Streetcar-inspired restaurant Short Turn offers a ride around the world with diverse menu

Editor’s note: CP24’s Bill Coulter has been visiting some of Toronto’s most notable restaurants as part of our recurring ‘On the Menu’ series. Stay tuned for more features on CP24.com and CTVNewsToronto.ca taking a look inside some of these hidden gems.

Toronto’s red streetcar is a noteworthy symbol of the city, right up there with raccoons and the CN Tower. It adds such an iconic presence to the urban landscape that it even inspired a restaurant.

Short Turn is a diner-esque restaurant and bar on Queen Street West near Bathurst Street with warm, wood panels, glowing lights and an eclectic menu that reflects Toronto’s diversity.

Proprietor Adrian Ravinsky is best known for late-night joint, 416 Snack Bar, a Queen West staple, which is steps away from Short Turn. He describes the differences between the two spots as ruckus versus romantic.

“We like to say that 416 is for our 20s, and Short Turn is for our 30s,” Ravinsky said during a recent CP24 On the Menu segment.

As for the menu, Short Turn’s website admits the restaurant isn’t exactly a diner “where you might expect all of the classics — but it isn’t far off from that,” describing the joint as “culinarily diverse”. In other words, quintessentially Toronto.

So while there are diner favourites like grilled cheese ($10) and a cheeseburger ($18) that Toronto Life recently called on of the best new burgers in the city, there’s also internationally inspired bites like Taiwanese popcorn shrimp ($14), Singaporean chicken rice ($24) and kaya toast ($8) for dessert. The large pancake ($10), which is exactly how it sounds, is also a favourite.

“I like to think of it as breakfast dessert,” Ravinsky said. “But really a large pancake for dessert can be dessert at any time of day.”

Short Turn is located at 576 Queen Street West.