What Happened to Caplansky's After Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Season 16, Episode 13 Aired March 25, 2013

Zane Caplansky's College Street deli was a stop in the episode "Real Deal Roots" (aired 2013-03-25). Toronto Life's recap, published 2013-04-08, described smoked meat followed from spice rub through brining, smoking and slicing, an oversized knish, maple bacon doughnuts and a look at curing beef bacon. The deli stood at College Street and Brunswick Avenue and was the company's first, CTV News Toronto reported on 2018-01-03. That day Global News and CTV News Toronto both reported that Caplansky announced the College Street deli would close, with the owner calling it a decision made "with tremendous sadness and reluctance."

CTV reported that the Yorkville location and a Terminal 3 spot at Toronto Pearson airport were still open at that point. In 2026 the Caplansky's website, viewed on 2026-10-19, presented an online shop selling deli mustards, with a footer naming Caplansky's Deli Mustard LLC and the year 2026. A public Google listing for a Caplansky's Deli at 6301 Silver Dart Drive in Mississauga, the Terminal 3 address Wikipedia gives for the airport outlet, was marked operational on 2026-10-19.

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Season 19, Episode 15 Aired June 21, 2014

Caplansky's Deli returned in "Grilling Greats," a special that aired 2014-06-21. TheTVDB lists the episode as a one-hour special revisiting grilling and barbecue dishes from across the series, among them smoked deli meats in Toronto, though the listing does not name the restaurant. The deli's original appearance, the episode "Real Deal Roots" in March 2013, showed smoked meat made from spice rub through brining, smoking and slicing, according to Toronto Life's recap of 2013-04-08, which also mentioned an oversized knish and maple bacon doughnuts. According to Wikipedia, Zane Caplansky founded the business and opened the full-service deli at 356 College Street in 2009.

CTV News Toronto reported on 2018-01-03 that the College Street deli, the company's first, was closing, and Global News carried the owner's announcement the same day. Both outlets reported that the Pearson Terminal 3 and Yorkville locations remained open at that time.

You Gotta Eat Here!, Season 2, Episode 4 Aired February 22, 2013

In the episode of You Gotta Eat Here! that aired 2013-02-22 (season 2, episode 4), host John Catucci learned about smoked meat at Caplansky's Delicatessen in Toronto, according to the TVmaze episode listing. The deli was a Jewish-style delicatessen run by Zane Caplansky. Wikipedia's article on the business says it began in 2007 as a room in the Monarch Tavern and that the full-service deli opened at 356 College Street, near Kensington Market, in 2009. BlogTO reported in January 2018 that Caplansky announced the College Street deli had closed, and that the Yorkville outlet, the Toronto Pearson airport outlet and the food truck were continuing at that point.

Wikipedia lists the airport outlet as operated under license by HMSHost, says the Yorkville outlet ended in January 2018, and says the mustards were relaunched for online sale in 2019. When read in October 2026, the caplanskys.com site carried a 2026 copyright, sold four deli mustards made in small production runs, and described the business as operating in Toronto since 2008.