Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign Raises $136,711.96 For Peterborough Humane Society and Five Counties Children's Centre

The community came together for the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign, raising $136,711.96 to be split between Five Counties Children’s Centre (FCCC) and the Peterborough Humane Society (PHS), announced on Tuesday morning.

Nationally, the 2026 Smile Cookie Campaign raised a record‑breaking $23.3 million in support of more than 700 charities and community groups across Canada. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Each organization received $68,355.98 from the campaign, which ran from April 27 to May 3. Funds were collected from Smile Cookie purchases at any of the 18 participating locations in Peterborough, Bridgnorth, Lakefield and Curve Lake.

Five Counties is putting its proceeds towards its ‘Building Abilities for Life’ campaign that ensures kids can more easily access high-demand treatment services that will benefit them as they grow up.

@ptbo_canada This spring’s Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign raised $136,711.96 to be split between the Five Counties Children’s Centre and the Peterborough Humane Society. #p#ptbocanadaj#journalismf#fypn#newss#smilecookie ♬ Smile - Official Sound Studio

“Our community truly came together to make this all possible,” said Scott Pepin, FCCC CEO. “We are grateful to everyone who volunteered their time, helped spread the word, purchased Smile Cookies, and supported this initiative. We are also very appreciative of Tim Hortons and its staff, who warmly welcomed our volunteers. Their ongoing generosity and commitment to community organizations is truly inspiring, and it was a pleasure to work alongside them and the Peterborough Humane Society.”

The Peterborough Humane Society is using its funds towards its animal care programs, including sheltering, medical care and adoptions for animals in need.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Tim Hortons owners for selecting us as a Smile Cookie beneficiary and for the opportunity to partner with both Five Counties throughout this campaign,” said Shawn Morey, PHS CEO. “We're proud to have more than 100 volunteers lend their time throughout the week. We extend our sincere thanks to the Tim Hortons staff who made us feel like part of the team. With the support of our community, many children, families, and pets will benefit.”

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Topper's Pizza Bringing Fresh Slices To Peterborough After Celebrating Its Grand Opening

Peterborough’s latest pizza chain restaurant, Topper's Pizza, has hit town as it plans to serve up delicious cheesy pies and hosted its grand opening on Monday morning.

Brothers and Franchise Partners Brijesh Patel (left) and Kishan Patel (right) putting one of their gourmet pizzas, ‘Meat Mountain’ on display. Topper’s Pizza was founded in Sudbury and has 45 locations in Ontario. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Located at 999 Lansdowne St. W. at the Byersville Creek Plaza, the Sudbury-based pizza chain held a ribbon-cutting ceremony with a representative of Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP and a grand-opening pizza special to commemorate the occasion.

Brothers Brijesh and Kishan Patel are the franchise partners of the Peterborough location. Both were Fleming College alumni and look forward to being part of the community with their newly launched business.

“We have been waiting for this moment and this day for the last eight months,” explained Brijesh. “We are planning to grow in the Peterborough community as early as possible.”

“We are eager to serve the community here in Peterborough,” said Kishan. “Hopefully we can give the best taste (of pizza) and give what the Peterborough community wants. That’s our goal.”

@ptbo_canada Topper’s Pizza had its grand opening in Peterborough on May 11, 2026. The Sudbury-based pizza chain makes its first Peterborough location with brothers Brijesh and Kishan Patel as the location’s franshise partners. #ptbocanada #journalism #fyp #news #pizza ♬ Gets Like That - Max Dean & Luke Dean

In addition to pizza, the restaurant serves panuzzos, flatbread, chicken and a modified panzerotti called a Topperoti.

The franchise was started in 1982 by the Toppazzini family. Topper’s uses an old family recipe for its pizza crust/bread that was widely utilized in the early 1900s, according to Keith Toppazzini, founding family member.

“In 1982, we decided to take that family formula, turn it into a pizza shop and 44 years later, we’re at store number 45,” he said.

The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

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The Vine Scaling Back Operations Due to Health Issues; GoFundMe Created to Aid In Recovery

A GoFundMe has been created for pescetarian restaurant The Vine, which has had to cut back its operating hours and service after its co-owner, Tyrone Flowers, posted an emotional message on Instagram on Thursday morning about his unknown health issues.

