The Hogtown Cure

Came in here on a quiet night during the Christmas break and ordered the beet pickled eggs, the Reuben and smoked wings.
The pickled eggs were interesting and I really enjoyed them as a lover of all things pickled. They were weren’t too pickled but still stood out due to their shocking pink colour :)
The Reuben was pretty good, nothing phenomenal and I’m pretty neutral about their wings as well. Actually my favourite thing about my meal was the pickled carrots they served on the side with the wings! So yummy, I’d definitely come back to try more on the menu.

Fantastic brunch spot, I’m very happy that i’ve come across this little gem of a place!
the big breakfast is delicious, though i haven’t tried their sasuage cus everytime i order they seem to be sold out! the bacon is great too. the jam they offer with their toast is so darn good… i wonder if they bottle it up and sell it?
hands down my favorite dish is the smoked trout laktes… crispy fried potato pancakes with smoked fish… salad and delicious pickled beans and onions, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. (order it!!)
typical prices, food comes quickly and servers are lovely.

These folks are as good as it gets!
After waiting in line an hour and a half at The Lockhart across the street and dealing with the headache of terrible wait times, and bizarre ideas among the staff what constitutes good service The Hogtown Cure saved my night out!
I was tired, cranky, and in no mood for foolish gimmicks. What I got was a Pulled pork sandwich and a beer and let me tell you my mood improved right away! I went from red in the face and fuming about my horrible night to in a wonderful, BBQ nirvana. I went from a serious grump to laughing with my friend and Girlfriend.
The atmosphere is cozy, the menu concise and they avoid my biggest pet peeve with modern ‘gourmet BBQ’ and didn’t have a god-​awful, soggy brioche bun but instead a crisp focaccia. Not only that but they didn’t kick us out right away at close. They let us sit and chat and have a good time for 15 minutes after close before they let us know.
Fantastic food, fantastic staff and saved my night from being a total write off.
Would go back in a heart beat!

A hidden gem! We came here on the weekend, so could only order from the Brunch menu (which had a good variety)… I had the pulled pork sandwich, substituting the potato salad with more of the yogurt coleslaw. It was delish! Other people in my party ordered the Reuben sandwich (which was probably the group fav) and the sweet potato latke w/​smoked trout. Only downside was that it was pretty hot inside the restaurant, although they had ceiling fans running. All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit, and will be back!

The first time I came in here it was great, had a really great salad, an amazing soup, and some ciders, this time around was a totally different story. We got there at about 7:15pm and the server comes over to us and says that «it’s been a really slow night» and they’re closing the kitchen in half an hour. We were kinda shocked that a restaurant would close its kitchen at 7:45 so we skimmed the menu and ordered quickly. After we ordered, a slew of people continued to walk in, some for take-​out some for food and drinks and yet at 7:45 the waitress still put the closed sign on the door.
I was shocked when my food arrived, I am celiac and cannot eat gluten and was perfectly fine eating there the last time, so I assumed that ordering the same salad would be fine. This time it arrived covered it fried onions and I was too scared to say anything because the kitchen was already «closed» and the server was completely avoiding us, I salvaged what I could but am mostly left with gut pains and discontent. But I guess that was mostly my fault. What wasn’t my fault was sitting there with an empty water class for half an hour as she counted the beer stock in the fridge, she must’ve had somewhere better to be I guess. Pretty bummed about it.

Never open on time. They don’t regularly stock baked goods/​treats or they’re slow to order with them, which is a shame in my opinion because cafes should have them ready to go right in the morning! It’s probably a decent place for dinners but it is most certainly not a morning café.

We dropped in here mid-​afternoon on a holiday Monday because I needed food STAT. A lucky accident — because they have a great local-​focussed menu that has good balance with options for anyone from light to hearty.
We had the asparagus omelette (generously sized plate with tasty home fries and good salad) and the smoked chicken club (also a generous size with the same salad and home fries).
Good friendly service, nice atmosphere and definitely worth a return visit.

