Former storefront a bustling restaurant

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/10/2017 (3142 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

West Broadway’s newest bar is best described as cozy, dim and in the neighbourhood.

Langside Grocery (164 Langside St.) has officially opened under owners and siblings Jason, Ryan and Shelley Armstrong. The spot has seen steady business so far in a location that many locals have hoped to see occupied after TV series Sunnyside discontinued it as a set.

“It’s been great, I think people understand it,” Ryan said. “I think the local neighbourhood really appreciates the fact that the building is accessible and that’s what we heard over and over, and that was the intent all along.”

The “grocery” part of the name hails back to the early 1900s, when the building was first built to house Hill Brothers’ Grocery. The owners didn’t want to alter the building much, which left them with a small kitchen and relatively small space overall. While the City approved plans for a pizza restaurant in July 2016, the Armstrongs ended up going into another direction.

“By the time we got done developing, we had 120 square-feet out of the deal which was far smaller,” Ryan said. “We have things like tart flambés, small plates. It did get changed, not too far from the concept, but we didn’t get a Forno. Outdoor cooking is allowed so maybe in the summer we could look at something else.”

For now, dishes that feature locally-sourced vegetables are taking centre stage. The bar also serves cocktails, wine and beer. Ryan says it’s not necessarily a place to have an entire meal — more like somewhere to hang out with friends in the evening.

“It’s intimate. Not dark but not brightly lit, kind of where you can sit back and get comfortable and have small plates with friends and have conversations as opposed to being on your phone, though we can’t control that,” Ryan said.

So far, it’s been a walkable spot for people in the area.

“It’s mostly local people,” Ryan said. “I don’t want to say it’s on purpose that we have that strategy because we don’t, but we do want to preserve it as being perceived as a local West Broadway spot for people in the area as long as possible.”