Redesigned Bloor Street Diner Adopts the Feel of a Modern French Café
The pink neon decor that filled the Bloor Street Diner when the restaurant first opened in 1981 is long gone. The restaurant, operated by Eatertainment Hospitality Inc. and located in the Manulife Centre, recently underwent its second major transformation (the first redesign was in 1994). Toronto-based interior designer Mehran Foroughi—who is also working on a renovation of Eatertainment's Panorama—collaborated with owners Maryvone and Stephen Centner on the three-month $750,000 project.
Inspired by their travels to France, the Centner's aimed to incorporate contemporary European design and French motifs in the new decor. The 96-seat dining room features a monochromatic colour palette with a textured white wall, banquettes, and Italian leather seating. Solid teak panels carve out the ceiling in the space—lit by 40 handblown pendant chandeliers.
Solid teak panels carve out the ceiling in the dining room. Photo: Bruce Gibson
A textured white wall, banquettes, and Italian leather seating fill the dining room. Photo: Bruce Gibson
Forty handblown pendant chandeliers light the dining room. Photo: Bruce Gibson
The chef's table is secluded from the dining room and overlooks the kitchen. Photo: Bruce Gibson
The original Provençale-themed café has retained its traditional feel with marble tables, bordeaux walls, and artwork from Saint Tropez. Photo: Bruce Gibson
A wall mural has been added to the billiards area, which features solid teak paneling and two black cloth pool tables. Photo: Bruce Gibson
The bar offers a casual setting for a meal. Photo: Bruce Gibson
A faux fireplace creates a nook for guests near the west entrance to the restaurant. Photo: Bruce Gibson
The original Provençale-themed café, which holds 80 people, has retained its traditional feel. Marble tables, wine-coloured walls, artwork from Saint Tropez, Italian lighting, and mirror accents fill the space. A wall mural has been added to the billiards area, which has two black cloth pool tables, and a faux fireplace creates a nook for guests near the west entrance. The restrooms also feature a monochromatic colour scheme, marble countertops, Deca sinks, and Mac faucets. Dyson Airblade hand dryers have replaced paper towels.
The menu, created by executive chef Scott Doust, features familiar dishes like Bavette steak and frites and new items like an open-face meatloaf sandwich served on rosemary foccacia with caramelized onions. The diner also recently installed a premium water filtration system—designed to reduce bottled water waste—to provide customers with still and sparkling water, served in reusable glass bottles.
There is no private dining room, but the chef’s table, which seats six and is secluded from the rest of the restaurant, overlooks the kitchen. A patio seats 55 in the warmer months. The eatery is available for private events.
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