An extensive rundown of Toronto restaurants, hotels, stores open over Christmas and Boxing Day.

If you forgot to buy your Uncle Phil a Christmas gift, ran out of wine or just desperately need an excuse to get out of the house - you'll need to know what's open and what's not on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

We've made it easier for you with the list below; it's not definitive and we apologize in advance to any businesses that we've overlooked. In the vast majority of cases, grocery stores, gas stations and other retail shops return to normal business hours on Friday, December 26.

Thursday, Dec. 25 : Christmas Day
Expect a quiet day. Some drug stores will be open for those who need emergency supplies. You can also see a show at local movie theatres, gas up your car or go out to eat at a restaurant. But shopping is off this day, with one big exception.

Open
Business will be as per usual at the Pacific Mall (4300 Steeles Ave. E.). It's a designated tourist spot and is allowed to open on statutory holidays - which includes Christmas. Mall officials explain most of their customers aren't Christian and they don't see the need to close up shop for the day. As the only open shopping centre in the eastern part of the country last year, the mall was packed on Christmas Day, and that is what's expected for this year.

There are a few restaurants that are open on Christmas. Many Hotel restaurants are open, but do check first. This list are the sure bets...

Forestview Chinese Restaurant: 466-468 Dundas St. W.
Zelda's: 542 Church St.
Cha Liu Dim Sum: 2352 Yonge St.
Bangkok Paradise Thai Restaurant: 506 Queen St. W.
7 West Cafe: 7 Charles St. W.
Fran's: 20 College St.
Gabby's, 2076 Queen St. E., 2899 Bloor St. W.
Dhaba: 309 King St. W.
Bb33 Bistro: 33 Gerrard St. W.
Senses: 318 Wellington St. W.
Hemispheres: 110 Chestnut St., Metropolitan Hotel
Kathmandu Restaurant: 517 Yonge St.
Studio Cafe: 21 Avenue Rd.
Fairmont Royal York: 100 Front St. W.
Trattoria Vaticano: 25 Bellair St.
Bright Pearl Seafood: 346 Spadina Ave.
Chez Victor: 30 Mercer St. (in the Hotel Le Germain)
Grand Chinese Cuisine: 655 Dixon Rd.
Dynasty Chinese Cuisine: 2-131 Bloor St. W.
Bright Pearl Chinese Restaurant: 346 Spadina Ave.
Lai Wah Heen: 108 Chestnut St.
Lai Toh Heen: 692 Mount Pleasant Rd.
E-Pan Chinese Cuisine: 369 Spadina Ave.
Century Palace Chinese Restaurant: 398 Ferrier St.
Made in China: 371 Yonge St.
Xam Yu: 339 Spadina Ave.
Prerna: 790 Broadview Ave.

Closed
* Malls (with the exception noted above)
* Grocery stores and supermarkets,
* L.C.B.O./Beer stores,
* Government offices,
* Banks,
* Libraries,
* No mail delivery,
* T.T.C. on Sunday service - subways and most routes start at 9am
* GO on holiday schedule.

Friday, Dec. 26th, Boxing Day
Ahhhh, sweet Boxing Day madness. If you're smart, you'll just stay home with the little ones. However, that doesn't mean everyone has gone to sleep. In these halcyon days of plenty, there is entertainment to be had in shopping.

Here's what's happening in Toronto on Boxing Day.

Open
* Malls
* Most major Retailers
* Most grocery stores and supermarkets (see list below for locations)
* Supermarkets

The Eaton Centre: 8am-8pm
Vaughan Mills: 8am-9pm
Yorkdale Shopping Centre: 8am-8pm
Fairview Mall: 8am-8pm
Mississauga Square One: 8am-8pm
Sherway Gardens: 8am-8pm
Scarborough Town Centre: 8am-7pm
Woodbine Centre: 9am-7pm
Promenade Shopping Centre: 8am-8pm
Dufferin Mall: 8am-6pm
Yorkgate Mall: 9am-7pm
Pacific Mall: 11am-9pm

Most supermarkets are back in business, too, but not all of them. It's important to check first to see if your store is going to be opening its doors on Boxing Day. These Toronto Grocery stores are open:
No Frills
Metro
Loblaws
Food Basics
Longo's
Sobey's
Real Canadian Superstore

Garbage Collection
Because the holiday took place on a Thursday, most cities in the GTA - including Toronto - have advanced collection days by 24 hours. That means if your regular pick-up was Thursday, it will be switched to Friday for this week and next, with each area coming a day later than usual. The same goes for Friday, which will now happen on a rare Saturday, instead.

Closed
Beer and liquor stores, banks, post offices and other government buildings will all be closed, as will most grocery and other retail stores with some exceptions in the city's downtown and Yorkville areas.
* L.C.B.O./Beer stores,
* Government offices,
* Banks,
* Libraries,
* No mail delivery,
* GO is also on a Saturday schedule.

