In 2026, the restaurant industry in Ontario is still grappling with a profound transformation as it moves past its “booming” pre-2020 era. While some restaurant segments are experiencing a renaissance, much of the sector is defined by a great reset. The Ontario restaurant world in 2026 is not just weathering pressure, it is fundamentally changed by it, caught up in a squeeze play of rising costs and decreasing purchasing power. It’s a story of resilience and a volatile market grappling with much larger economic realities. Discretionary spending is no longer discretionary for many Ontarians.
Let’s start with the most recent statistics and numbers available. Across Canada, restaurant growth continues, total food service sales rose in mid-2025, and employment expanded as hospitality operators added nearly 24,000 jobs — a tangible sign that diners aren’t vanishing entirely. But these headlines mask what’s really happening on the ground here in Ontario. Crucial foot traffic is lacklustre, many owner-operated restaurants are breaking even at best, and 2025 was one of its toughest years for the restaurant industry across Ontario.
After decades in the restaurant business, I still believe that genuine hospitality and generosity remain the optimal differentiators for building appeal and loyalty with diners.
The intersection of expert commentary from figures like “The Food Professor” (Dr. Sylvain Charlebois) and sources like the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Halifax’s Dalhousie University, along with broader industry data, highlights a significant shift in discretionary restaurant spending. As of early 2026, consumers increasingly view dining out as a privilege rather than second nature, leading to strategic shifts in customer behaviour and loyalty.
The paradox is bleak and alarming for restaurateurs. On paper, the public is eating out more than during the pandemic, but they are doing so with an increasing eye to value propositions. Younger restaurant consumers are primarily Gen Z (born 1997–2012) and Millennials (born 1981–1996), digital natives who prioritize convenience (delivery, apps, kiosks), value (deals, promotions), technology integration, and diverse/quality food options, often favouring quick-service (QSR) and fast-casual spots. Younger consumers are purportedly cutting back on restaurant visits as they trade down to takeout or lunch, or skip dinner altogether. There is a notable rise in “supper and evening snacks” as meal replacements.
The search for value has restaurants cutting back staff and operating hours, trimming costly ingredients, and editing menus, while shifting toward more accessible options like brunch and quick-service — not because they want to, but because it has become imperative for survival.
Behind the scenes, restaurateurs face historic fiscal pressures that eat into every plate served. Inflation continues to rise, and food, labour, insurance, and rent costs all sit well above historic business norms. Restaurants are facing a “perfect storm” of 25 percent higher food costs and 18 percent higher labour costs compared to two years ago. Roughly 33 percent of restaurant businesses have reported operating at a loss recently.
Several dishes from Cochin Delights
Enjoying dosas (savoury crepes) at Udupi Dosa
Selections from Nawab’s Indian Cuisine
There are broader consequences, with dramatic and unexpected restaurant closures and beloved restaurants shuttering quietly in the wake of the new economic realities. The value equation has shifted; a night out must prove its worth more than ever before in a world where almost everyone is watching the bottom line. That’s a tall ask. It is not that the restaurant industry is collapsing; it is not thriving either. Until consumer confidence returns, the restaurant industry will remain in this uneasy purgatory, clinging to the hope that tomorrow’s diners will open their wallets once more for meaningful culinary experiences and cultural resonance.
After decades in the restaurant business, I still believe that genuine hospitality and generosity remain the optimal differentiators for building appeal and loyalty with diners. There is a renewed emphasis on the industry’s original meaning (from the French restaurer — to restore or refresh oneself), focusing on human connection and community rather than just social media trends. In the end, we still want to gather, connect and break bread in ways that feel authentically meaningful rather than purely transactional interactions.
Indian Cuisine
London, Ontario features a rich immigrant culinary landscape with approximately 24.8 percent of the population being foreign born. This diversity is reflected in a wide range of immigrant-owned restaurants spanning African, Caribbean, Eastern European and Asian cuisines with an inordinate number of newly opened regional restaurants. The surge of Indian restaurants is primarily driven by a rapidly growing South Asian population, particularly near Fanshawe College campus on Oxford Street, creating a high demand and a “Little India” hub in Argyle.