Cozy little place with tasty homemade meats. I’ve had both the Tourtière and the Pulled Pork Sandwich so far.
The tourtière is a home made meat pie filled with tasty ground pork surrounded with a flaky pastry which apparently is made from home made lard and comes with a side salad to balance out the heaviness of the main. Definitely good stuff.
The pulled pork was reviewed by Toronto Life as the best pulled pork sandwich in Toronto. The meat is nicely seasoned and tender to the bite, with coleslaw on top of it, in between the square ciabatta bun. On my official Pulled Pork list, I’m putting it at the #5 spot. It’s a good sandwich, and the only real complaint I had was actually with the side of potato salad and quartered pickle. I like creamy potato salad, and the Cure’s version is more of a vinagrette and herbed seasoning.
When dining in, there are a couple of craft brewed beers on tap and a handful of other tall boy cans to choose from. The wine list is an admittedly much smaller list to work with, but still provides options for those looking for an adult beverage to round the meal out with.

Should be called the Hogtown Stench. I came in over the weekend for breakfast with a friend. I got the BELT which was decent, but very stingy on the bacon. They cure their own meats and have an open kitchen with no closure to where the patrons sit. The smell is overwhelming. My friend and I had to change our clothes immediately after we left as we smelled like a pig roast. Do not go here if you have plans after!

After much deliberation, I decided to check out The Hogtown Cure for Valentine’s Day. The restaurant was offering a $ 50 three-​course menu that also included a bottle of wine! Hard to say no to that.
The meal started off with shrimp croquettes that were absolutely delicious. Fresh and hot, the croquettes were accompanied with a very tasty sauce and a surprisingly delicious salad. Eaten together, this was definitely an impressive starter.
The main was a cheese fondue, which doesn’t sound too interesting but actually impressed with its flavors. Armed with crusty chunks of bread and an assortment of vegetables, the dish was a lot of fun to eat and so, so tasty. (And so, so cheesy!)
I should note also that the main was accompanied with a very tasty salad containing chunks of beets and a delicious dressing.
Dessert was quite unusual. It was essentially a cored, boiled apple that was stuffed with this walnut concoction and served alongside a cookie and ice cream. The apple might have been just a tad too tart, but combined with the cookie and ice cream (and the walnut filling), this was actually very tasty.
I would definitely return to try the regular menu.

Two words: grilled cheese. Yummy, oozy, bacon-​y grilled cheese. I like how they do sandwiches at The Hogtown Cure, and how they treat their cheese with the toasted panini-​press love it deserves. A+ for the spiced pear compote and bacon jam to dip. I enjoyed the tangy coleslaw more than I thought (the grainy mustard was a pleasant spicy surprise).
It’s a beautiful, dressed-​down joint, with huge windows streaming in light so you can nibble on cured meats and people watch. I like their regular roast coffee (ChocoSol, fair trade, roasted in Toronto from Oaxacan beans), which they also sell by the bag.
I hear they’re doing a Valentine’s fondue special. If you like cheese, local fare, and beer (plus wine and Brickworks Cider) I implore you to check it out! If you wanna wait until warmer weather hits so you can get your picnic shopping done… by all means. You’ll probably see me there.

This place is a total hidden gem. It s charming, cozy, and unpretentious. The ingredients are local and made from scratch (even their condiments!) and the menu is inventive and truly Canadian. I couldn’t believe the value I was getting for such quality food. I had the sweet potato latkes with smoked trout for an appetizer, and the pulled pork sandwich as a main. The trout is smoked in-​house and was the star of the meal. The pulled pork was also delicious and the portions were just enough — not monstrous. I loved that the food wasn’t over salted, which is difficult to find when dining out. The service was attentive and friendly. They guys at Hogtown have pride and passion for the food they serve. Great experience!

Almost everything is made from scratch. Chef owner Chris butchers a whole hog and makes his own lard for the best tourtière served with his Grams own Peach chutney. They also smoke the best bacon and smoked meat for a killer Ruben. They are now open for dinner. Must have their local beer and cheddar fondue.

