TORONTO -- Sweet treat lovers near Toronto can now have their cheesecake and eat it too with the opening of Canada's first Cheesecake Factory location today.

The U.S. restaurant chain, which serves dozens of different kinds of desserts, announced earlier this year that it would bring its restaurant to Toronto's Yorkdale Shopping Centre in the fall.

The new location spans about 966 square metres and employs more than 300 staff in a variety of positions.

The Cheesecake Factory was founded in 1978 and operates 211 restaurants primarily throughout the United States.