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This August, a new neighbourhood restaurant, Baba, will open at 3204 Yonge Street, just steps from Yonge and Lawrence.
The new Lawrence Park concept will operate as a relaxed café during the day before transforming into a lively evening snack bar, serving coffee and brunch by day and cocktails, skewers and shareable plates at night.
Baba is the first hospitality venture from longtime friends Michael Medeiros and Kevin Chen, whose working relationship began at One Hazelton and continued across Toronto’s hospitality industry.
The restaurant’s name, meaning “father,” pays tribute to the mentors and father figures who helped shape the founders’ lives and careers. That sense of mentorship, familiarity and connection sits at the heart of the concept.
On the Menu
Baba’s culinary program will focus on refined comfort food inspired by Toronto’s multicultural identity, naturally bringing Western and Asian influences together throughout the menu.
During the week, the restaurant will operate as a laid-back café with a focused brunch menu and attentive service. In the evening, the space will transition into a higher-energy snack bar centred around cocktails, charcoal-grilled skewers and shareable dishes.
Early menu items include Mapo tofu and eggs, Mapo Bolognese, lamb skewers, watermelon salad and Baba’s fries, alongside additional snacks and a pasta dish.
The restaurant will also collaborate with Toronto bean-to-bar chocolatier Mokable, incorporating its ethically sourced chocolate into dishes including a coffee-marinated striploin and a dessert inspired by the chocolatier’s flavour profiles.
At the centre of the kitchen is a charcoal grill, which will add smoke and depth to Baba’s evening menu, while a flat-top grill will support its daytime brunch service.
The opening menus are expected to feature approximately 10 brunch dishes and 12 evening items, with dishes evolving seasonally.
Baba is also being positioned as an approachable neighbourhood restaurant, with cocktails expected to remain under $20 and larger plates priced around $40 to $45.
Cocktails and Coffee
Baba’s cocktail and non-alcoholic beverage program is being developed by Nick Hao, of Uh Bar and formerly of Slice of Life Bar.
During the day, the coffee program will be supported by Toronto micro-roaster Library Coffee, known for its Australian-inspired approach to small-batch roasting and carefully sourced coffee.
At night, guests can gather around an intimate seven-seat bar, designed to feel casual and social while encouraging conversation, spontaneous visits and connection.
The Space
Baba has been designed as a warm and intimate neighbourhood gathering place that can naturally shift between its daytime and evening identities.
The interior will combine dark wood tones with blue-and-white accents and mirrored finishes throughout the space, creating a polished yet approachable atmosphere that complements its Lawrence Park surroundings.
“We want Baba to feel familiar from the first visit…a place where people can stop in during the day and return at night for a completely different energy,” said Medeiros. “The concept is personal to us, but we want it to become part of the neighbourhood.”
One of the restaurant’s most distinctive design features is an original 1920s bank vault that has been incorporated into the space. Rather than concealing the building’s history, the founders will transform the vault into a personal memory wall featuring disposable-camera photographs of friends, family and members of the community.
With seating for approximately 37 to 40 guests, Baba will maintain an intimate atmosphere, with patio service expected to follow later in the season.
About Baba Toronto
Baba is intended to be a neighbourhood restaurant that feels comfortable enough for a weekday coffee, inviting enough for brunch, and energetic enough for dinner and drinks.
Located where the residential character of Lawrence Park meets the energy of Yonge Street, the restaurant aims to become a familiar gathering place for nearby residents while giving diners from across Toronto another reason to visit the neighbourhood.
At its core, Baba is a restaurant shaped by food, hospitality, memory and mentorship, with the founders hoping to create the same sense of connection that has influenced their own careers.
As always, you can keep up with new restaurant openings and local food spots across Toronto and the GTA on efosa.
Restaurant Information
Name: Baba Toronto
Location: 3204 Yonge Street, Toronto
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