CLOSURE: Square One restaurant shuts down amid ‘scam’ claims in Mississauga

A restaurant at the centre of numerous complaints about business practices has shut down in Square One.

Farzi Cafe in Square One Shopping Centre, which opened in 2021, has closed, a Square One spokesperson told INsauga.com on Monday.

“We are committed to providing a welcoming experience for everyone who visits Square One,” the spokesperson said. “When we are made aware of concerns, we actively review them and work to address the situation with urgency and care.”

The spokesperson added that Square One remains “focused on a positive shopping environment.”

The restaurant couldn’t be reached on June 16 for comment on the closure. It’s not clear if they will reopen in a new location.

The cafe was dealing with numerous complaints about “aggressive” and “misleading” upselling. Many reviews on TripAdvisor claim the restaurant “scams” customers. The complaints date back to 2023 on TripAdvisor. There is also a thread on Reddit from last year and more comments on Google Reviews.

The Better Business Bureau gives Farzi Cafe Mississauga an “F” for failure to respond to four complaints filed against the business and 22 complaints filed against the business.

In early June, Farzi Cafe Mississauga was the subject of a video posted on TikTok, in which a woman claimed to have been overcharged and said she was not given an itemized bill.

“It’s not about $39, it’s about the fact that they are doing this to people intentionally, they are cheating their customers and hoping nobody will notice,” she said in the video.

The cafe responded with their own social media post and said they were pursuing legal action.

A spokesperson told INsauga.com that they stood by their statement on social media.

Farzi Cafe Mississauga was also dealing with a franchise issue. Massive Restaurants owner Zorawar Kalra stated that the Farzi Cafe Mississauga franchise was terminated in April 2024. Kalra said the matter is in court.