 200 to 250 grams is enough for me. The restaurant has a very impressive guest list. There is a steak place behind our building but in 19 years we have lived here, we have never been there.
ReplyDeleteYou caught me in a cardinal Canadian sin. We use Celsius but seem to revert to Imperial when it comes to meat! 200 grams would be about 7 oz.
ReplyDelete...your header image is FABULOUS! I love your doors, this is something that I should do more often. Thanks Jackie for joining the party.
ReplyDeleteOh, that is expensive. Nice looking restaurant though.
ReplyDeleteThe site of many of my business lunches. Also do you remember Carman's? One had to be a member. Another great steak house. I would find the filet mignons manageable but those huge steaks were gross.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to see it still kicking along.
XO
WWW
I couldn't eat all that meat! Nice signs and impressive guest list at that restaurant :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for suggesting I join Elizabeth's T for Tuesday, I've done so.
Thank you for taking us into this lovely spot. It's wonderful that Toronto has supported restaurants by allowing them to open patios anywhere.
ReplyDeleteWhat a quaint little part of the Lane with much history. Nice photos.
ReplyDeleteSounds like my kind of place!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your link at My Corner of the World this week!