'TIME TO MOVE ON': Midtown's Rosedale Diner closing after 45 'wonderful' years
The diner will be open until the end of the year
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When asked why he’s closing the iconic Rosedale Diner in the heart of Toronto’s midtown after 45 years, owner Dubi Filar has a good answer.
“To start with, my (almost two-year-old) grandson, our grandson,” said Filar, 72, who owns the diner with his wife “Zesti” Esti.
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“We are in business for so long. It’s stressful. It’s time to move on. I want to suggest to everyone that this is a nighttime job because it’s stressful with unpredictable situations. Almost every week something happens.”
Filar said that neither of his children — his son Gil had been working with his parents the last few years — or the new owners were interested in continuing the business as is, so when an opportunity presented itself, he went for it.
“It’s great,” said Filar. “It feels good to move on when we accomplish things and we got an amazing response since we released we’re leaving. Like the hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people (are reaching out), like ex-employees, and it’s beautiful.”
American restaurateur Guy Fieri even featured the restaurant on an episode of his acclaimed television series Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
The diner, located right across from the historic LCBO in Summerhill, is known for its iconic pink neon sign with a rose in the middle on the outside and the bistro comfort food available inside, including its legendary hamburgers.
“People still write they’re the best,” said Filar. “We have a wonderful kitchen staff and wonderful people in the front. We love what we’re doing. It’s wonderful to own a restaurant and to continue for so long, but lots of ups and downs. It’s hard to deal with all kinds of regulations that people put on you and break-ins here and there and stuff like that. It’s hard.”
Filar said during the stressful times of the pandemic that “we had a little rest. We had a little less stress because you don’t know what’s going to happen in the long (run), but in the short run we were OK. We had a few days off, really.”
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Speaking of which, he’s looking forward to having a life with Esti.
“January, we’re going to start to go to museums and plays,” said Filar. “We can plan things in advance. We can buy tickets to concerts. Everything will be fine and I won’t have to cancel.”
Filar said the diner will remain open until the end of 2023 and hopefully there will be a proper sendoff.
“That’s the plan,” he said. “People are coming, coming to say goodbye already. Quite a few people. We’ll try to do our best.”
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