Then and Now Restaurant
Then & Now Restaurant started with its concept of fusing different cuisines into one dish. All of our dishes have an element of Asian flavor/ingredient, with the familiarity of common popular dishes that you can find in most of the Toronto food scene. Owner/Operator/Chef, Eric Y. Wang, began his journey as a young 16 years old dishwasher, quickly fell in love with the industry, moved up in ranks over the years, to now finally making his dream come true by opening his first restaurant in this vibrant city.
As a certified living wage employer, it is our duty to ensure the livelihood of all of our employees. Yes, we do not require you to tip (not even an option on our payment machines), however, we will not say no if your generosity is expressed, then we will happily share your kindness with the entire team, as long as it isn’t forced and it comes from the bottom of your heart!
Our ETHOS
The name “Then and Now” is the core philosophy from our owner’s culinary journey. The whole fusion-inspired menu comes from all the Asian (specifically Chinese) cuisine that he grew up eating at home, with his mother cooking 3 meals per day, every day (the ‘then’) versus all the food that he had discovered while working and traveling within the food industry (the ‘now’) and combining the two into one. It is also the same reason why he chose to move away from the North American tipping culture, into an all-inclusive “hospitality first” system with no tipping option on the paying machines, by providing high wages + commission and benefits to all employees (moving away from the past, to present, and into the future). We look forward to sharing our love and passion through our food, beverage, and hospitality, and hope that more businesses will follow this path to provide a livable wage to all (especially in an expensive city like Toronto).
We are located in the neighborhood of Parkdale Toronto (Queen and Dufferin). There are street parking spaces available, or a paid outdoor parking lot close by, just steps away from the restaurant. Our dining room is accessible from the street level, and our guest restroom are on the lower level of the building (access through stairs only). We do however have a staff washroom on the main floor if in need and we will gladly accommodate.
