Closures: Restaurants that have closed in Mississauga and Hamilton

From popular fast-food chains to longstanding family-owned establishments with a rich history of serving customers over several decades, here are some of the eateries that have officially shuttered their doors.

East Side Marios

The East Side Mario’s establishment near Dundas Street and Dixie Road in Mississauga,  permanently closed its doors, marking its last day of operation on October 29, as indicated by a sign posted in the window.

The sign expressed, “Mama mia…we’re closing! We’d like to thank you for your support over the years and for allowing us to be a part of your famiglia.”

East Side Mario’s opened its first location in Aventura Mall in Miami, Florida in 1987 and since then has expanded to over 66 locations Canada-wide.

The restaurant presents a diverse selection of Italian specialties, featuring pasta options like baked ravioli, roasted garlic fettucine, and chicken Parmigiana.

The pizza offerings include one that’s loaded with pepperoni toppings, while Mario’s Canadian pizza boasts an abundance of pepperoni, crispy bacon, and roasted button mushrooms. Additionally, for the ultimate meat lover, there’s a selection made with pepperoni, spicy Italian sausage, ham, and bacon.

If you’re a vegetarian or a picky eater, there’s also an option to build your own pizza with the toppings of your choice.

Along side mains, the restaurant is notable for their all your can eat bread, soup or salad.

After a big meal— if you’ve have room for dessert— there are various sweet treats available such as brownies, tiramisu and cheesecake.

The East Side Mario’s located at Heartland Town Centre, 5855 Rodeo Dr. in Mississauga, continues its regular operations.

Chicken N Dough

The fast-casual chicken eatery, known for its wings and fries, recently announced the closure of its Mississauga location on Dundas Street East.

According to the restaurant, the decision came due to lease issues with the landlord.

The menu boasted a diverse array of chicken wings with flavours ranging from honey mustard and Cajun ranch to butter chicken and garlic parmesan, including the extra spicy ‘Chicken on Fire’ and ‘Bloody Mary’ that came with extra hot green chilies.

Other offerings included pizza with various toppings, as well as sides like fries, Cajun fries, onion rings, cheesy garlic bread, and a variety of poutine options.

Chicken N Dough fans, fear not! The restaurant is on the lookout for new home in Mississauga.

La Piazza Allegra

Photo via La Piazza Allegra

Hamilton’s iconic Italian restaurant, La Piazza Allegra, closed its doors after 27 years, marking the end of an era.

The restaurant located at 180 James St. S., in Hamilton specialized in pastas, veal, lamb, fish, and seafood. According to the websites Google page each dish was crafted with meticulous attention using the finest ingredients.

La Piazza Allegra also offered an extensive wine list, ensuring that the diverse flavours complimented with the dishes chosen by patrons.

In addition to its in-house offerings, La Piazza Allegra extended its culinary excellence to off-site catered events such as weddings, anniversary dinners, and birthday celebrations.

The decision to close, was driven by the owners’ retirement and the next generation’s focus on new ventures. Owner and award-winning executive chef Mark Farrugia expressed gratitude to guests and the hospitality community.

“With mom and dad moving on to their next stage in life, through retirement, and the next generation focused on other hospitality ventures such as Sasso Pizza Market & Bar, and future (soon to be announced!) ventures the business climate at James St South & Duke no longer facilitates the vision of the organization,” Farrugia wrote in a Facebook post.