Dec. 27-Dec 31st
Everything is back to usual (with Boxing Day sales still in full swing). Everything that's normally open will stay open, although some stores may have extended hours to let you take advantage of their post-Christmas clear-outs.

Wednesday, Dec. 31st, New Year's Eve
Yes. The big night! As 2008 becomes 2009, there is much to do in the city. Be smart and book your Toronto restaurant – or be double smart and book your Toronto hotel. Things are booking up by the minute.

Here's what's happening in Toronto on New Years Eve

TTC Schedule
Here's the schedule:
- Subway and most routes start at 6am
- Regular morning peak period service
- Reduced afternoon peak period service, operating from 12:00 noon to 5pm
- Most routes with late evening service continue until 4am

New Year's Eve Last Subway Train Schedule
- Yonge-University-Spadina Subway leaves Union Station at 3:30am for Finch;
- Bloor-Danforth Subway leaves Bloor-Yonge Station at 3:37am for Kipling Station;
- Scarborough RT leaves Kennedy Station at 4:05am for McCowan Station.
- Sheppard Subway leaves Sheppard-Yonge Station at 3:58am for Don Mills Station.

Thursday, Jan. 1, 2009
It's New Year's Day and there are a large number of mayor's levees across the GTA. Other than that, it's pretty much like last week, with just about everything closed.

* Most malls (with the exceptions noted below)
* Grocery stores and supermarkets,
* L.C.B.O./Beer stores,
* Government offices,
* Banks,
* Libraries,
* No mail delivery,
* T.T.C. on Sunday service - subways and most routes start at 9am
* GO on holiday schedule.

Friday, Jan. 2, 2009
It's back to normal (whatever that may be). For some, it's back to work - although many will just take the final day of the work week off, too. By Monday, school's back and so is your job, as the holiday craziness subsides for another year. It's also time for you to get rid of that Christmas tree. The city will start picking them up on your regular trash collection day for the next three weeks.

33 Reader Reviews

Good review but you've made one large mistake

Thursday is the 31st, not January 1st as you stated. So the whole part about taking the last day of the week off work anyway ( you were assuming Friday was the 2nd of January ) is a farce.

1. Cameron's Review :: December 25, 2009

Cameron's Rating: 3 Stars

Cameron... this is an archived article. (Did Christmas "2008" not mean anything to you?)

2. Amy Stewart's Review :: December 25, 2009

Amy Stewart's Rating: 4 Stars

@Craig: Canada was also founded on taking land from the natives. You're making a fallacious argument by appealing to tradition. What the founders believed is completely irrelevant.

3. Anon's Review :: December 24, 2009

Anon's Rating: Stars

Less we not forget, that we are in a multi-cultural society, hence, not everyone joins in on the traditional Christmas celebrations on Dec.25th. We must not also forget the hundreds, if not thousands of human beings that donot have a family to go to, or the ones that are homeless, living in a country that daily survival is a blessing let alone celebrating Christmas.
The fact that anything is open on such a special day can be subjective, but times have changed and diversity in society has left many with endless choices how they wish to personally spend this one particular day.
None-the-less, enjoy each and every cultural celebration for what it is, and concentrate on your life as opposed to what others are doing in theirs.

4. Mark H.'s Review :: December 21, 2009

Mark H.'s Rating: Stars

Craig, you are an idiot. You should just stop talking because you are making yourself look like a complete fool. Who cares which values Canada was founded upon. We are in the 21st century dumbass! If we were going by your guidelines, and not evolve and change as a society, then women wouldn't even be considered people among other things.

5. Amanda's Review :: January 02, 2009

Amanda's Rating: 4 Stars

Re: #21 & #23: The meal at Fran's *is* a traditional turkey-with-all-the-trimmings Xmas feast, and it is darn good! We had it at around 3:30 in the afternoon and were in a food coma pretty much for the rest of the day and evening. It's a little pricey at $24.95, but it is a soup (or salad) to nuts affair (choice of apple pie or the uber-traditionalist plum pudding for dessert). I believe it's still on offer through Boxing Day, so check it out if you're braving the shopping crowds in the area today!

I've lived in T.O. since 2001, and this is the first year I can recall seeing any articles anywhere about things that are open in this town on Xmas Day. I had no idea Fran's had a since-the-'40s tradition of serving up Xmas Day dinners 'til this year!!! As a "lapsed Catholic" New Yorker with a near-lifelong habit of going out on the day iself (to the movies, to Rock Center and the shop windows of Fifth Avenue, to eat, what have you), it was great to see a list of options that went beyond your standard Chinatown choices.