Tyrone Flowers, The Vine Co-Owner opened the pescatrian restaurant in late May of 2023. File Photo.

“We don't know what the ****’s going on with me,” explained Flowers. “Doctors don't seem to seem to know, there’s lots of tests that still need to be done.”

On April 9, The Vine first went on reduced hours after a trip to the ER according to their Instagram post. Since then, the restaurant has operated on some days with reduced hours and cancelled events. The Vine could not be open consistently due to Flowers’s health issues, which could possibly be a stroke.

“We really haven’t been able to open much since the beginning of April due to debilitating migraines, fainting spells, confusion during service and many more symptoms,” said Lauren Mortlock, Flowers’s spouse and co-owner.

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A post shared by The Vine (@thevine_ptbo)

She started a GoFundMe on Wednesday with a $10,000 goal to help the couple during this period while Flowers recovers.

“We still have specialist appointments, CT scans, MRIs and more ahead of us before we get any answers and with no income coming in it’s hard to keep going,” explained Mortlock. “We are looking for financial support to get us through a month or two while he recovers from what we have been told could be a stroke.”

Flowers reluctantly agreed to the GoFundMe only as a last resort.

“Lauren set up a GoFundMe which was really hard for me to say okay to because if you know me, you know that I hate asking for help but that’s where we are,” he explained.

Flowers and Mortlock are known for giving back, providing free community meals, running animal-fundraising initiatives, giveaways and more.

The GoFundMe has nearly reached $3,000 at the time of this article’s publication. Flowers said he will update the public as often as he can.

Donations to the GoFundMe page can be made by clicking here.

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Mei Mei Chinese Buffet & Takeout Brings All-You-Can-Eat Restaurant Back to Peterborough With Grand Opening

Helping to revive all-you-can-eat restaurants in Peterborough, Mei Mei Chinese Buffet & Takeout welcomed hungry customers at their grand opening on Wednesday evening.

Co-owners Morgan Bell (left) and Susan Tung (right) with some of their classic and popular buffet dishes such as Torpedo Shrimp, Egg Rolls, General Tso’s Chicken and more. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Over 30 people were lined up at the restaurant during the grand opening, with several more customers coming after the doors opened. Co-owners Susan Tung and Morgan Bell said they were scared and nervous ahead of the grand opening. They have received a lot of positive feedback, leading to high expectations since their soft opening (takeout only) that began on Feb. 25.

“The positive response of this restaurant has been beyond what I imagined and now opening the buffet feels like we’re opening the floodgates,” said Tung. “At the same time, I feel like our hard work is paying off.”

“I think after our friends and family buffet night, we had to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to keep up with demand,” explained Bell. “This week so far, it has felt like we were preparing for war but I’m really proud of the team we’ve built and I can’t wait to see how we grow from here.”

Bell (pictured) sets up all the buffet trays minutes before doors open at the grand opening. All photos by David Tuan Bui.

The restaurant is located at 1080 Lansdowne St. W. in Consumers Plaza, at the former Wimpy’s Diner location, and offers a dinner buffet or takeout, with more options coming later. Several Peterborough Chinese restaurants that offered all-you-can-eat buffets prior to the COVID-19 pandemic did not reintroduce the concept after restrictions were lifted. This was an opportunity that Bell and Tung could not pass up.

“Who doesn’t love a buffet? I think we really just want to open restaurants we want to eat at. I was also really excited to learn and work with Mei (Tung’s mother),” said Bell. “She’s the Chinese Food Queen and I’m very honoured to learn from her.”

“I’ve skimmed Reddit enough to know what the people want and the Google search analytics,” said Tung. “Morgan and I joke about our mantra, which is give the people what they want and a Chinese buffet it is.”

This was not Tung’s first rodeo running a Chinese restaurant as her family previously owned the Golden Wheel Restaurant in the Springville area for several years. It was sold after Tung’s parents had retired.

“This is classic comfort Chinese/Canadian food that my parents sold at the Golden Wheel,” said Tung. We’ve slimmed down the menu because it’s unrealistic for us to sustainably have such a large menu but we stuck to the greatest hits.”

