‘It has my soul,’ beloved Toronto diner has its legacy celebrated in new documentary
Published December 20, 2024 at 11:05 am
A beloved Toronto diner is in the spotlight, as a new documentary on its legacy has just been released to the public.
The documentary, lovingly titled ‘SKYLINE,’ was posted on the restaurant’s official Instagram page, with the caption “Both a love letter to restaurants and a cautionary tale. A primer, if you will, on how not to be a dick on social media.”
The short film, which originally debuted at the TIFF Lightbox during the 2023 Hot Docs festival, was posted yesterday (Dec. 19) to allow fans of the over-60-year-old institution to celebrate its community impact.
While only a little over five minutes, the short was written and stoically narrated by renowned food critic Ivy Knight, who details her experience with the location’s change in ownership.
“Some f***ing hipsters bought it, and we were weeping into our little cut glass bowls of Jell-O. Like, what were they going to do to this place? We were so sad,” whispers Knight’s narration over footage of the diner’s interior.
Throughout the short, Knight digs in her heels about what made the original location so special and how a lingering fear of change made her stubborn to engage with the revamped locale.
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After visiting The Skyline under its new ownership, and eating a burger that didn’t match the standard of her beloved ‘greasy spoon’ quality, she wrote a scathing review online.
“I never post anything negative, but that day, I did, I was a real a**hole,” says Knight in the documentary.
Knight then describes hearing from the new owners, who responded earnestly, indicating that with little money, they bought the Skyline out of their love of Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood and the diner’s legacy.
“It really touched me, because I love diners so much, and I don’t love them in an ironic way or kitschy way or whatever, I love them with my heart and soul,” says Knight’s narration.
As the documentary progresses, Knight describes revisiting the Skyline after this interaction and falling in love with it all over again, celebrating its sandwiches, milkshakes and general vibe that she describes as “having her soul.”
Knight then cheekily closes her narration by stating “I don’t want you to spread my ashes at the skyline when I die, but maybe, dump them behind the alley out back.”
Featuring music by local musical powerhouse Andy Shauf and directed by J.R. Reid, SKYLINE is now available on the restaurant’s official Instagram page.