6. D.C.'s Review :: December 26, 2008

D.C.'s Rating: 4 Stars

Brilliant! I actually forgot about the Fran's Christmas meal. About ten years ago, four of us piled into a car and ate ourselves silly at the Frans on College. Unfortunately, I've never been back, but your note brought back the memories.

Cheers!

7. Meredith P.'s Review :: December 26, 2008

Meredith P.'s Rating: 4 Stars

I don't care if it is an ethnic mall and that they are legally exempt, but I think it is just sickening that anything is open on Christmas Day. All such exemptions should go out the window for that one day.

8. Craig's Review :: December 25, 2008

Craig's Rating: Stars

I think this is always a good and useful summary.

As for the reader's review, why is it your problem if someone decides to work and keep a mall open? I think we should live with our differences and each should be entitled to open as they deem fit. Its freedom and its the diversity that makes life interesting. Try going to that mall on Chinese New years day! You'd be glad Eaton Centre is open!

9. Mr Freedom's Review :: December 25, 2008

Mr Freedom's Rating: 3 Stars

You know what a lot of people think is sickening, Craig? People like you.

10. BornandRaisedT.O.'s Review :: December 25, 2008

BornandRaisedT.O.'s Rating: 4 Stars

There are almost 7 billion people on the planet. The world does not revolve around you and your beliefs alone.

11. BornandRaisedT.O.'s Review's Review :: December 25, 2008

BornandRaisedT.O.'s Review's Rating: 4 Stars

You should get used to it Craig, it is the way things are

going. Christians are now the minority in this country and

mass closures on Dec. 25th will sooner than later be an act of

the past.

12. Josh Tanner's Review :: December 25, 2008

Josh Tanner's Rating: Stars

I think this article is useful. For those of you gym goers, Goodlife is open today (25hth) until 2pm and I believe they are also open tomorrow.

As for Craig above, I don't understand why this "sickens" you. People are entitled to do whatever they want. Not everyone is religious so that means not everyone have to follow "thou shall not open on christmas day". I think to expect everyone to close down their business for religious reasons is absurd. I appreciate the fact that I get a couple of days off and I'm going to take full advantage of it, but there is no stopping other people to stays open and work if they decides to. It's called free will. The building itself is open, there are stored in the building that may not...again, people are free to do whatever they want. Please remember that.

13. A Non-Craig Fan's Review :: December 25, 2008

A Non-Craig Fan's Rating: Stars

Thanks for this- and as for Craig's review, I haven't heard of anyone describe a mall (or neighborhood...) as "ethnic" since the last time I was in Alberta...

14. Ethnic In Toronto's Review :: December 25, 2008

Ethnic In Toronto's Rating: 4 Stars

No reason to get all riled up. As I see it, the mall is open for those who want it, and ignorable for those who don't. I actually wouldn't leave the house for as much as a loaf of bread on Christmas Day, but I do understand that not everyone celebrates Christmas.

Anyway, thanks for the "rundown of Toronto restaurants, hotels, stores open over Christmas and Boxing Day". Happy Holidays. TM

15. Theo Morrison's Review :: December 25, 2008

Theo Morrison's Rating: 4 Stars

Firstly, thanks for this. I needed to find out something to do today, since I am not christian, and so now thanks to this I have some options open.

Secondly, Craig, we have this wonderful thing in Canada called the SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. We are a secular country. Get over it. The Blue Laws are done. We don't force you to close everything on our New Years, or Saturdays. We close OUR things, and actually in the 80s we asked if we can close Saturdays instead of Sundays, and they realized that forcing people who have no religious reason to close on sundays to...close on sundays was actually a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

(Her Majesty The Queen in Right of Canada v. Big M Drug Mart Ltd., [ 1985] (1 S.C.R. 295))

16. Not-Celebrating-XMAS's Review :: December 25, 2008

Not-Celebrating-XMAS's Rating: 4 Stars

Are there any restaurants open today? - T

17. Trish McAhoy's Review :: December 25, 2008

Trish McAhoy's Rating: 4 Stars

I need to get keys cut today? What is my best bet? China town???

I am leaving for Clifornia at 5am and need to get keys to someone to feed my cat!!!

Please help.

marr.ryan (AT) gmail.com

18. Ryan Marr's Review :: December 25, 2008

Ryan Marr's Rating: Stars

This is not really extensive at all. You give me one thing that open on Christmas day? A mall? Where is the extensive list resaurants? This article sucks...

19. Mark Dachuk's Review :: December 25, 2008

Mark Dachuk's Rating: 2 Stars

Thanks for this useful info, appreciate the time you have taken to do this.

Craig, go screw urself.

20. Craig Hater's Review :: December 25, 2008

Craig Hater's Rating: Stars

Most restaurants that are open on Christmas are Chinese and Indian, but there are a few others. Here you go...

