'Destroying my life': Owner of famous Toronto restaurant has popular patio shut down by city
The owner of one of Toronto’s longest-standing restaurants, who was using his patio as a means of keeping his business alive during Ontario’s most recent COVID-19 lockdown, says the city has forced him to close the popular outdoor space.
“I don’t know how to run my business anymore,” Café Diplomatico owner Rocco Mastrangelo Jr. told CTV News Toronto over the phone. “Every day, we’re on pins and needles. We don’t know if [we’re going to be ordered to] close or open. Like, this is really screwing with people’s heads and livelihoods.”
Mastrangelo took over the College Street landmark 27 years ago that his father, Rocco Mastrangelo Sr., who died last year at 88, started back in 1968.
Since the pandemic began, Mastrangelo explains he’s been trying to navigate the ever-changing nature of Ontario’s COVID-19 public health restrictions, and says his employees and his bottom line have paid the price.
“I had to lay off [my employees] for the first time in March 2020. It was the hardest thing to do. Not only that, I have to lay them off again now,” Mastrangelo said.
Following the latest round of public health restrictions announced by the province on Jan. 5, which forced restaurants and bars to halt indoor dining until at least Jan. 26 (now extended to Jan 31), Mastrangelo decided to open his patio, which he says he’s invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into over the years.
The heated space, which also happens to house a fire hydrant that Mastrangelo said was never a problem until recently, was a hit. Lines were regularly seen out the door and customers even braved sub -20 degree Celsius weather earlier this month to grab a seat.
However, according to the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA), outdoor patios are only permitted so long as two full sides of the area are open to the outdoors. If the patio has a retractable roof, which Café Dip does, and the roof is retracted, the patio must have at least one full side of the outdoor area open to the outdoors.
The patio was shut down last week by the city, and Mastrangelo said he’s been served with notices to comply and notices of violation.
Mastrangelo acknowledges that the space was not in compliance with those rules, and says he is working to reopen the space on Jan. 31, but admits the space is virtually useless if temperatures drop significantly.
“This is destroying my life, my family, my wife, my kids, my mother’s getting sick,” Mastrangelo said. “If I’m doing something wrong, which I agree I was, I was doing it to come back and be viable, give my staff employment so that they can feed their families and give my customers a place to go.”
“People are tired of this. It’s ridiculous.”
In a statement to CTV News Toronto, Toronto Public Health’s enforcement team said, “the City of Toronto continues to use an educational approach to provide operators and businesses with information and regulations under the ROA.”
They said they were unable to provide any additional comments specific to the closure of Café Diplomatico’s outdoor patio as their investigation into the business is ongoing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.