This culinary expansion is supported by an increased demand for authentic, diverse and regional cuisine from Indian to Punjabi, and entrepreneurial newcomers opening businesses to serve their community and more sophisticated palates. There has been a huge uptick in Indian restaurants in London’s downtown catering to specific tastes within the South Asian community, offering everything from traditional South Indian dosas and North Indian curries to regional specialties such as Kerala seafood and Hyderabadi biryanis.
In the end, we still want to gather, connect and break bread in ways that feel authentically meaningful rather than purely transactional interactions.
One of my favourite Indian restaurants is the modest Udupi Krishna, a hospitable, dedicated vegetarian restaurant offering a nut-free menu with extensive Jain, vegan and gluten-free options. We love the crispy masala dosa accompaniments, including different types of chutneys: coconut, onion-tomato, mint and sambar, crispy onion pakoras, chana bhatura and idli (super soft-spongy, fermented lentil and rice cakes that remind me of injera). • udupikrishna.ca
After two decades on King Street, Chef Patson Massey moved Massey’s Fine Indian Cuisine to a more upscale location in Riverbend. Massey built his stellar reputation by combining and roasting exotic spices, bestowing and building subtle and complex flavours to great effect. We enjoy everything from tandoori to his take on butter chicken to naan and various aromatic accompaniments. • masseys.ca
Udupi Dosa is an offshoot of Udupi Krishna specializing in accessibly-priced South Indian vegetarian cuisine with crispy, golden-brown dosas accompanied with fresh coconut chutney. Both Tamil and Udupi dosa batters use identical ingredients; the difference lies in the actual preparation and fermentation of the crepe. Udupi dosas are thinner and flakier, whereas Tamil dosas are softer and thicker. • udupidosa.ca
Cochin Delights is known for its Kerala cuisine (defined by its coastal geography), featuring items such as beef curry, fish mango curry, Malabar paratha (flaky, layered flatbread) and tandoor-cooked specialties. • cochindelights.ca
Nawab’s Indian Cuisine is highly regarded for its spicy and aromatic Hyderabadi specialties, particularly its signature, fragrant chicken dum biryani and Andhra-style curries (renowned for fiery heat, tangy flavours and redolent spice combinations). There are also Indo-Chinese options available. • nawabslondon.ca
Community News
Two culinary students from Fanshawe College have received a Mies Bervoets Scholarship ($1,000 each): Tatiana Flores, Top First-Year Entry Student, and Allison Cole, Top First-Year Student.
Misal Pav (sprouted lentil curry with soft bread rolls) from Udupi Krishna
The award was created to honour Mies Bervoets, the first female board member of the Canadian Federation of Chefs de Cuisine and a prominent London, Ontario chef. Flores will participate in an 8-day international field trip offered to Fanshawe Culinary Management students, where she will take Culinary, Baking and Pastry Arts training offered by a partner school, CAST Alimenti, in Brescia, Italy. Along with the schooling, Flores will have the opportunity to visit sites such as Venice and Milan to experience the rich local Italian culture and cuisine.
Cole will graduate in April 2026 and participate in Fanshawe’s Study Abroad exchange program at Munster Technological University, one of Fanshawe’s partner schools in Ireland. While participating in the exchange, Cole will have the opportunity to take culinary courses equivalent to those offered at Fanshawe College, while gaining valuable cultural experience and hospitality training.
Black Walnut Bakery Café opened its new scratch bakery/café in Wortley Village in mid-February. Owners Mandy and Ed Etheridge have reconstructed the space — after a devastating $2-million fire in 2023 — retaining its cozy, historic and community-focused atmosphere. • blackwalnutbakerycafe.com
Willie’s Café has moved from its former Old East Village location to a new, larger space in One London Place. Known for breakfast, lunch and catering, they will continue to serve their popular, long-standing menu.