I had a latte here, it was strong and good. It’s a quaint place and the bench seating area was really cutely decorated. The only think I didn’t like was the smell in this place which was too meaty.

Cute interior, really friendly staff, and one of the best pulled pork sandwiches in the city.
I had been meaning to check out the Hogtown Cure for a while, and one Sunday afternoon after looking at houses I was so hungry on my way home I thought I might stop at Porchetta and Co. Sadness came over me when I arrived there to realize that it was closed on Sundays. As my journey down Dundas continued, and the pangs of hunger increased, we drove past the Hogtown Cure and I immediately yelled «Pull over!». Initially my girlfriend thought I was sick, and that I was going to hurl, but then she realized my intention was to pick up a pulled pork sandwich.
I think it must have been fate, because that was one mighty fine pulled pork sandwich. With pulled pork being everywhere, including Subway Restaurants, it’s a little hard to stick out from the pack, but the Hogtown Cure achieves this by letting the pork sing. It is not slathered with sauce like so many pulled pork sandwiches, yet it is still so moist. And even without the excess amount of sauce, it is full of flavour as it is by far the smokiest tasting pulled pork sandwich I’ve had in the city. On top of the huge pile of pulled pork is some creamy coleslaw and grainy mustard. This sandwich proves you don’t need pulled pork dripping in BBQ sauce. The pulled pork sandwich is 9.50 and for the size of the sandwich, and the fact it came with a large pickle spear, and some potato salad, I’d say the prices are definitely fair.
The restaurant interior is cute, and the staff was really friendly. Couple that with one of the best pulled pork sandwiches in the city, and I would definitely return here, and recommend others try it as well.

The vibe: a sunny, big, bacon-​smelling café/​deli/​catch all place. This is a great space for freelancers (like me) to go and do some work because there’s coffee, sandwiches and sweets to keep you going for hours.
The food: I tried a grilled cheese sandwich. You can customize which cheese to use which I thought was neat. It tasted pretty good though I personally would have liked to see some options with a bit more veggies.
My go-​to meal: grilled cheese
Secret: a perfect spot to pick up picnic supplies and free wifi!

I initially had thought of this place as a four star establishment, but as I wrote the below review I realized this place is great. Five stars! Five stars for bacon!
I came into The Hogtown and ordered a BLT add some of their super tasty C options. I went with 8 year old cheddar. Sharp and sassy, just like me. They had a check in offer for a free coffee with lunch purchase so Bam! I was caffeinated and satiated.
The wifi works really well, the windows are huge giving ample light and they have Toronto touches all around the interior. Where did they get those paper streetcars?! Want.
PEPPER’S PERFUME: You will smell like bacon when you leave. It is not a bad thing.

Ugh. I really wanted to like this place. Seeing as there is a serious lack of good delis in downtown Toronto, I was hoping this place would be my’ good sandwich fix’. Big disappointment.
First of all, the selection of sandwiches, for a deli, is ridiculously small. And besides a grilled cheese and a grilled panini, there was smoked meat, smoked chicken, smoked pulled pork etc etc. Ok, I get it. You have a smoker. Now can I please have something that doesn’t taste like i’m sucking on an ashtray? I opted for the smoked chicken club, although it had pesto and roasted red peppers on it — um, ya. The 90’s called, they want their ingredients back. Anyhow, it was the only thing that appealed to me in the moment.
The sandwich was horrible. Big slices of tomatoes that were flavourless and had that yucky grainy texture that out of season tomatoes often do. The bacon was rubbery and mostly fat. And the chicken, ugh, the chicken. My first bite was a mouthful of cartilage. So I opened up the sandwich and look inside. About 50% of the chicken that was in there were the ‘non-​meat bits’ of the chicken, like veins, cartilage, fatty hunks. Ugh… I had to spit out my first bite. And the flavour was horrible.
The pickle on the side was also terrible, usually a highlight of any deli experience. However, I did give them 2 stars instead of 1 because the coleslaw was decent (i’m really being generous here) and the latte was pretty good, although still doesn’t measure up to the many independent coffee shops in the area.
All together, a bad deli experience… not sure if i’ll be able to eat chicken for a few months… BLECH.

