A meat-ing of the minds! Made famous in these parts by the A&E Reality Show Wahlburgers, the Burger Restaurant of the same name opened its first franchise location officially tonight in Toronto! Situated at the Soho Metropolitan Hotel, just minutes from the Rogers Centre, the 120-seat Establishment is the brainchild of Brothers Paul, Donnie and Mark Wahlberg with locally-sourced recipes helmed by the former.
Several Fans braved the cold, some coming as far as New York City, Ottawa and Peterborough for a chance to see the Brothers in-person. Television Personality Jenny McCarthy, married to Donnie, also came to ring-in the festivities. Although Mark originally was slated to appear, it is said that a last-minute emergency prevented him from making the trek north this weekend.
Arriving at 6:00 PM sharp, it was pure fandemonium on a closed-down strip of Blue Jays Way. Both Donnie and Jenny stopped to sign autographs for Fans, before heading-in to greet guests at their Private Party. Media meanwhile waited patiently in the cold for an extended duration after their arrival before being given an opportunity to talk to the in-attendance Wahlberg Brothers. Towards the end of the Party also, Paul came out to greet ecstatic Fans on the street.
We had the chance to try Mark‘s Thanksgiving Burger, which was sinfully-delicious, combining common Thanksgiving Day leftovers on seasoned ground turkey, with homemade roasted butternut squash and stuffing – smothered in an orange-cranberry sauce. Our only complaint – the standard 5 oz. portion was meager. What Wahlburgers need to understand is that Torontonians – although quality-conscious – love to eat. A side order of Sweet Potato Tots also were a crispy delight, although we found ourselves rather hungry still after our meal. Next on our agenda is Donnie‘s BBQ Bacon Burger... in the 8 oz. size obviously!
We enjoyed the relaxed, casual atmosphere and Wahlberg Brother adornments throughout the space and fun 80s-90s Music blaring!
To learn more about Wahlburgers Toronto (64 Blue Jays Way) and its hours, click here.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
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Go Peterborough…Go Big or Go Home! Thank You for the “Shout Out” Mr. Will! Great article and happy you tried “Mark’s” burger!