Willie’s Café has moved to downtown’s One London Place
Black Walnut Bakery Café has reopened in Wortley Village
A selection of delights from Boxcar Donuts
Box Car Donuts is a local, artisanal bake shop specializing in hand-cut, hand-decorated couture donuts and craft coffee. After previously leaving downtown, they returned with a new storefront at 200 Queens Avenue in mid-August. • boxcardonuts.ca
A Taste for Life returns Wednesday, April 15, 2026. For more than 20 years, local restaurants have been celebrating A Taste for Life in proud support of Regional HIV/AIDS Connection (RHAC). One night a year, A Taste for Life invites community members to dine and make a difference at supporting restaurants, where 25 percent of proceeds from the event support RHAC’s programs and services. • atasteforlife.org/london
Bryan’s Tasting Notes
Meraki Greek Kouzina is an upscale family-run restaurant that opened in early January 2026, located in the historic building long occupied by Michael’s On The Thames. Part of the dining room overlooks the Thames River, offering a sophisticated, white-linen dining experience rooted in the culinary heritage of the island of Kefalonia, a distinct blend of rustic Greek traditions and roughly 400 years of Venetian influence. The name “Meraki” refers to doing something with soul, creativity and love, which the sibling owners, Iasonas and Thodoris Fragiskatos aim to reflect soul, creativity, and love in the cuisine at Meraki Greek Kouzina.
Open now in downtown London: Meraki Greek Kouzina
Menu highlights include saganaki (pan-fried Graviera cheese flamed with ouzo), loukaniko (smoked sausage), calamari served with a spicy lime sauce, and kleftiko (slow-roasted marinated lamb) served with potatoes, carrots, onions, and feta. The perfectly cooked grilled octopus appetizer is served over fava bean puree with roasted cherry tomatoes and fried capers.
Other standout dishes include bakaliaros (crispy, battered, pan-fried salt cod) served with rapini and a creamy, thick garlic-and-potato puree. Greek specialties such as moussaka and pastichio are available, along with a variety of pasta dishes—the menu is extensive and thoughtfully curated.
The restaurant is commended for its attentive, well-trained and knowledgeable staff, welcoming hospitality, and passionate, undivided attention to detail.
Celebrating Blackfriars
This February marked a meaningful milestone for the multiple award-winning Blackfriars Bistro and Catering: 30 years of thoughtful, celebrated cuisine, heartfelt hospitality, and a deep commitment to the ideals of Slow Food. Since its founding, the Bistro has remained rooted in the belief that cuisine should be good, clean, and fair—crafted with care, respect for ingredients, and a strong connection to local producers.
Over three decades, Blackfriars has been stewarded by four dedicated owners—myself, Betty Heydon, Sharel Gagne, and Manuela Frongia (who is now living in Sardinia while I continue to operate the restaurant)—each contributing to the restaurant’s ethos and evolution while preserving its core values. Our combined leadership has shaped a space where classical technique meets seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, and where integrity and hospitality have always mattered more than trends.
More recently, Blackfriars Bistro was honoured with the Food Champion Award. This recognition reflects its long-standing advocacy for local farmers, sustainable practices, and community-centred dining.
This year, I am honoured to be a finalist for Ontario’s Southwest 2025 Luminary of the Year Award. This award recognizes an extraordinary individual whose remarkable contributions have illuminated the tourism industry with unmatched dedication, unwavering passion, and relentless commitment. This prestigious accolade is given to someone who embodies the very essence of this industry, radiating the spirit and brilliance that make this sector not just a profession but a vocation.
Our combined leadership has shaped a space where classical technique meets seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, and where integrity and hospitality have always mattered more than trends.
Writer/Chef/Restaurateur Bryan Lavery
The vivid facade of Blackfriars Bistro
The Blackfriars Emporio offers gourmet delights and to-go meals.
The venerable bistro’s bright yet cosy dining room.
Blackfriars has also been home to the award-winning Forest City Culinary Experiences, where my facilitators and I share professional familiarity and intimate insider knowledge of the local culinary scene through experiential food tours and culturally authentic gastronomic tasting events and experiences. I will stay busy, but it seems now is the time for me to hang up my chef’s whites and retire from the restaurant side of the business.
As of this writing, we have been unable to find anyone with the grit and tenacity to continue the Blackfriars tradition. The restaurant has been a testament to enduring relationships, community, and shared tables—a restaurant that has led with heart since day one. It appears Blackfriars will close over the next few months unless a buyer who wishes to carry on the legacy is found.
