THE HISTORY OF THE SENATOR
1860-1929
The house at 249 Victoria Street that was to become the SENATOR, Toronto's oldest restaurant, dates back to the 19th century. The origins of the property can be traced to the earliest records that were kept by the Town of York, when the area east of Yonge St. was a working class residential neighborhood and Dundas was named Wilton.
Representative of the homes built in that era is the historic MACKENZIE HOUSE, circa 1859, on Bond Street, now a popular tourist attraction. At the beginning of the last century, Victoria St. developed into a commercial thoroughfare and the centre for the jewelry trade and in 1926 the property was purchased by the Salvation Army.
1929-1948
In 1928, prior to the Great Depression, Toronto was recognized as one of the foremost cultural centers in the world. The restored ELGIN/WINTERGARDEN and CANON theatres are two of the remaining vaudeville houses from that era and with MASSEY HALL they represent the original downtown Theatre District. Robert Angeioff, a Macedonian
entrepreneur, who had built many restaurants in Toronto, converted the house, naming it the BUSY BEE DINER. The "B" as it was familiarly known, consisted of an open kitchen and counter, typical of the Diners of that era and earned a reputation for hearty, traditional meals, served to the "regulars". In 1930, Luke and Vangel Eftimoff purchased the "Busy Bee" from Angeloff, which they in turn sold to George Nicolau, a cook with a vision.
1948-1984
George renovated the Busy Bee and renamed it the SENATOR. Designed by a young Dutchman, John VanSloten; "Van" and built by the renowned Toronto Refrigeration Company, the SENATOR still stands today as testimony to the skills of those talented craftspeople. After the war, downtown Toronto was the preferred location for many new
restaurants and nightclubs including BASSEL'S, STEELE'S, THE BROWN DERBY, THE COLONIAL, TOWN TAVERN and SILVER RAIL but regrettably these are no longer with us. After George's retirement, several families operated the SENATOR until it was rightfully purchased in 1964 by George's heirs; his son Nick Nicolau and nephew Cecil
Djambazis. With Nick diligently working the stoves and Cecil cajoling with the customers, the SENATOR became a downtown landmark, earning a reputation for the "best egg sandwich" and coffee from the stainless steel urns that still stand in the front window.
1984-2010
In this period, the SENATOR expanded from a family restaurant into one of the most renowned hospitality operations in the city. The adjacent property earned worldwide acclaim as the SENATOR STEAKHOUSE and the TOP O’THE SENATOR jazz club from 1989-2005. A sister restaurant to the diner, THE FAMOUS, is now in operation in
the Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Now in our 80th year of operation in the same location, we honour everyone - our longtime staff, suppliers and clientele alike - who have contributed to our success. We take constant pride in the traditions and commitment to this family business, which will continue on for generations. The
SENATOR began as a home and remains one to our many valued friends and customers.
Source of the above and link to day menu: (
visit link)
The food is great and the staff are the best. Highly recommended.
249 Victoria Street
Toronto, ON
Telephone: (416)364-7517
WEB: www.thesenator.com