Longstanding Toronto Brewery Is Being Replaced By A Mcdonald's

Nearly a year after closing its doors, the former site of a popular Toronto brewery is finally gearing up to welcome a new tenant: McDonald's.

For 13 years, Indie Alehouse was the go-to brewery for Junction residents, auspiciously located at the intersection of Dundas West and Keele.

Come mid-October 2025, though, the brewpub closed its doors for good, centralizing all of its operations to its offshoot, Birrioteca, at Eataly Yorkville.

In the months that followed, Junction residents waited patiently to see who would be the next occupant of the space. The answer, it turns out, could come as a lunchbag letdown or seriously exciting news, depending on your stance on Big Macs.

Carol Jolly, Executive Director of The Junction BIA, confirms to blogTO that the space at 2876 Dundas St. W. will soon be home to a new McDonald's location, acknowledging that, while some residents may be disappointed that a locally owned business isn't moving in, the new location could actually be a good thing for the neighbourhood.

"The news is understandably generating a range of reactions in the community. The Junction has a very strong independent business identity, and Indie Alehouse was a longstanding and much-loved part of the neighbourhood, so some residents are disappointed to see a major international chain take over such a prominent location," Jolly notes.

"At the same time, a new restaurant at this corner will activate a significant vacant storefront and bring additional foot traffic and activity to one of the Junction's busiest intersections."

Jolly clarifies that, while the BIA isn't responsible for selecting or approving new tenants in the area, its job is to foster diversity and collaboration within the business area, and hopes that the new McDonald's will be open to engaging with the community.

"We have already reached out to McDonald’s Canada and asked to be connected with their development and operations teams early in the process," Jolly tells blogTO.

"We want to discuss how the new location can integrate successfully into the neighbourhood, including storefront and streetscape considerations, pedestrian activity and deliveries, litter management, community engagement, and opportunities to participate in local BIA initiatives and events."

The Junction restaurant is just one of several new McDonald's locations slated to open in Toronto, including planned additions at Yonge and Bloor and Bloor and Bathurst, and an additional 8000 new locations planned to open globally by 2027.

If you want my advice for grabbing a burger in the Junction, however, I'd tell you to just go to The Alpine.