At this price point, this place is as good as it gets. I’ve had the pork tacos and the french toast. They don’t skimp out on their portion sizes, and both dishes were very tasty and satisfying.
The tacos were well seasoned, and tasted quite good for a place that doesn’t exactly seem like a place that specializes in tacos. In fact, this may be some of the best pulled pork I’ve ever had. I’m no pulled pork aficionado, but I do get it quite frequently, and this ranks at the top of the list.
The french toast was very well done. It was made with a baguette which is something that I don’t see very often, and it worked very well. It was crisp, and had the perfect amount of egg, cinnamon and sugar. I would definitely get this again.
The coffee and desserts are also great. As an added plus, these guys have some of the best eggs in the city.
One of the owners (not sure what his name is), is a very friendly gentleman that has shown on more than one occasion he puts always puts his customers first. The first time was when I went for a sit down meal, ordered a coffee to go, and a few blocks later accidentally dropped the coffee on the street. I came back to get another one because I was enjoying it so much. Upon returning, fully expecting to pay for another one, he gave me another cup without charging me for it. Business owners take note: this didn’t cost him very much to do, but the gesture was genuine, and it goes a long way towards a customer service experience which only makes me want to keep coming back.
The second occasion was when my girlfriend ordered a breakfast wrap with bacon. When we got it, the bacon was chopped up and hidden within the wrap. So, before biting into it, she thought there wasn’t any bacon because she couldn’t see any. She told the owner who looked at it, and gave her a side of bacon, obviously at no charge. Once my girlfriend started eating the wrap, she realized that there was in fact bacon, and once she finished her meal, feeling rather guilty, went up to pay for the side of bacon. The owner laughed and told her that he knew it was in there, but didn’t want to dispute it. Also, because she was honest about it, he didn’t charge her for the extra side of bacon. What a stand-​up guy!
Another nice touch is when we bought some eggs and he told us about the farm from which the eggs came, and about the chickens who laid them. You could tell he was doing this because he genuinely cared and was excited to tell us about the process, and not because he was cashing in on the eat local trend in Toronto.
I’ve only been here twice, and because of the quality of the food, and the A+ customer experience, this has quickly become one of my favourite places to go in the city. I anticipate coming back here frequently.

I’m writing this review in hopes this place will get better.
I arrived here on a sunday afternoon around 3pm. It was a cold bitter winter day and I wanted to stay close to home for a nice lunch. I was rather hungry after having breakfast at 11am.
I ordered up the Hogtown Rueben along with an americano to stay in and my girlfriend ordered the soup of the day (I believe it was cream carrot of some sort) as well as the grilled cheese (as she is vegetarian, it was this option or the tofu sandwich)
The lady at the front was really helpful about describing the sides and any other questions we had. When it came to pulling an espresso shot/​adding water to make it an americano, it was a sad state of affairs I had to tell her how much water to add, which it seemed like she was adding more water through the portafilter rather than just hot water…
My girlfriend’s order was ready and it looked nice. Since she ordered a soup and a sandwich (which comes with a coleslaw side) her order was on two plates and due to the size of the table, we wouldn’t have been able to fit 3 plates, 2 waters and a coffee. Bigger tables would be awesome unless most people go in there to eat alone…
My reuben was up and it looked great until I realized there was hardly and meat on it. I would say it was a 1:1 ratio between sauerkraut and corned beef (more on the sauerkraut side…) The bread was awesome and the sandwich was still nice to eat, I found myself kinda sad after eating it due to how little meat there was. The slaw was nice and the pickle good (yet very tiny). My coffee and sandwich was just under 14 dollars.
After realizing how hungry I still was, I was scanning the menu for something more until my girlfriend decided she was too full to eat everything (as she just ate 2 hours prior). I was able to taste the soup (delicious) and her grilled cheese with homemade ketchup (also nice) to fill up.
While I am glad there are more restaurants opening up west of dovercourt, I hope they iron out the few kinks in the upcoming months.