The restaurant is named after Tung’s mother in honour of the work and dedication she put into the Golden Wheel and her other restaurants.

“My mom was the anchor/boss lady at the Golden Wheel and when I was coming up with names for the restaurant, there wasn’t even a debate or question about what the name was going to be,” she explained. “My mom’s presence in my existing businesses is so felt. My team has so much respect for her and they learn from her even when she just pops in. It’s only fitting to carry on her legacy in my own way.”

Tung has founded and owned several food-industry businesses in Peterborough, including Hanoi House, Electric City Catering and Naka Japanese (sold to Emily Tan on Nov. 1, 2024). Bell had served as general manager for those businesses but this time joins Tung as a co-owner of Mei Mei.

“Over time, Susan and I realized we’re two halves of the same brain when it comes to building ideas,” explained Bell. “I’ve always put everything into the projects we’ve done together but this one felt different. We built it side by side, from the ideas to the problems, it didn’t feel like I was just supporting anymore. It felt right to step in as a partner.”

@ptbo_canada Peterborough’s newest Chinese restaurant, Mei Mei Chinese Buffet & Takeout is now open!!! #ptbocanada #journalism #fyp #news #food ♬ Chinese musical instruments cinematic of towns and fields(1329013) - GlanZauber

The following are the restaurant’s business hours:

• Monday: Closed

• Tuesday: Closed

• Wednesday: 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Thursday: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Friday: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Saturday: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Sunday: 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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Peterborough’s Mac & Cheese Festival Returns This April With Downtown Grand Finale Event

The cheesy goodness is back as the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) hosts the Mac & Cheese Festival, running from April 1 to April 25.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough DBIA.

This month-long celebration invites residents and visitors to explore a lineup of limited-time mac & cheese features from 20 restaurants, culminating in the Grand Finale Event on April 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Quaker Foods City Square. Attendees can sample dishes from select vendors and watch as a panel of local celebrity judges crowns the 2026 Mac & Cheese Champion.

According to the DBIA, some of the participating restaurants are taking the classic cheesy dish in bold and unexpected directions. Lola’s Cakes and Coffee is offering a Mac and Cheese Tiramisu, the first time a dessert is being served in the festival’s history.

“People are going to ask if there is really macaroni in the tiramisu and the answer is yes. It sounds crazy, but one bite and you’ll be hooked,” says Nino Ante, Lola’s Cakes and Coffee owner. “It’s the dessert adventure you didn’t know you needed. We decided to push the boundaries and make people smile with every bite.” 

Throughout April, locals and visitors are encouraged to try as many dishes as possible and vote online for their favourite to determine the People’s Choice Award winner.

Restaurants offering in-store features this year include:

• Agave by Imperial

• Ashburnham Ale House

• The Back 40 Smokehouse

• By the Bridge

• Cork and Bean

• Dreams of Beans

• La Mesita

• Lola’s Cakes and Coffee

• Love You, Mean It

• McThirsty’s Pint

• Pappas Billiards

• The Revy

• Bar Vita

• Riverside Grill

• Sam’s Place Deli

• St. Veronus

• The Boardwalk Game Lounge

• The Railyard Cafe

• The Vine (last year’s People’s Choice award winner)

• Turnbull Cafe (the Judge’s Choice winner for 2025)

“Our downtown is home to so many passionate entrepreneurs and talented chefs, and this event is a great way to experience that firsthand. Mac and Cheese fest is a great example of what downtown Peterborough is all about” says Nour Mazloum, Executive Director of the Peterborough DBIA. “Showcasing this talent is a large part of how we’re building a vibrant, welcoming downtown people want to return to all year long.”

The contenders for the grand finale event include:

• Agave by Imperial

• The Back 40 Smokehouse

• By the Bridge, La Mesita

• Lola’s Cakes and Coffee

• The Revy

• The Boardwalk Game Lounge

• The Vine

• Turnbull Cafe

@ptbo_canada The cheesy goodness is back as the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area hosts the Mac & Cheese Festival, running from April 1 to April 25. ##ptbocanada##journalism##fyp##news##macandcheese ♬ Macaroni & Cheese - David Chicken

Other vendors will be on site with treats and beverages.

