Residents of a Toronto neighbourhood are afraid that a local restaurant might be forced to close due to restrictions on cars in the area.

Located in the heart of High Park, the Grenadier Cafe has both been a go-to for those familiar with the park, or a charming surprise for visitors less familiar with the area since the mid-80s, but some locals are worried that that might soon change.

The cafe can typically be accessed by car on Parkside Drive throughout the week, but, since 2023, cars have been banned on the weekends in High Park, which motorists argue has restricted their access to the cafe.

While the cafe can still be accessed on foot seven days a week, some locals have noticed that the restaurant's traffic isn't what it used to be and are blaming the car ban.

In a post to a community Facebook group, one concerned resident alleges that the restaurant has seen an 80 per cent drop in traffic since cars were banned on weekends in the park, and with calls for cars to be banned in the park entirely, residents are worried about the future of the restaurant.

"If the city shuts the park to cars completely as planned, how could it survive as costs to keep it open exceed profit," reads the post.

The person also adds that, having mobility issues, they've had to restrict their trips to the restaurant to weekdays, when they can drive in and park close by — an option that many potential diners don't have.

Other members of the community point out that the restaurant doesn't seem to be suffering such a dramatic loss of traffic, with one noting that the restaurant seemed "quite rammed" on the weekend.

For now, The Grenadier Cafe seems to be chugging along. With the incoming cherry blossom season in the park sure to bring in a horde of visitors, the business will undoubtedly see a surge in patronage.

blogTO reached out to the Grenadier Cafe for their thoughts on the public's concern, but didn't get a response at the time of publication.