It’s officially the end of an era for Danforth-based T&M Sidewalk Café, which will be closing its doors for good after 53 successful years in Toronto.
The old-fashioned Italian bar and cafe at 1344 Danforth Ave. have been selling coffee and cocktails and hosting lively events for decades. In 2020, the cafe began operating a mercato outside of its premises and introduced panini and spizzuliare antipasti platters.
The T&M Sidewalk Café is named after the married couple Tony and Mary, who met in 1969. Young Tony Ruscillo was working in the café – then called Barzula – when a family who had immigrated from Sicily, including a daughter, Maria, moved into the upstairs apartment.
Mary and Tony eloped just a few months later and purchased Barzula in 1970, bringing with them a jukebox, pinball machines and decorations from Italy and Venezuela.
Over the years, Tony and Mary became known as community leaders, hosting parades, soccer leagues and galas, and instilling a sense of community in their daughters, who also created fundraisers.
On Friday, owner Enza Ruscillo announced that the cafe would permanently close its doors after half a century in the neighborhood.
“I have just two words to the people of the Danforth community and the loyal patrons of our cafe: Thank you,” the bittersweet announcement reads.
“On October 10, we will open TM Sidewalk Café one final time to serve coffee, cocktails and other treats from our market, including our world-famous coffee beans. We will then close our doors permanently. We are retiring,” Ruscillo wrote.
“As I write this, emotions are overwhelming me in the best way; “So many of you have touched the lives of me and my family over the past 53 years, helping us grow our humble cafe into a community institution of love, joy, friendship, philanthropy and some damn great parties,” reads the announcement continues.
“Finally, I would like to leave you with a declaration of my love and gratitude for every single beautiful soul who has ever spent a moment in our cafe. You’ve made my entire life a beautiful mosaic of memories and friendships, and I wouldn’t change anything.
Ruscillo said the family will continue to host gatherings for years to come and loyal guests will still be able to enjoy their catering, charcuterie boxes, coffee beans and pantry items on their newly created website.
T&M Sidewalk Café will close its doors for the final time on Tuesday, October 10th.