A fixture on Bloor Street since 1978, By The Way will close its doors on August 31 for the last time. 

The restaurant is remembered fondly by regulars for its quirky nomenclature, Levantine cuisine, and as an early adopter of vegan and vegetarian options as well as frozen yogurt treats. 

In its early iteration as the Lick’n Chicken, it inherited the name and décor of the fried chicken joint that preceded it, even though it served up a vegetarian menu. To dispel confusion, they displayed a cheeky sign that read: “Sorry! out of chicken!!” When it was renamed By The Way, the chicken signs remained.

The restaurant’s presence on Bloor predates its owners. The Benedikts met on a kibbutz in Israel and were married in Mexico City. On their way back to Israel, they stopped in Canada to visit Amir Benedikt’s sister, Esti Filar. Esti was running the restaurant, then called the Lick’n Chicken, with her husband Dubi. She invited the newlyweds to join the venture.

“It was an opportunity to change my life. To try something completely different,” said Benedikt. 

In 1980, the Benedikts immigrated and partnered with the family on their restaurants. In 1986, they split their holdings—the Filars took the Rosedale Diner, and the Benedikts took By The Way.

The work was gruelling. Benedikt often put in 15-hour days, seven days a week. “I cooked, I did dishes, I even served sometimes – I did everything,” he said.

But his hard work didn’t go unnoticed. By The Way quickly became a beloved neighbourhood haunt.

Everyone in the community is invited to stop in at By the Way for an open house on Sunday, August 31 at 6 p.m. to say goodbye.

Stay tuned for a full story on By the Way in the next issue of the Annex Gleaner. 

—Gleaner News Staff