The Mac and Cheese Festival Grand Finale event is also fully licensed this year for attendees 19+. With the mac & cheese, there will be live music, family-friendly activities, brews & seltzers and cozy lounge spaces.

Mac & cheese lovers can vote online for your favourite dish to help determine the People’s Choice Award winner. Voting will go live on April 1.

To vote in the People’s Choice Award, visit theboro.ca.

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Peterborough Gets Less Sweet As Two Dessert Spots Announce Closure

Dessert options in Peterborough are declining, as BeaverTails and The Vanilla Room have announced on their social media accounts that they are closing their businesses.

Adam (left) and Michelle Levesque (right) showcasing a strawberry cheesecake BeaverTail and strawberry lemonade. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The Vanilla Room had announced its closure on its social media platforms last Tuesday, citing rising costs and the current economic state.

“The reality is simply the state of the world right now. Rising costs, an uncertain economy, and the fact that many people just don’t have the extra room to spend on treats the way they once did. And we completely understand that,” said Kayla Da Luz, The Vanilla Room owner.

Located at 386 Water St., The Vanilla Room opened in early fall of 2024. The bakery and café served sandwiches and wraps, croffles, snacks and a variety of drinks.

An exact date for their closure has not been announced but the business said they will update the community as soon as they can.

Following suit with The Vanilla Room is BeaverTails who announced its closure on social media on Jan. 24.

“This was not an easy decision as we have some amazing customers we consider friends but we are lacking the consistency required for survival,” said Adam and Michelle Levesque of BeaverTails.

The couple opened their food truck in mid-September of 2023 just outside of Peterborough in Selwyn.

BeaverTails announced it will close no later than Feb. 15 or when it has sold out of product. Adam and Michelle are rebranding themselves as the food truck, Chemong Chuck Wagon. It will remain in the same location as their BeaverTails business at 1665 Chemong Rd. beside Home Hardware.

BeaverTails are deep-fried dough that can be topped with spreads, sauces, chocolate bar bits, fruit/fruit sauces and more.

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Local Restauranteur Announces New Chinese Buffet to Be Opened In Peterborough

Susan Tung, local restaurateur and owner/founder of Hanoi House, is bringing back a favourite in a Chinese buffet to Peterborough, announced on her social media on Tuesday afternoon.

Photo courtesy of Susan Tung.

“When Covid happened, a bunch of restaurants had to adapt and a bunch had to close down because they couldn't adapt to the situation,” explained Tung. “Now that all that's over, it's time for me to bring this concept back.”

Tung is documenting her journey on her YouTube channel from the initial lease to the grand opening of the restaurant.

She has already discovered a location from a previously closed-down restaurant. Tung signed a five-year lease on her video and mentioned that she had already purchased some restaurant equipment from the previous owner.

Tung is no stranger to Chinese cuisine and operating restaurants of that style since it is her heritage. Her family had previously owned the Golden Wheel Restaurant in the Springville area for several years. It was sold after Tung’s parents had retired.

She opened her first restaurant, Hanoi House, on Hunter Street in early 2020. A second location opened at Lansdowne Street on Dec. 9 of the same year but consolidated all operations to the latter due to increasing overhead expenses incurred from running two restaurants compared to one in July 2022.

Tung kept the property on Hunter Street and opened NAKA Japanese in February of 2023. She sold the business to Emily Tan in early November of last year, allowing the former to focus on Hanoi House and her growing family.

Earlier this year, Tung launched her new catering company, Electric City Catering, in the spring.

A timeline, name and location for the new Chinese buffet have not been disclosed at this time.

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The Back40 Smoke House Restaurant Set to Open Its Doors In Downtown Peterborough On May 1

The flavour of slow-cooked meats is coming to Downtown Peterborough, as restaurant The Back40 Smoke House opens its doors to the public on May 1.

Mitch Lowes, owner of Flame Spitters Hot Sauce and co-owner of The Back40 Smoke House has his hot sauce available in over 160 locations. His brand has also won seven first-place awards. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

It is co-owned by Jamie and Darby Mousseau, Chris Duplantis and Mitch Lowes. It is located at 287 George St. N. at the former Taso’s Restaurant & Pizzeria and the short-lived The Locker Room location.

