The Pickle Barrel
 | |
 Pickle Barrel in the Markville Shopping Centre in Markham, Ontario | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Founded | Toronto, Ontario (1971) |
Areas served | Canada |
| Products | Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine |
| Parent | Recipe Unlimited |
| Website | picklebarrel |
The Pickle Barrel is a Canadian restaurant chain. Originally opened in 1971 as a Jewish deli located on Leslie Street in Toronto, the restaurant now operates locations across southwestern Ontario.
History
[edit]The first Pickle Barrel opened in 1971 as an 85-seat restaurant located on Leslie Street in Toronto.[1] Over the subsequent decades, the restaurant expanded to become a chain with locations across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).[1]
On October 16, 2017, The Pickle Barrel was acquired by Cara Operations Limited (renamed Recipe Unlimited in 2018), a subsidiary of the holding company Fairfax Financial.[2][3] The restaurant opened a location in Waterloo, Ontario in 2019, their first outside of the GTA.[4]
Operations
[edit]While Pickle Barrel originally operated as a Jewish deli with deli sandwiches as a signature item, its menu has since expanded to include over 300 items,[1] including a menu of health-conscious items selected by nutritionist Rose Reisman.[1] blogTO noted that the restaurant is "known for its lengthy menu and kitschy decor",[5] including colorful leather booths and blown glass hanging lights.[1]
In 2017, The Pickle Barrel reportedly generated CAD$50 million annually from restaurant sales and catering, and had to date catered over 1.2 million events.[3]
In 2020, its Downtown Toronto location in The Atrium on Bay closed after four decades due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer people coming downtown as a result, and the lack of a patio for outdoor dining.[6] In September 2022, the Pickle Barrel at Sherway Gardens in Etobicoke closed permanently.[7] In February 2024, the chain's original location on Leslie closed after more than 50 years.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "The Pickle Barrel". Streets of Toronto. Post City Magazines. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ Carlberg, Amy (September 29, 2022). "Toronto location of Pickle Barrel has permanently closed". blogTO. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
- ^ a b "Cara Operations Limited announces purchase of Pickle Barrel" (Press release). October 16, 2017. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
- ^ Jackson, Adam (March 7, 2019). "Pickle Barrel officially opens in Waterloo, Cambridge". Waterloo Chronicle. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ Carlberg, Amy (October 29, 2020). "Toronto's only downtown Pickle Barrel restaurant just permanently closed". blogTO. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
- ^ "A lack of patio is the reason the downtown Pickle Barrel is closing". Streets of Toronto. November 5, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
- ^ "Toronto location of the Pickle Barrel has permanently closed". BlogTO. September 29, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
- ^ "'It felt like home': Beloved Pickle Barrel location shutters after more than 50 years". Toronto Star. February 10, 2024. Retrieved February 10, 2024.