Toronto’s BBQ game is getting even more tastier and a lot more convenient. The team behind east-end heavyweight The Carbon Bar has launched a new offshoot, this time at King and Spadina, with a fast-casual concept called Carbon Snack Bar.
This new all-day snack bar keeps the same DNA as the original with its smoked meats and a mix of Southern BBQ and comfort food, but repackages it into something much more grab-and-go. You’ll still get brisket and ribs, just now alongside coffee, Craig’s Cookies (yum!) and ready-to-drink cocktails.
The space itself sits inside a landmark building with a very interesting past. Once the Richardson House in 1873, later the Spadina Hotel and eventually home to the Cabana Room, where the likes of Leonard Cohen and The Rolling Stones reportedly spent time.
“It’s a dream to bring The Carbon Bar experience to the iconic 460 King Street West building – this location, like for many Torontonians, holds a special place in my heart,” says Yannick Bigourdan, the restaurateur behind Carbon Snack Bar, The Carbon Bar, and several other Toronto restaurants including Michelin-recommended Lucie.
The opening comes on the heels of a report from Betway, which placed Toronto among the top 10 BBQ cities in North America, ranking ahead of places like San Antonio, San Diego and St. Louis. Toronto, apparently, has a thing for smoked meat: 121 BBQ vendors, 49 of them highly rated, three BBQ festivals a year and a surprising amount of Google searches for brisket and ribs. According to the same study, The Carbon Bar holds the title of highest-rated BBQ restaurant in the city.
Inside Carbon Snack Bar, you’ll find 35 seats, a full espresso bar, bright interiors and a walk-up counter offering bowls with brisket, pastrami or St. Louis ribs, salads, sandwiches and breakfast items. You can also pick up retail packs of smoked meats, sides like mac & cheese and pork & beans and the house sauces and rubs.
Bigourdan sees the new format as a way to meet people where they are. “We’re bringing our signature hospitality into a format that fits into people’s everyday lives. It’s approachable, delicious and driven by quality — exactly what people expect from us, just in a faster, more casual setting.”
The building also now includes Block by Allied, a new event space designed for everything from wine tastings to corporate launches to community movie nights.
Carbon Snack Bar is located in the historic 460 King Street West building.
