Say Farewell to Doughnut Champs Chez Boris This Weekend — And Other Closures

MILE END — Russian doughnut slinger extraordinaire Chez Boris’ final day of business is this Sunday, April 23. As Eater reported back in February, the Parc Avenue café’s landlord refused its lease renewal, and with owner Boris Volfson based in Baltimore, it was too difficult for him to find a new location — so he called it quits. But the staff have his blessing to keep the business going in some form, and they’re planning to open a collectively run café named Beigne Oui. You’ll have to wait, though — they’re only scouting locations right now. If you drop in over the weekend, they have a trivia night Friday, a fundraiser Saturday evening, and specials all around.

ST-HENRI — Also on its final weekend is Notre-Dame West sugar shack pop-up Cabane Urbaine, which has been running in the Café Rose-de-Lime space since mid-March — Saturday and Sunday are the last days you can head there to get eggs, meat, pancakes, and a whole lot of maple syrup.

VILLAGE — Gay club Play has been forced to close its doors over permit dramas — its building on the corner of Sainte-Catherine and Plessis has been a club under various names for a while now, and its current owners say that they were told by the city that they would inherit the permits from the venue’s former iterations like Apollon. But — clubs in that section of the Village are only permitted a certain distance apart from each other, and bar magnate Peter Sergakis (who owns nearby Sky) argued that Play was too close to his multi-level venue and shouldn’t be allowed to operate. Play’s owners say City of Montreal staff assured them that this wasn’t the case when they took the space over (and say they wouldn’t have bought it if they couldn’t run it) — that’s not the case, and whether or not it was the City’s screw-up, Play is done.

LITTLE BURGUNDY — After a decade in business on Notre-Dame, cupcake store Itsi Bitsi cakes has closed down.

PLATEAU — Breton pastry-maker Au Kouign Amann — known for its very limited menu — is temporarily closed for renovations and an expansion to its Mont-Royal space.

ST-HENRI — An Eater tipster reports that Notre-Dame seafood BYOB La Vague has papered-over windows — while their site is still active, their social media is silent and phone calls have gone unanswered — in short, looks like they’re closed.

PETITE-PATRIE — Venezuelan-Vietnamese fusion spot Ca Phe Con Leche quietly closed its doors in recent weeks, after being open just a year.

GRIFFINTOWN — Neighbourhood institution Griffintown Café has closed its doors for good, apparently after attempting to find new owners to take over its lease for a while. Given that restaurant permits are now tighter on that stretch of Notre-Dame, it’ll be a hot property for someone wanting to open a new restaurant down in condo town.

Seen any papered over windows or for lease signs up around town? Tell us about it over here, or by emailing montreal@eater.com.

• Mile End Doughnut Hub Chez Boris is Closing [EMTL]
• Adieu Chez Boris: Fête de clôture/Closing Party! [Facebook]
• Sirop: Cabane Urbaine [Facebook]
• You Can Vote For The Name of Chez Boris’ Doughnutty Replacement — And Other Intel [EMTL]
• C'est fini pour le club PLAY : la clé est dans la porte! [Lestubbies]
• Why You Should Be Thankful Au Kouign Amann Doesn't Do Much [EMTL]
• Vietnam Meets Venezuela at Cà Phê Con Leche, a New Café and Sandwich Shop [EMTL]