hogtown smoke toronto

BBQ restaurant permanently closes last Toronto location after landlord locks them out

Hogtown Smoke, the food truck turned restaurant that started what became a wave of Southern-style barbecue joints to open in the city has closed its last remaining Toronto location.

The restaurant has unfortunately faced several closures in the past.

First there was their Hogtown location on Colborn followed by The Yard  in the Beaches, then the Smoke Kitchen & Bar on Queen West, and more recently their restaurant in Kensington Market.

Now, the original Hogtown location in the Beaches is no more. For Lease signs are on the windows and a  Termination Notice to Tenant posted to their front door.

"The company has restructured management and we don't believe that Toronto is a place that you can make it in the restaurant business without a millionaire investing in you," Hogtown manager William Randolph told blogTO. 

"The company plans to grow outside of Toronto in places more friendly to small business."

Hogtown Smoke still has one location that's open in Stoney Creek and has been posting ads on Facebook in March calling for servers, bartenders and students looking for part-time work during the summer. They're open every day from 12 p.m. until 10 p.m.

Lead photo by

Jesse Milns


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in Eat & Drink

Toronto man's side hustle making calzones leads to new restaurant gig

Toronto bakery known for its croissants opening second location

There's a food festival in Toronto for a good cause next month

Ontario restaurant has people obsessing over its fried chicken

Toronto has a new street food market in a surprising location

The history of what was once Toronto's most luxurious restaurant

Thousands of people want to boycott Loblaws stores 'indefinitely'

One of the most anticipated Toronto restaurants of the year is now open