Kusi, a Filipino supper club known for its pop-up dinners across Toronto, is getting ready to open its first permanent restaurant location at 77 Grange Avenue.
The company’s new restaurant will move into a former auto body shop now being redeveloped as Squig Space, a mixed-use project that also includes a ceramics studio and community center, according to Toronto Life. The launch will mark a major step for the project, which began in 2020 as a pop-up supper club called Kusinera. Chef Keanu Francisco created the concept, and in 2023, partner Rosa Wan joined as co-owner, front-of-house manager, and creative director. Wan tells Whatnow that while the space is currently under construction, they do not have an official opening date. However, they hope to launch Kusi in Fall 2026, hopefully around October.
Originally launched as Kusinera, the project was inspired by Francisco’s mother, whose Tagalog word “kusinera” means “female chef.” Francisco, who previously worked at Toronto restaurants including Sara and Sunny’s Chinese, built the pop-up around small, often industry-focused dinners that gained strong word-of-mouth traction.
Over time, the concept evolved into Kusi and expanded into monthly Monday-night dinners hosted in rotating kitchens across the city. The dinners included collaborations with Filipino culinary creators such as Kwento and Castle and Coal. The permanent restaurant will allow the team to move beyond pop-ups while keeping the same community-driven approach.
The new restaurant will be located in the Kensington-Chinatown neighborhood. The space is being designed to reflect a home-style dining environment with a focus on shared plates. This will be an excellent fit for the concept as it transitions to full-time operations.
The opening tasting menu will include returning dishes such as hipon alavar (fried prawns with crab-fat curry) and piaparan na manok (coconut-braised chicken with spices). New dishes will highlight regional Filipino cuisine with an emphasis on geography and tradition. Drinks will include Filipino-inspired cocktails, along with wine and local craft beer designed to complement the menu.
