Esquire Restaurant opens second location on Queen West after 45 years in Scarborough

Esquire Restaurant, a Scarborough staple for 45 years, is now expanding westward with a second location at the corner of Queen West and Bathurst — a significant move for a kitchen that has spent decades building its reputation far from downtown's restaurant cluster.

The original Esquire opened in 1981 on Victoria Park Avenue in Scarborough, serving the neighbourhood's Greek community with traditional street foods like chicken souvlaki and gyros alongside American fast-food options. The restaurant became known for its ability to please locals who couldn't settle the debate between souvlaki and cheeseburgers — it offered both, unpretentiously, in a no-frills setting.

The new downtown location is wisely positioned next to Future Nightclub and steps from other late-night spots like Baby's Cabaret and Bovine Sex Club. The neighbourhood's nightlife energy means the kitchen will draw hungry crowds after hours. But Esquire's track record suggests it doesn't need the drunk-and-hungry to survive; its longevity in a quieter neighbourhood proves it has the food and consistency to sustain itself on its own.

The new Esquire is currently in soft-opening at 566 Queen St. W. Grand opening details are coming soon. For a neighbourhood already dense with Greek restaurants, Esquire brings something different: the authentic, no-frills approach of a restaurant that's been doing this same thing for nearly half a century.