By Kateryna Topol –
Just around the corner from Younge and Dundas Square, one of the city’s oldest building houses Toronto’s longest-running restaurant. Having changed hands among only three families, The Senator, at 249 Victoria Street, has been operated by the Sniderman family since 1984.
Seventy-five years into this impressive story, Bobby Sniderman (Bob) has turned daily operations over to his partner and general manager, Anne Hollyer, assisted by her family, Samantha Hollyer and Aleesha Meyler.
“We’re not looking to sell, we’re not going anywhere,” Hollyer states. “I think we all look at this like our home, and we are very protective of our space and this business.”
The owner’s primary focus is to create a safe and pleasant working environment for staff and guests. Gathering the group for a photo, that friendly bond was visibly evident. Even after the necessary pandemic closures, the core team has returned to continue working at The Senator.
“Simple ingredients prepared as fresh as possible” is the premise behind the menu. From brunch biscuits to hot sauces, nearly everything is done in-house from scratch. “The steak is locally sourced AAA dry-aged sirloin, the fries are hand-cut and soaked in water for two days, nothing is ever frozen… We also keep bees.”
“Bees!” I raised my eyebrows.
Bob operates a modest bee apiary north of Toronto. Its honey is integrated into brunch dishes and cocktail syrups; jars can be purchased from the small storefront and bottleshop. “On Christmas, we gift small jars of honey to our guests as a thank-you,”
Anne twirled a jar of Royal Canadian Honey in her hands. Her favorite cocktail is the Honey Lemon Drop from the non-alcoholic menu.
A new summer menu is rolling out in May. The Senator will once again be open for dinner (Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m.) and continue brunch service from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. As a restaurant with deep roots The Senator offers a discount to the readers of the bridge – mention this article to claim yours.
