Globe Café

The Globe Restaurant opened at 13 King Street East, between 1917 and 1921, under the management of King Lee Chow.  Chow had immigrated to Canada in 1907 and made his way to Oshawa.  The 1921 census shows us that Chow was living above the restaurant, along with Lee Lick, Lee Gee, Lee Woo and Yet Lee.  Lick, Gee and Woo all worked at the Globe, while Lee was listed as being a student.

By 1923, the Globe changed hands and was a partnership between members of the Seto family, along with Ing Soon and Harry You.  This changed once again in 1930, when the restaurant become solely owned by members of the Seto family. During this time, Hong Seto took over ownership of the Waldorf Café, located at 11 Simcoe Street North.

Hong Seto, one of the first partners in the restaurant, came to Canada from China in 1910. Eventually, the family owned and operated the Globe Restaurant, the Waldorf Café and the Seto Café. Hong Seto retired from the business in 1972.

The restaurant was destroyed by fire in December 1983.  The family rebuilt and the New Globe opened on Athol Street in May 1985.

With information from:

Untold Oshawa (Oshawa Historical Society, 2024).