Moxies at Yorkdale is closing after nearly 20 years — here’s what that means for Toronto mall food culture
The long-running Moxies at Yorkdale Mall closes Jan. 17 after 18 years. We look back at why mall restaurants matter and what’s next for the space.
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By Torontoer Staff
If you grew up going to the mall in Toronto, you know the feeling: the familiar hum of fluorescent lights, the lure of a new pair of jeans, and the promise of a sit-down meal afterward where everyone could breathe for a minute. For many, that ritual included Moxies at Yorkdale — a fixture in the mall for 18 years that will close its doors for good on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026.
The chain says the Yorkdale location welcomed more than two million guests since opening in 2007. It’s the sort of place that quietly becomes part of a neighbourhood’s social fabric — a post-shopping pit stop for families, a celebratory dinner spot for birthdays, and a reliable meeting place for friends who live across the city.
Why the Yorkdale location mattered
Yorkdale Mall is more than a shopping centre — it’s a destination for many Torontonians and visitors. Moxies’ spot inside the mall offered something that can be surprisingly hard to find: an accessible, sit-down restaurant where groups of different ages could gather without fuss. Between the flurry of sales at Holt Renfrew and the steady stream of shoppers at the food court, Moxies quietly became a backdrop to countless memories.
- A reliable option for families and shoppers looking to upgrade from mall food-court fare.
- A meeting point for friends before or after movies at the nearby Cineplex.
- A flexible space for celebrations that didn’t require a downtown trip.
The official word from Moxies
The closure was announced in a company release highlighting the location’s long run. Moxies President and Chief Operating Officer Joanne Forrester reflected on the role the team played in welcoming guests through the years.
“While it's always difficult to close a restaurant, we remain proud of our team's role in creating memorable experiences for those who have visited our long-standing Yorkdale location,”
Joanne Forrester, Moxies President & COO
Forrester added that the closure is part of the brand’s evolution and will allow the company to focus on future growth opportunities. One of those opportunities is a return to Barrie, with a new location planned at Park Place — an expansion detail Moxies says will be revealed closer to opening.
What this means for Moxies in Toronto
With Yorkdale closing, Moxies will continue operating four other locations in Toronto and 19 across Ontario. That leaves a handful of neighbourhood options for Torontonians who want to keep going to a Moxies, but losing a mall-based location does change the convenience factor for shoppers who relied on it.
There’s also the practical side: staff and regulars will be affected. The company praised its Yorkdale team in the announcement, and while Moxies hasn’t laid out specifics about staffing transitions, you can expect some movement as the chain reshuffles its priorities.
What this says about malls and food in Toronto
Mall dining has been in flux for years — remember when Rainforest Café left Yorkdale in 2014? Spaces that once felt permanent are now reprised, reimagined or repurposed as malls respond to changing foot traffic and retail trends. Yorkdale has been evolving with new stores and refreshes, and the departure of a long-standing restaurant is part of that ongoing churn.
That said, every vacancy is also an opportunity. The space Moxies leaves behind could become anything from a fast-casual newcomer to a boutique sit-down concept — or even a pop-up that reflects Toronto’s diverse food scene. If you love the idea of a mall meal as much as I do, this is a moment to keep an eye on what fills that spot.
If you want to mark the end of an era
- Plan one last meal at Yorkdale before Jan. 17 — bring friends and snag your favourite dish.
- Share a photo or memory on social with a note about where you first went to Moxies — many Torontonians have stories tied to the place.
- Check Moxies’ website or local job boards if you’re interested in any staff transitions or openings at other locations.
- Keep an eye on Yorkdale’s announcements for new tenants — prime mall space like that doesn’t stay empty for long.
If you’ve ever spent an afternoon roaming Yorkdale and capped it with a leisurely dinner, you’ll probably feel this one. It’s not just about a restaurant closing — it’s about a small, shared piece of Toronto life shifting into a new chapter.
Have a Yorkdale Moxies memory? Drop it online or share with friends — these local spots hold more of our city’s stories than we often realise, and it’s worth marking the ones that mattered.
MoxiesYorkdaleToronto foodmall culturerestaurant closures
