Remembering long-gone Waterloo restaurants
FLASH FROM THE PAST
Sometimes history starts taste buds functioning, and I suspect these two Waterloo restaurant postcards may do just that.
First, to Waterloo Square. Remember the west side of King Street South in the late 1950s between the railway tracks and William Street? Those rundown, two- and three-storey factory buildings almost hanging over the sidewalk? Cue Waterloo’s big game changer, the 1960 demolition of those buildings and the subsequent construction of the innovative Waterloo Square (Busy B Foods, front and centre) with its basement and mainfloor retail levels plus a six-storey office tower. Set back from King, it created physical and psychological space in the downtown core.
In that new mall, the teenage me found plenty of delights: George Kadwell Records, Rudy’s Gun Shop and those candies at Laura Secord’s. Jim Buzani opened Waterloo Square Restaurant but soon gave way to Peter Faclaris in 1964, who rebranded the dining spot as Longhorn Inn. A decade later, Louis Macris of Guelph took over the Longhorn, added the word Tavern to the sign and filled Waterlooites with food and drink for six years.
Around 1980, the Longhorn had competition in the mall — or did it?
Jim, Nick and Paul Kotsopoulos opened the Texas Bar-B-Que but they also purchased the Longhorn. For two years, Waterloo Square diners had quite a choice but by 1982, Longhorn was history. The Kotsopoulos family commissioned this postcard and operated Texas Bar-B-Que until 2004 with Jim listed as sole owner at the end. I cannot count the number of half-rack rib dinners I enjoyed there and, indeed, on the back of this Fred Curylo photocard, the caption notes “Barbecued Chicken, Steaks & Ribs” as specialties at the “prestigious location.” It was a big thing back then to use credit cards and so, “We accept Chargex and Mastercharge.” Remember those brands?
About 14 years ago, the Texas Bar-B-Que’s 24-year run ended. Lucy’s Seafood and then Cora’s Breakfast and Lunch, the popular Montreal franchise, have since occupied the site.
Now let’s go directly across King Street. It is 1966 and on the corner of Herbert (now Willis Way) we find Washerama at number 74. Head toward Erb and pass the Coffee Cup café, Joe Oberle’s barbershop, Pinto Youth Shop, Art’s Billiards and, at #58, Poll’s Roasteteria and Restaurant operated by Willard and Edna Poll. Nearby was Hub Cigar Store and Billiards. Most of these were along the stretch occupied by 2018’s Uptown Parkade.
The second postcard view (also by photographer Fred Curylo) is almost, but not quite, Poll’s Roasteteria. When Chris Koutzodimos took over from the Polls in 1967, he renamed the spot. For five years he invited people via this “Pilot Restaurant, 58 King South” postcard to “relax in our spacious Open Kitchen with tastefully decorated, air-conditioned surroundings or enjoy the quiet atmosphere of our rear dining room. Constant stereophonic music while you dine on Roast Duck with prune dressing, Charcoal Broiled Spare Ribs, varieties of Sea Foods and other Delectable Dishes.”
Chris sold to Gus Kanellis in 1972 and the Pilot became the Garden. In 1981, Gus moved lock, stock and stools to 34 King South, squeezing in between Café Mozart and Pierre’s Steak House. Six years later he sold the Garden, moved to London and opened the famous Spooner’s. Number 34 King South in Waterloo was home to Rain Dancer Seafood for just one year but then Dragon Court began a 30-year run that has just recently ended.
What other core restaurants kept Waterloo nourished in the 1960s through 1980s? A quick sampling includes Harmony, Angie’s, Marbles, Lantern, Edmeades, Gaslight, Grand Grill, Mothers, Ali Baba, Waterloo Grill, King’s, Grandma Lee’s and Gold Nugget. I’ll leave the hotel eateries for another time. What’s interesting is that virtually all of these were homegrown. The large chains did not heavily penetrate the downtown area in this era.
This postcard pair has prodded my memories and, I hope, has generated a few recollections for you.