This Opinion article is part of a Narcity content series. The views expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Shake Shake is officially in Toronto and Narcity got a sneak peek at the menu and location ahead of the restaurant’s launch on June 13 at the corner of Yonge and Dundas.
I’ve never had Shake Shack before, so I was excited to give it a chance as it’s one of those iconically American chains that we always wish we had North of the border — and while I was deliciously satisfied with the whole experience, I particularly loved the Canadian and Toronto specific items.
Here’s what the whole experience was like and which items are definitely worth getting again.
The restaurant
A mural at the Toronto Shake Shack.
The new Toronto Shake Shack restaurant is located directly on the northeast corner of Yonge and Dundas, so it’s looking right out on the hustle and bustle of the square and the Eaton Centre.
Despite that, the inside is pleasantly calm with high ceilings, pretty light installations and an overall bright, spacious vibe that’s actually a lot bigger than I anticipated.
What really impressed me about the restaurant is the care they took to add Canadian and Toronto-specific touches to the decor.
On the back wall, there’s a fun mural that combines elements of the brand, the city and the country together, like a depiction of Honest Ed’s, the CNE, an Ontario licence plate that says “Shake Shack,” a Team Canada hockey jersey, Beck taxis and food from the chain. Definitely some Insta-worthy content!
The burgers and sandwiches
The ShackBurger. Middle: The ‘Shroom Burger. Right: The Chicken Shack.
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I was most excited to taste the ShackBurger ($8.49), and while it was definitely good, I actually liked the vegetarian and chicken burger way more, and that’s really unlike me.
I love me a good smash burger, and since Toronto has so many delicious options for those like Rudy’s or Harry’s Charbroiled, this to me just tasted like another yummy option in an already stacked lineup of options. I liked it and I would eat it again, but if Rudy’s or Harry’s was closer, I wouldn’t go out of my way to get the ShackBurger — that being said, if I was near the area and had a craving, I’d totally order it!
I was very pleasantly surprised by the ‘Shroom Burger ($10.99), which is a battered portobello mushroom fried to a nice crisp that’s filled with melted muenster and cheddar cheeses and topped with lettuce, tomato and ShackSauce.
I often find that vegetarian burgers like Beyond or Impossible burgers are trying to imitate actual meat, so it was nice to see something creative and different as a vegetarian alternative. I also like that this tastes naughty: like, this is by no means a vegetarian option that’s “healthy” — this is a food-coma-inducing greasy delight, and if I was drunk, this is exactly what I’d want.
My favourite sandwich of the day was the Chicken Shack ($9.49) and I think it’s my favourite of all the fast food chicken sandy’s out there.
The portion of chicken is quite hefty and it’s very nicely seasoned with a little kick of heat in it that pairs nicely with the pickles and buttermilk herb mayo and shredded lettuce at the bottom of the sandwich. For about $10, this sandwich is delicious and will fill you up without knocking you out for the rest of the afternoon, which is sometimes all you’re really looking for in a meal.
The fries
Shake Shack fries and cheese sauce.
I’ve heard a lot about Shake Shack’s fries, and I see why they’re so beloved — the crinkle cut allows for more crisping while it’s frying but still leaves it with a soft inside, so it’s really the best of both worlds.
A menu item I wasn’t expecting was the cheese sauce which you can order as an extra. It tastes like a delicious homemade béchamel sauce with some heat from what tastes like mustard, and if I could drink this by the cupful, I absolutely would.
The Toronto-exclusive item
The Maple Salted Pretzel Shake.
I’m not much of a person with a sweet tooth, so I was surprised to find that the Maple Salted Pretzel Shake ($7.29), which is an exclusive menu item for Toronto, was amongst my favourites of the day.
It’s a vanilla custard blended with salty pretzels and maple syrup that’s topped with whipped cream and crushed pretzels. It tastes like a delicious autumnal treat with the combination of flavours, but it’ll definitely be a welcome relief when the heat of Ontario’s summer truly sets in.
The saltiness of the pretzels offsets the sweetness of the syrup, so it doesn’t feel entirely like it’ll take you down for the count for the day, but it is on the extravagant side!
The other Canadian items
I Heart Butter Tart. Right: More S’mores.
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The other two menu items that are Canada-specific are two ice cream concoctions called More S’mores and I Heart Butter Tart (both $6.49).
The More S’mores item is chocolate and vanilla frozen custard blended with toasted marshmallow sauce, fudge sauce, graham crumb, chopped chocolate pieces and two graham crackers. The flavours all obviously work fabulously together, but it’s the crumbs that make it stand out by giving it a deliciously gritty texture and the addition of the whole biscuit is a nice surprise.
The I Heart Butter Tart is also delicious as it’s frozen vanilla custard blended with butter tarts and flaky salt, but I found that the chunks needed to be broken up a bit more. When you get some vanilla with the gooey bit from the tart it’s delightful, but the harder part of the tart itself is a bit too much for one mouthful.
The other bits
I really didn’t expect there to be alcohol on this menu, let alone wines and beers exclusively made by Canadian vinters and brewers.
The Shack White ($11.99) is a dry riesling that’s pleasantly bright and zingy while the Shack Red ($11.99) is a half cab sauv, half cab franc that’s not as full-bodied as one might expect from those grapes but still deep and juicy. Both wines are vinted by Rosewood Winery and hail from the Niagara Peninsula.
The ShackMeister Ale ($7.99) is brewed by Bellwoods Brewery, and although I’m not much of a beer person, I was into this one — it’s somehow both bright and bitter and strikes a welcome note against all the richness of the food and desserts.
The overall experience
The Shake Shack mural in Toronto.
Overall, I’m excited that Shake Shack is finally in Canada! The next time I’m in the area I’ll likely stop by and pick up another Chicken Shack and Maple Salted Pretzel Shake, although I am curious to find out what goodies they’ll be adding as limited time opportunity items.
These prices are confirmed at the time of publishing, but they can change at any time. Taxes and fees may not be included.
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