Torontonians had the chance to celebrate a summer barbeque staple at the third annual Burger Week last week in the city. Conceptualized by Toronto weekly newspaper, The Grid, Burger Week ran from May 28 to May 31, with the final Burger Day event at Fork York on June 1. During the week, diners have the chance to sample specially prepared burgers at over 60 participating restaurants for $5 each (with exceptions for special “Black Tie Burgers” at certain restaurants). On Sunday, attendees indulged in samples of all-you-can-eat slider versions of Burger Week specials at the Garrison Common.
The week ahead of Burger Week, I picked up the food-centric issue of The Grid to form my burger game plan. In terms of the participating restaurants, I noticed the absence of several key names in Toronto’s burgerscape: Burger’s Priest, P&L Burger, and BQM, to name a few. Nevertheless, with over 60 names on the list, there was certainly no shortage of choices.
Despite the centerfold that proclaimed “Carnivores unite!,” there were quite a few exceptions to the rule. Hey Meatball’s vegan version of their Trouble of Little Italy burger consisted of a vegan patty, pesto, cashew mayo and a topping of spicy pickles. My favourite non-meat option was The Gladstone Hotel’s vegetarian burger, consisting of a marinated tempeh patty, wild mushrooms, barbeque sauce, aged cheddar, and, to top it all off, onion rings.
The response to Toronto’s three Burger Weeks has been overwhelmingly positive. So positive, in fact, that several cities across Canada have coordinated their own Burger Weeks.
“After we did our inaugural Burger Week in 2012, The Coast publication in Halifax actually called us up to find out how they could start their own Burger Week. They just [held] their second [Burger Week] in March and I heard it was massively successful. Calgary just finished theirs and cities like Winnipeg, Vancouver, Montreal, and Quebec City also have Burger Weeks. I think it’s great and I hope more cities will have Burger Weeks in the future,” said Karon Liu, staff food writer at The Grid.
The idea behind Burger Week is simple — but the festival provides exposure for local businesses and encourages Toronto’s foodies and otherwise to explore the city’s many diverse offerings. “[Burger Week is] a food festival that encourages people to try new restaurants, new dishes, get to know more about Toronto’s talented chefs, and perhaps venture out to unfamiliar neighbourhoods,” added Liu.
For students who cannot afford to indulge in bison burgers on a weekly basis, Burger Week is the perfect time to try out some artisan patties and discover a new favourite burger joint in the process.
