A 23,000 sq ft restaurant concept will soon take over a 140-year-old shipping warehouse on Toronto’s waterfront. Queens Harbour will open in spring 2025 at 245 Queens Quay West, which is next to Amsterdam Brewhouse and about a five-minute walk from the Harbourfront Centre.
The restaurant’s social media presence is still scant, but we know that the venue will feature an expansive outdoor patio and a retractable roof. Restauranteurs Kevin Jazexhi, Ali Badreddine, and Iris Jazexhi are heading the concept.
“Our collective goal was to create a new landmark for the market in Toronto,” Jazexhi told Retail Insider in an exclusive. “Before setting out to create something new, we reconnected to our own collective identity. All of us believe in the importance of family and it’s embedded deep in our roots.”
Chefs Bobby Robert Balint Julien Laffargue have teamed up to serve a mixture of Mediterranean and Asian (“MediterrAsian”) flavours at the establishment. The curated menu will include mezes for sharing, charcoal grilled dishes, and even a full sushi bar.
Jazexhi noted that the culinary program will be complemented by a hand-crafted cocktail program aimed to surprise and delight patrons with fun and exciting textures and flavours.
“Combining the food and beverage program with a dynamic, multifaceted experience in distinctly different spaces throughout this over 800 seat restaurant oasis by the water,” Jazexhi said. “Queens Harbour is bringing something new to the waterfront that Torontonians have been clamouring for some time. Steps away from the hustle of Toronto’s vibrant core, lies an oasis embracing everything we love about waterfront.”
The restaurant’s founders are also from parts of the world where Mediterranean influences are strong.
“We believe the idea of the Mediterranean’s relaxed ethos – cherishing of family, friends, and loved ones over shared meals, with the vibrant foods that bridge the gap between what you should be eating and what you want to eat, is a sweet spot that represents where we want to go combined with some strong elements of our very own heritage and history,” co-founder Ali Badreddine told Retail Insider.
The site was formerly home to PawsWay Toronto—an animal-friendly center that featured plenty of entertainment for pets and their owners, including pet museums and educational exhibits for pet parents. After operating for nearly a decade, it closed in 2017. Other permanent options for the space were discussed throughout the years, including a 2021 application for a new Reptilia facility, although the City rejected that application.
As Toronto’s waterfront area continues to expand, the restauranteers behind Queens Harbour believe this will be a new era of hospitality, bringing patrons what they need and deserve
“For years we believed Torontonians and visitors to this iconic city have been under-serviced by destinations that embrace the water and the waterfront vibe,” Badreddine told the outlet. “We believe there is a gap for people looking to fuse our type of cuisine with our energetic atmosphere that engages all the senses, while getting great value.
“We set out to be part of the fabric that is weaved in the memories of our guests’ most cherished memories.”
Queens Harbour will be a welcome addition to the area, as a recent report suggests that the underwhelming waterfront needs a bold transformation.