Peoples Eatery's a-la-carte menu is themed around Spadina Avenue, in Chinatown, Toronto, which was once the Jewish neighbourhood of the city. The menu at once covers the history of the strip, the East-Asian present, and the future, which we see as culturally broad-ranging (though the dishes are never 'fusion'). Designed to be eaten without cutlery, it's a dining experience that is definitely unique: please check out our menu on the website listed below.more...See more text
The old Chinatown building where Peoples Eatery is located blends right into the local surroundings, but the energy coming out of the restaurant is distinctly new and exciting. The brainchild of the team behind 416 Snack Bar, Peoples Eatery is inspired by the street where it resides – Spadina Avenue.
“I like to say that it’s a restaurant dedicated or themed around the street,” says co-owner Adrian Ravinsky. “At 416 the menu is meant to be largely representative of the diversity of Toronto. Peoples is meant to be represent Toronto too, but with a bit of a focus on the past and present-day culture of Spadina Avenue.”
Adrian and his team are interested in preserving the history of the neighbourhood – they even kept the name of the former restaurant when they took over – but their main goal is to build on that history to make something new. “I really did want to be an architect and the main reason for that was to build the city,” says Adrian, a former student of architecture at the University of Toronto. “So our main concern, really, when it comes to building restaurants is that they are going to benefit a section of the city and build community around them.”
This Spadina Avenue snack bar offers Jewish deli delights while also paying homage to its Chinatown roots. The result: two unique menus — one casual and shareable, the other more structured — that represent the area’s diverse cultural heritage. Enjoy potato latkes, chopped liver, and fried tongue sandwiches alongside pork bao and Peking duck.