A Soulful Expansion: Islas’ Journey from Parkdale to a New Filipino Culinary Haven
Written by Raphael Tigno in coordination with Bryan Tigno, Frazier De Mesa, Roberto Domingo, Elli Velasquez, Demevie and Liya Park. Photography by Frazier De Mesa.
There’s something profound about a restaurant changing locations. The walls of an old space hold years of memories, while a new venue offers blank pages waiting to be filled with stories. At Islas, Mark and Marielle Buenaventura’s Filipino restaurant, this transition from their intimate Parkdale location to a sprawling historic building in North York’s Downsview neighborhood represents more than a business expansion—it’s the evolution of a culinary vision seven years in the making.
From Intimate Origins to Grand Ambitions
“It was our second baby,” says Marielle, reflecting on their original restaurant, which they opened when their son was just three years old. The cozy Parkdale spot became known not only for Chef Mark’s thoughtful approach to Filipino cuisine but also for its warm hospitality and community feel.
The limitations were significant—the space could accommodate only 50 diners at a time. Yet in that constraint, they built something special. “That location taught me to be exposed to people, to the community, to relate to our customers,” says Marielle, an accountant by profession who describes herself as naturally introverted.
Their new home occupies a building with 60 years of history as an Italian restaurant, featuring architecture reminiscent of Intramuros, Manila’s historic walled city from the Spanish colonial period. “When we first entered the building, it feels like Intramuros, Old Manila,” Marielle explains with evident enthusiasm.
There’s a beautiful symmetry in this succession—one immigrant cuisine passing the torch to another, the building itself a witness to the changing tapestry of Toronto’s food scene. “We want to take over now and maybe be here for another 60 years and keep the place going,” Mark says with quiet determination.
A Multi-Faceted Filipino Experience
The move has allowed Islas to evolve beyond the constraints of a traditional restaurant model. Where the original location struggled to host events despite demand, the new space naturally divides into several distinct areas, each serving a different purpose in showcasing Filipino culture.
Upon entering, guests encounter a café lounge—a concept Marielle notes is surprisingly rare in Filipino restaurants. “This is the space for those who just want to lounge, meet friends over coffee, or have quick bites,” she explains. Here, they envision serving ube lattes and Filipino-inspired pastries, extending their cultural showcase beyond dinner service.
The main dining hall accommodates 50-60 people and features tables that can be easily arranged to create the long, communal dining experiences central to Filipino gatherings. “In the Philippines, we always have big gatherings,” says Marielle. “We could host 10, 20, up to 30 long tables.”
A separate bar area offers a more intimate setting for date nights or casual drinks, while a dedicated banquet hall provides space for larger gatherings, accommodating up to 150-300 people. “It’s convenient for the majority of those clientele. We have from east-west, north-south, so it’s kind of centered close to Highway 401,” Marielle notes about the strategic location for events.
Downstairs, beneath the main floor, lies another versatile event space that has already hosted a traditional Filipino debut celebration. Mark envisions using these areas for regional-focused dinners that highlight the diverse culinary traditions across the Philippines’ thousands of islands. “We want to create themed dinners where we’re focused more on different areas of the Philippines. Maybe different regions, different styles of cooking,” he explains.
Elevating Filipino Cuisine While Honoring Traditions
For Chef Mark, the expanded kitchen and concept present an opportunity to further elevate Filipino cuisine without losing its soul. “There’s no limit to what we could do with Filipino food,” he states with the confidence of someone who understands both innovation and tradition.
This philosophy manifests in dishes like lobster adobo—a luxury interpretation of a Filipino staple characterized by its vinegar-soy braising technique. “I think we also have an opportunity to help educate people about our cuisine,” Mark notes, seeing the restaurant as a platform for cultural exchange through food.
Marielle adds that they’re excited to incorporate Filipino flavors into everything from pastries to cocktails, mentioning an ube colada and tamarind-infused margaritas that have already become signatures. “We could do it in croissant,” she muses about Filipino flavor infusions. “There’s really a lot of potential to elevate Filipino food. But of course, Filipino cuisine in its classic presentation is still the best, and we will be trying to keep the classic Filipino dishes and play around with elevated Filipino.”
This balance—honoring culinary heritage while embracing evolution—reflects a sophisticated understanding of how immigrant cuisines can thrive in new environments.
Maintaining Soul Through Transition
Despite the excitement surrounding their expansion, both Mark and Marielle acknowledge the emotional weight of leaving Parkdale. “It’s a bittersweet feeling because it’s like our second baby,” Marielle reflects. “There’s so many good memories built in that location.”
The couple worked thoughtfully to bring elements of the original restaurant to their new space, including a distinctive plastic roof material that they traveled to Aurora to source during freezing weather. “This is how passionate we are to bring part of the vibe from Parkdale to here,” Marielle says with evident pride.
They’ve also preserved the 60-year-old chairs from the Italian restaurant, reupholstering them but maintaining their historical integrity. In these gestures, we see a profound respect for continuity—honoring both their own history and the legacy of the space they now inhabit.
A Cultural Haven
Beyond serving exceptional food, the Buenaventuras see their restaurant as fulfilling a deeper cultural purpose. As Marielle explains their choice of gold cutlery: “Our fellow Filipinos also deserve to be served. Sometimes we deprive ourselves from that. That we’re always the ones serving other people.”
This statement speaks volumes about the immigrant experience and reveals how Islas serves as a space of cultural affirmation—a place where Filipino traditions are celebrated and shared with pride.
“We treat all our guests as family,” Marielle says, articulating a hospitality philosophy that extends far beyond business. The restaurant becomes a place where Filipinos can bring non-Filipino friends to experience their culture, where community meetings can happen, and where families can celebrate milestones in a space that feels both authentic and elevated.
A New Chapter for Filipino Cuisine in Toronto
For Toronto’s food scene, Islas’ expansion represents the growing confidence and ambition of Filipino cuisine in North America. Long overshadowed by other Asian culinary traditions, Filipino food is finally receiving the recognition it deserves, with restaurants like Islas leading the way.
With their thoughtful balance of tradition and innovation, respect for cultural heritage, and vision for the future, Mark and Marielle Buenaventura aren’t just growing a restaurant—they’re creating a more permanent home for Filipino culinary traditions in Toronto’s diverse gastronomic landscape.
In the new Islas opening on April 25, 2025, we see the future of Filipino cuisine—confident, innovative, and deeply rooted in tradition. More importantly, we see a place where people will gather, share stories, and create new memories together around food that speaks of distant islands, complex history, and the universal language of hospitality.
Visit Islas at their new Downsview location at 890 Wilson Ave, North York, ON M3K 1E7 to experience their unique vision of Filipino cuisine and culture.
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