One of Toronto’s most recognizable restaurant names is officially up for sale. La Cubana, the retro Cuban diner that helped define Ossington’s dining scene, is on the market — and it’s not just the space. The entire brand, including recipes, training materials, hot sauce line and its social media presence, is being sold for $799,000.
The sale comes just a few months after La Cubana’s Roncesvalles location shut its doors in September. After 13 years in the neighbourhood, founder and chef Corinna Mozo announced the closure on Instagram, saying she was ready to explore new creative opportunities.
Mozo, who founded La Cubana in 2012, has a deep culinary pedigree. A Stratford Chefs School grad, she trained under James Beard Award–winner Lydia Shire in Boston before earning national acclaim at Chez Henri and her own restaurant, Truc. After moving to Toronto, she opened Delux in 2008, followed by La Cubana, which quickly became a neighbourhood fixture on Roncesvalles, Ossington and later in The Well and most recently Prince Edward County.
Known for its pressed Cubanos, ropa vieja, plantains and deliciously strong cocktails, La Cubana has always been about warmth and comfort. Mozo built the concept around her great-grandfather’s luncheonette in Camagüey, Cuba — a place that blended simplicity, community and big flavour.
The Ossington listing includes the full kitchen, Bar Habana speakeasy, catering-ready prep space, CaféTO patio licence and a 90-day transition period for training. Buyers can take over the existing flagship or expand the concept elsewhere through licensing.
With a sale on the horizon, one of the city’s most distinctive restaurant brands could soon enter a new chapter. For anyone dreaming of running a spot with history and a large built-in following, this might be the rare Ossington opportunity that won’t come around again.
For more info on the listing, click here.
