How it works

From public records to your next account.

DoorMap reads four public datasets every morning, matches them to the same business and shows you how close each new restaurant, café or bar is to opening.

1.0The signals

Four moments that give an opening away.

Each source catches a new venue at a different point on its way to opening day.

  1. 01 · Months before

    Building permits

    A retail unit being converted to a restaurant with a commercial kitchen.

  2. 02 · 1–2 months before

    Liquor licences

    Newly issued AGCO liquor licences for bars and restaurants.

  3. 03 · Weeks before

    Business licences

    Newly issued eating-establishment and take-out licences.

  4. 04 · At opening

    Health inspections

    A food premises inspected by DineSafe for the first time.

2.0The process

From record to lead, every morning.

  1. 01

    Collect

    Every source is downloaded fresh each morning.

  2. 02

    Filter

    Only restaurants, cafés, bars, bakeries and take-out in Toronto. Grocery stores, schools and daycares are skipped.

  3. 03

    Match

    Records for the same business at the same address are merged into one listing.

  4. 04

    Estimate

    The furthest signal sets the stage, and the opening date is estimated from typical timelines.

  5. 05

    Screen

    Listings with thin evidence are held back for review before they're published.

Set your territory

Pick the neighbourhoods you cover and the venues you sell to: restaurants, cafés, bars, bakeries or take-out.

King WestKensington MarketLittle PortugalDovercourtWillowdaleGarden DistrictLeslievilleChristie PitsMillikenUniversityDavisvilleCorktownParkdaleThe AnnexRestaurantCaféBarBakeryTake-out
5 areas · 2 venue types105 openings right now

We watch the city

Every source, every morning. Records are matched to the same business.

  • Building permit + Business licence→ Pur & Simple
  • Business licence + DineSafe inspection→ Via Gnocchi
  • Building permit + Business licence→ Cafe Lina 12
  • Business licence + DineSafe inspection→ Cafe Roma Restaurant
  • AGCO liquor licence + Business licence→ Chula Taverna Mexicana

Reach them first

Get a short list of new openings with the stage, address and owner contact, while they are still choosing suppliers.

Pur & Simple

1 York St, Toronto

Licensed
Building permitBusiness licence
Owner contact

3.0Data sources

Every listing comes from a public record.

All four datasets are published openly and checked every morning.

Building permits

City of Toronto Open Data · Toronto Building

Renovating

Active permits for commercial fit-outs and changes of use. We keep the ones whose proposed use is a restaurant, café, bakery, bar or take-out.

136 listings at this stage right now

Liquor sales licences

Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO)

Liquor licence

Newly issued liquor licences for bars and restaurants. Renewals of existing licences are left out.

51 listings at this stage right now

Business licences

City of Toronto Open Data · Municipal Licensing & Standards

Licensed

Newly issued eating, drinking and take-out establishment licences, with the business's operating name.

587 listings at this stage right now

DineSafe inspections

City of Toronto Open Data · Toronto Public Health

Opening now

A food premises inspected for the first time. It usually means the doors are about to open, or just have.

178 listings at this stage right now

4.0Who it's for

Built for the companies that supply Toronto's food scene.

Food and beverage distributors

Win the weekly order before a new kitchen signs with someone else.

Kitchen equipment dealers

Reach owners during build-out, when the big purchases are made.

Coffee roasters and beverage brands

Get onto the menu of new cafés and bars before they open.

Insurance and service providers

Liquor liability, cleaning, linen and pest control for every new venue.

5.0FAQ

Questions, answered.

How early can you spot an opening?
Building permits can appear months before opening day. Liquor licences usually come one to two months before, business licences a few weeks before, and the first health inspection happens around opening.
Where does the data come from?
From public records published by the City of Toronto and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, under the Open Government Licence – Toronto and the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
How accurate are the opening dates?
They're estimates, based on the typical time between each signal and opening day. Real timelines vary, so treat them as a guide to how close a place is, not a fixed date.
Which areas do you cover?
All of the City of Toronto, grouped into neighbourhoods such as King West, Leslieville or Willowdale.
How often is it updated?
Every morning. A new opening usually shows up within a day of a matching record being published.
Browse this week's openings

See the openings in your area this week.

Tell us where you sell and what you supply. We'll send a free sample report of upcoming restaurants, cafés and bars.