Forestview Chinese Restaurant: 466-468 Dundas St. W.

Zelda's: 542 Church St.

Cha Liu Dim Sum: 2352 Yonge St.

Bangkok Paradise Thai Restaurant: 506 Queen St. W.

7 West Cafe: 7 Charles St. W.
Open 24 hours.

Fran's: 20 College St.

Gabby's, 2076 Queen St. E., 2899 Bloor St. W.

Dhaba: 309 King St. W.

Bb33 Bistro: 33 Gerrard St. W.

Senses: 318 Wellington St. W.

Hemispheres: 110 Chestnut St., Metropolitan Hotel

Kathmandu Restaurant: 517 Yonge St.

Studio Cafe: 21 Avenue Rd.

Three's Company: 1331 Danforth Ave.

Fairmont Royal York: 100 Front St. W.

Trattoria Vaticano: 25 Bellair St.

Bright Pearl Seafood: 346 Spadina Ave.

Genghis Khan Mongolian Grill: 900 Don Mills Rd.

Chez Victor: 30 Mercer St. (in the Hotel Le Germain)

Grand Chinese Cuisine: 655 Dixon Rd.

Dynasty Chinese Cuisine: 2-131 Bloor St. W.

Bright Pearl Chinese Restaurant: 346 Spadina Ave.

Lai Wah Heen: 108 Chestnut St.

Lai Toh Heen: 692 Mount Pleasant Rd.

E-Pan Chinese Cuisine: 369 Spadina Ave.

Century Palace Chinese Restaurant: 398 Ferrier St.

Made in China: 371 Yonge St.

Xam Yu: 339 Spadina Ave.

Prerna: 790 Broadview Ave.

21. Richard Manning's Review :: December 25, 2008

Richard Manning's Rating: 4 Stars

Isn't it fair for employees to be able to spend 1 DAY OUT OF 365 with their families and friends?

22. Craig's Review :: December 25, 2008

Craig's Rating: Stars

You have to understand Craig that Christmas is not the only holiday in the world. There are countless numbers of religious and cultural holidays such as Deevali for the Hindus, Eid for the Muslims, and so on. Each one of them are entitled to take a day off from work or from school to spend time with their family.

23. Lal's Review :: December 25, 2008

Lal's Rating: Stars

Sure it is. But it's their choice to take that day off. If they feel like opening their business and the employees feel like making double the money on that day, they are free to do so. Do you feel sad that people hate you? Burn.

24. A Non-Craig Fan's's Review :: December 25, 2008

A Non-Craig Fan's's Rating: Stars

Good line up. Also, Chez Victor (in the Hotel Le Germain) is open today. For that matter, most hotel restaurants are open.

Happy Holidays!

25. Anne Meyers's Review :: December 25, 2008

Anne Meyers's Rating: 4 Stars

The article is called "An extensive rundown of Toronto restaurants, hotels, stores open over Christmas and Boxing Day." yes no where in the article do I find a single restaraunt named that is open christmas day. While the information presented might be quite usefull to people it is a waste of time for those actually interested in content the title implied. Shame on you.

26. Jeff's Review :: December 25, 2008

Jeff's Rating: 1 Stars

Indeed. Most hotel restaurants are open today. But check first. This (in the article) is a good resource... but if you try a hotel restaurant today, call first.

27. Tracy Benson's Review :: December 25, 2008

Tracy Benson's Rating: 4 Stars

Yes, but Canada was founded on Judeo-Christian values. BTW, today is also part of Hanukkah.

28. Craig's Review :: December 25, 2008

Craig's Rating: 3 Stars

Fran's (20 College Street) is open. Can't imagine that being much of a Christmas dinner... but there you have it.

29. Derrick L.'s Review :: December 25, 2008

Derrick L.'s Rating: 4 Stars

What matters is that TOsluts.com is open

30. Nasty Sheryl's Review :: December 25, 2008

Nasty Sheryl's Rating: 4 Stars

Great dining list. But do any of these spots cater specifically for Christmas. Meaning Turkey, stuffing... rather than just the same drab menu? Any takers?

31. Darren B. Lamb's Review :: December 25, 2008

Darren B. Lamb's Rating: 4 Stars

I believe the Fairmont Royal York (100 Front St. W.) has a Christmas feast on... but could be booked. Getting kinda late.

Good luck!

32. Terri Jameson's Review :: December 25, 2008

Terri Jameson's Rating: 3 Stars

We just came from the Fairmont Royal York. Great Christmas luncheon. It is indeed Christmas-oriented. Mostly hotels guests, but a great room to have a Christmas dinner/lunch.

Merry Christmas!

33. Theresa Grace's Review :: December 25, 2008

Theresa Grace's Rating: 4 Stars

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