Toronto deli-lovers are going to be hit hard this spring. Katz’s Deli, a beloved local spot famous for its delicious sandwiches and dill pickles, will be closing its doors at the end of May after nearly 50 years of business. According to a statement by the Katz family, the restaurant is closing to make way for the future development of Dufferin Street, which in Toronto-speak probably means condos.
The family recently released a touching farewell letter in which it thanked its customers for their support over the years:
“We pride ourselves on the fact that all of the food we serve is made on our premises and our family recipes have passed down through FOUR generations of the Katz family! Our smokehouse operates around the clock, producing all of our delicious deli meats that you have enjoyed over the years,” reads an excerpt from the statement, which was posted on Reddit Toronto this Wednesday.
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Katz has been soldiering on for nearly five years following 2014 death of the deli’s cherished owner and founder Jeremy Dorfman. According to toronto.com, Dorfman was an impressive man, who served our country as an honorary lieutenant colonel of the Governor General's Horse Guards reserve regiment. He passed away of pancreatic cancer at Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, surrounded by his family.
Dorfman along with his mother and grandparents first opened Katz’s Deli as a modest 36-seat restaurant, which was originally located across the street from the current Katz's Deli, back in 1969. Katz’s only upgraded to its legendary emporium status after the restaurant grew from 36-seats to 300 in 1988.
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It’s always hard to lose a beloved Toronto business. In a lot of ways, Katz's was like Honest Ed’s, a treasured landmark. But just like all good things, its time has finally come to pass.
