The Toronto restaurant industry is one constantly in evolution. (You’re all like, “D’uh… we know.”) There’s always a new spot to try, a new trend to hop on, a new chef to celebritize. But you know what there’s not enough of? Chain restaurants, brah! And we’re not talking your run of the mill McDick’s or Booger King. We’re talking those uber-cool joints that have helped make countries like the United States of Fatasses renowned for its gluttony. Here are the international restaurant chains we wish we could indulge in on the daily here in the Great White North…
Sonic: America’s Drive-In
An homage to the drive-in burger shacks and shake shops of simpler times (read: when old men were still pissed to be sharing voting booths with the fairer sex), Sonic combines our two favourite things in the world: calorie-laden faux food and laziness.
Wok to Walk
Stir-fry bars are greater than or equal to regular bars. Okay… that’s an egregious exaggeration… but, we’d still love a li’l healthy sauteed action on the regular. Man, imagine this joint for lunch every day? We’d be wok-in’ and rollin’ while Yonge Street-strollin’.
Bareburger
Best news ever: This one’s actually debuting in Canada sometime in the next six or so months. We know, we know… Toronto needs another burger joint like we need another crack-smoking mayor, but Bareburger is a chain with a commitment to organic and farm-fresh ingredients, health-conscious accoutrements, and a pretty bitchin’ scene. That’s good enough to convert us.
Wagamama
Long before the ramen trend was ever a thang in Toronto, London (the good one) had Wagamama. From teppanyaki to donburi, curries, ramen, and more, Wagamama has pretty much every style of Japanese cuisine we crave on the regular housed in one friendly and fresh environment.
Famous Dave’s
Oh… have you not heard of Dave? Because he’s pretty famous. His BBQ bites are supposedly the stuff of fat kids’ wet dreams – which is likely the reason behind the chain’s 700 or so awards.
The Cheesecake Factory
We lie and say we’re driving down to upstate New York for a day of shopping at Woodbury Commons, but really we’re just finding an excuse to watch our asses grow as we gorge on slice after slice of cheesecakian realness. Just imagine if this was in the suburbs of the GTA…
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
A seafood shack/shanty that totally pimps out the idea of marina life? Sign us up! Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is like Red Lobster – only less depressing and shameful.
What stateside or international restaurant chains would you love to have in Canada? Comment below or tweet us @ViewTheVibe!
