Nestled within the heart of Oshawa, a culinary gem has defied the ever-changing restaurant scene for over four decades. It’s a place where time seems to stand still and where the essence of a bygone era comes alive with every visit. This family-owned business, named Teddy’s Restaurant, founded in 1980 by Chris and Ted Tzogas, is an establishment with a reputation like no other that is more than well-deserved as it exudes an unmatched family atmosphere.
As soon as you step inside the building, there is a palpable air of nostalgia as the foyer is full of things to look at. The walls contain vintage prints of celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe while aged newspaper clippings from past mentions of the restaurant serve as a testament to its enduring presence in the community.
This sets visitors up for a surprise, though, as despite its vintage diner-style deli/entryway, the dining area has a slight atmosphere shift.
After crossing the entryway, diners are met with a cozier atmosphere as various families fill the seats. The wood-panelled walls adorned with houseplants provide an ambience of rustic comfort. The mossy carpeting on the floor gives the restaurant an ‘eating at grandma’s house’ feel.
As the two atmospheres blend harmoniously here, diners are offered a dining experience that feels both familiar and enchantingly unique.
Upon opening the menu, diners will find that similar to the restaurant itself, the menu exudes timeless appeal. Teddy’s menu is not just a list of dishes; it’s a culinary time capsule. It’s a menu that celebrates the familiar and the comforting, with its dishes that air more on the classic side.
The menu holds a vast selection of items. However, a lot of their menu is made up of ‘comfort’ foods as it features items such as spaghetti, strawberry pie and various sandwiches featuring their famous deli meats. Ultimately, this adds to the cozy environment the establishment holds as every menu item has a ‘family dinner’ quality to it that can’t be found anywhere else.
Overall, the presentation when diners receive their food is not super fancy, or what customers have come to expect when finding out; the taste of the food and the service make up for it completely. The food was not presented as something out of a magazine, similar to the plating procedures of other restaurants. However, the food offered looked like something a family member would place in front of you during Sunday dinner. This simple approach makes the dining experience even more enjoyable, as it prioritizes the quality and flavour of the food over mere esthetics.
Here, the food seems to be made fresh, and the same great quality appears to be maintained on most dishes as everything ordered felt well prepared and tasted amazing. A prime example is the strawberry pie, which was displayed with pride in a glass case in the dining room. The pie at Teddy’s is something that many family and friends have recommended when it comes to dessert at Teddy’s. Though not extravagant in looks, the sweet, vermillion-coloured pie definitely stands out as it’s apparent it was made with quality ingredients as compared to most other restaurant pies that lack that homemade taste making it worth the hype it receives.
Though Teddy’s continues to amaze despite the price of almost everything going up lately, causing a lot of restaurant prices to skyrocket, Teddy’s prices are relatively reasonable. The prices here tend to range from $8.00 to $20.00. Patrons can even purchase bottles of the freshly made house dressing for under $10.00, making Teddy’s one of Oshawa’s more affordable food gems, ultimately making it more deserving of the love it seems to receive from the community, as dining out can be a costly venture today.
With this, it is no surprise that Teddy’s receives the amount of love from the community as it does and personally, I wish I discovered this place sooner. Teddy’s Restaurant stands as a testament to enduring quality in a world of change. Its unique blend of nostalgia and comfort, timeless flavours, and reasonable prices make it understandable how it has lasted so long. Though it’s more than a restaurant, Teddy’s has grown into a place of tradition in the Oshawa community over the years. I definitely encourage anyone who hasn’t already been to go out and discover this hidden gem for themselves.