Fans of The Bear rejoice: season 3 of the much-celebrated FX show just dropped (all episodes are available to watch now on Disney+ in Canada). The show, which follows fine dining chef Carmy Berzatto who takes over his late-brother’s sandwich shop and aims to transform it into a Michelin starred joint, is in many ways a love letter to those working in the restaurant industry. Aside from depicting people working in (and loving) restaurants, The Bear features a number of long-running Chicago restaurants and other well-known spots around the world. (If you’re in Chicago, you can also take a tour to the iconic Chicago restaurants that inspired The Bear).
If you want to feel like chef Carmy or Sydney dining out in The Bear, look no further. These 5 Canadian restaurants will transport you into the ones featured in the show.
1. Marq’s Chicago Beef, Toronto, Ont.
The entire first season revolves around The Beef, a casual Italian beef sandwich restaurant That Carmy takes over from his deceased brother Mikey. The Beef is based on Mr. Beef, which is owned by a childhood friend of show creator Christopher Storer. It can be hard to find a Chicago-style beef sandwich (also known as an Italian beef) outside of the midwest city, but Marq’s Chicago Beef in downtown Toronto is dishing out authentic beef sandwiches that rival those from the windy city. Sandwiches at Marq’s, like those in Chicago, are stuffed to the brim with thin slices of roast beef simmered in au jus and topped with hot giardiniera and served on French bread. The kicker: the whole sandwich is dipped into that jus to finish off.
Marq’s Chicago Beef, 707 Dundas Street W., marqsbeef.ca
2. Botanist, Vancouver, B.C.
In the second season, Richie is sent to two Michelin starred Ever to stage and learn the ins and outs of running a dining room. (Ever also plays a big part in the latest season). The beautiful luxe restaurant features a tasting menu of seasonal vegetables and meticulously paired wines. The show renders Ever’s dishes in loving detail, showing off the colourful sauces, perfectly tweezed decorative florals and immaculately okaced garnishes. There is no restaurant exactly like Ever, but Botanist in Vancouver’s Fairmount Hotel is a pretty good dupe. The $178 tasting menu at this Michelin guide-recommended restaurant features perfectly balanced and displayed dishes that highlight the fresh West Coast ingredients used. And, you can add curated wine pairings to your meal – all delicious terroir-driven wines.
Botanist, 1038 Canada Place, botanistrestaurant.com
3. Pearl Morissette, Jordan Station, Ont.
One of the famous restaurants that Carmy works at before he comes back home to Chicago is the iconic three starred French Laundry in Napa Valley, California. The French Laundry is known for its tasting menu that changes from day to day and serving extremely high quality French cuisine and fresh vegetables. Again, there’s no one doing what The French Laundry is doing, but Pearl Morissette in Ontario’s Niagara wine region is similarly serving up French-inspired dishes featuring fresh vegetables and local ingredients alongside amazing regional wines.
Restaurant Pearl Morissette, 3953 Jordan Road, pearlmorissette.com
4. Chez Tousignant, Montreal, Que.
You can’t talk about Chicago food without talking about a classic hot dog. Superdawg, a drive-in hot dog establishment that’s been open since 1948, is featured twice in The Bear – first in a montage in season 1, and again when its box was spotted in the second season. Superdawg is known for their loaded dogs served with toppings like pickles and green tomatoes. In Montreal, Chez Tousignant also slings epic dogs – including a cheesy pickle-topped one. And though Chez Tousignant doesn’t serve wavy fries like Superdawg, they do have a decadent poutine – sort of the Canadian version of a bucket of seasoned fries.
Chez Tousignant, 6956 rue Drolet, Montreal cheztousignant.com
5. BB’s, Toronto, Ont.
In the third episode of season two, Sydney goes on a mini food tour of Chicago in search of inspiration. The first spot she hits is Kasama, the first Filipino restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star. Kasama serves up delicious Filipino breakfast and baked goods—including the Kasama combo breakfast sandwich with longanisa sausage that Sydney orders. In Toronto’s west end, BB’s also serves up an amazing Filipino brunch on the weekends so that you can feel like Ayo Edibiri biting into a juicy and spicy longanisa sausage. Plus, this spot is also Michelin-recognized.
