Comments on: Here’s a location that Steve had mentioned liking to patronize, and the “oeuf” mentioned CP crews on the downtown portlands switching job used to stop at Union to visit: the Harvey’s restaurant located in Toronto Union Station’s Great Hall. This photo was taken on a special GHRA private tour of John Street Roundhouse (pre-museum) and the upper vacant levels of Toronto Union Station (before GO/Metrolinx renovated them and moved in), guided by the late Toronto railway historian Derek Boles. Note the vacant 2nd level corridor above the restaurant, and 3rd floor walkway above (just a narrow walkway with a very old glass floor, like the ones on this side above the main entrances). The Harvey’s restaurant chain was owned by Cara Operations Ltd, originally the Canadian Railway News Co. (that ran those CARA news kiosks in railway stations like Union, and later became the owner of the Swiss Chalet and Harvey’s franchises). According to Derek, the Toronto Terminals Railway contracted out operations of Union Station’s restaurant, lunch room and two newstands to the Canadian Railway News Co. in 1956, which some speculate may have eventually lead to this location later becoming a Harvey’s. Incidentally, the location of the aforementioned restaurant was the old “Oak Room” at the west end of the west waiting wing, that was demolished for the Skywalk entrance from Union, and the lunch room was the “Maple Room” (as the York Pioneer Restaurant in the 70′s) in that same area, now the site of the VIA Business Lounge. This photo may have broader appeal than just the railfan community, as it was one of those places frequented by many that was always there until it wasn’t, that nobody (well, almost nobody…) bothered taking a photo of to document its existence until it was too late. It was always good for grabbing a quick bite to eat with friends (as was the case on this day after the tour) or grabbing something to eat on the cab car ride home. And just like that, it was closed in 2011 during the Union Station renovations in order to replace the location with an escalator to the concourse below. If you watch the end of “The Silver Streak” when the train was a runaway, this spot (as “The Coffee Shop”, pre-Harveys) was the first restaurant location the train dispatcher ran into the look for the trainmaster. The Oak Room restaurant nearby was the second. You can also see the train crashing through the CARA news kiosk, that I remember was still at that exact same location in 2000 with the same sign, but was gone by 2005. Other fun facts about that area of Union was the original barber shop closing in early 2012 (also due to renovations), whose barber Bruno Villanova cut hair there for nearly 51 years – he was originally hired at Union Station not long after he came off the boat from Italy in 1961! The men’s washrooms right next to it were also used to film the (politically incorrect) “blackface” scenes when Gene Wilder and Richard Prior procured some shoe polish in order to get back on The Silver Streak (“What do we want with shoe polish?!” “Just pay the man!!!”).

By: Driver8666

Driver8666 — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 05:07:50 +0000

The Cinnabon. That’s torture.

By: MrDan

MrDan — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 05:03:21 +0000

Many a Cinnabon from the GO concourse was also enjoyed on a train or bus ride home. That odor just floated in the air down there sometimes. The Mmmuffins served nearby were mmmore for mmmorning snacks.

One other interesting thing I missed was the wall at the lower left, where there used to be seating. Some walls in the Great Hall had benches along them that were there for so long (years? decades?) that the limestone walls behind them were stained with the outlines of people from their hair leaning back against them. The wall on the other side for the Red Caps also comes to mind as having this effect.

By: Railfanmatt4

Railfanmatt4 — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 02:25:30 +0000

Oh man, what a throwback.

By: DoctaPinklaces

DoctaPinklaces — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 02:24:52 +0000

I miss this and the Cinnabon. I remember both well.

By: Eric May

Eric May — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:56:42 +0000

My kids and I miss that place.

By: Jakob Mueller

Jakob Mueller — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 23:15:07 +0000

I’m pretty sure I’ve wished this Harvey’s was still there every single time I’ve been through here since.

Very cool shot with the extra detail – thanks for posting, Dan.

By: dhaisell

dhaisell — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:41:44 +0000

I miss that Harvey’s, much as the escalators to the concourse are more useful.

By: dwarne

dwarne — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:20:05 +0000

Forgot this was there until this photo appeared, lots of memories eating there while passing through! Funny, it is a marvel how many food options are there now! Shake Shak for the win!

By: Driver8666

Driver8666 — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 14:34:29 +0000

Inebriated sports fans were definitely a given. Seen that spectacle myself.