Toronto’s food scene has always had a talent for turning beloved pop-ups into permanent institutions, and the next one to make that leap is Kusi — the Filipino dining experience that captivated the city from 2021 to 2025 before going on hiatus. Now, founder Keanu Francisco and his partner Rosa are back, and this time they’re setting down permanent roots at 77 Grange Ave., inside Squig Space, a new multidisciplinary art space taking shape in Chinatown.
Kusi — named after the Tagalog word kusinera, meaning female chef — has always been about more than just the food. Francisco built the concept around a specific kind of Filipino hospitality: generous, deeply personal, and rooted in the belief that a meal shared is a moment that matters. That philosophy will carry directly into the permanent location.
The restaurant will begin with a concise tasting menu that explores the full breadth of Filipino cuisine — a cuisine that Francisco believes remains significantly underrepresented in a city as diverse as Toronto. Over time, Kusi aims to function as an incubator for other emerging food pop-ups and chefs, creating a space where the city’s culinary underground can find a platform and grow.
The partnership with Squig Space feels intentional and fitting: an art space dedicated to multidisciplinary creativity is the natural home for a restaurant that sees food as an act of cultural storytelling.
There’s no firm opening date yet, but the anticipation is already building among Toronto’s food community. This is the kind of restaurant that comes along once in a while and genuinely changes the neighbourhood it lands in.
Follow Kusi on social media for updates, and make it a priority to visit when those doors open. Toronto’s next great dining experience is almost here.