The restaurant will feature traditional smokehouse cuisine including pulled pork, brisket, ribs and more. The restaurant is an extension of the Mousseaus as they own the restaurant ‘The Back40 Smoke Box’ in Fenelon Falls and Whitby and have a catering business of the same affiliation.

“At first it was going to be a Cajun Creole restaurant, that's what my plan was,” explained Lowes. “He owns three restaurants so he suggested bringing it here and it just made sense.”

Both the Mousseaus and Lowes have their own lines of hot sauces, The Back40 Hot Sauce and the locally owned Flame Spitters Hot Sauce, respectively, which are also being incorporated into the menu. Their respective products will also be available for purchase at the establishment.

They met at a hot sauce expo and frequently attended the same events over time. Their partnership helped spark the dream of the local entrepreneur to open a restaurant.

“Eventually, I was going to take Flame Spitter to the next level, take the money I've been saving for it and this opportunity arrived for me,” said Lowes.

To accommodate the bar rush, the smokehouse will have a take-out window with a condensed menu, as it is conveniently located near several nightclubs and bars. It will be open until 3 a.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. It will feature sandwiches, poutine and chicken wings.

The restaurant plans to feature live music, special event nights, daily food specials, and 12 local draft beers on tap, with two of them on rotation.

“We hope to turn this into a place for the community will actually love, sit down and enjoy,” said Lowes.

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Local Restaurateur to Launch 'Electric City Catering' This Spring

Susan Tung, local restaurateur and Hanoi House owner, is officially launching ‘Electric City Catering’ this spring, announced on Tuesday.

Tung (left) and Bell (right) in front of Hanoi House, Tung’s first restaurant that she opened in Febuary of 2020. Photo courtesy of Susan Tung.

“The name ‘Electric City Catering’ pays homage to Peterborough’s heritage while reflecting our commitment to being a vibrant part of this community,” said Tung. “We aim to make every event unforgettable by combining incredible food with memorable experiences.”

The company would be available to service several occasions, such as weddings, corporate events and private celebrations. Tung says the company’s services can be used for either formal, casual or any atmosphere in between.

“We’ve loved hosting special moments within the four walls of our restaurants but this venture allows us to expand and be part of even more celebrations throughout the community,” she explained.

Morgan, Hanoi House’s general manager (and Tung’s former restaurant NAKA Japanese), will be the catering director for Electric City Catering. She graduated from George Brown’s Culinary Management program and has had prior experience working at Kettle Drums before moving to Hanoi House.

Tung opened Hanoi House on Valentine’s Day 2020, located at 213 Hunter St. W. After opening a second location of Hanoi House at 1040 Lansdowne St. W., Tung closed the Hunter Street location to consolidate the restaurant several months later.

She founded and opened NAKA Japanese in mid-February of 2023 at her former Hanoi House location on Hunter Street. W. Tung sold NAKA to Emily Tan on Nov. 1.

According to Tung, Electric City Catering is currently accepting bookings for the spring and summer. Inquiries or bookings can be made by emailing electriccitycater@gmail.com. A catering menu can be found at www.electriccitycatering.ca.

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Alzheimer Society Launch 'Dining for Dementia' to Mark Alzheimer Awareness Month

To recognize Alzheimer Awareness Month during January, the Alzheimer Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton have launched a ‘Dining for Dementia’ fundraiser, which also helps local businesses.

Photo Courtesy Of The Alzheimer Society PKLNH.

Inspired by the Alzheimer Society of Durham's campaign, this initiative brings diners to local restaurants. During that time, they can contribute to the local Alzheimer Society and support restaurants during a slower time following the holiday rush.

A portion of each meal at participating restaurants will be donated to support counselling services, education, and recreational programs for caregivers and those living with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. 

The following restaurants are currently participating in this initiative: 

Peterborough:

• Hanoi House

• Allen Gourmet Coffee & Eatery

• La Mesita Mexican Restaurante

• Bobo Tea

• Brickhouse Craft Burger

• The Favourite Greek

Cobourg:

• The Pink Café

Campbellford:

• Riverview Family Restaurant

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