Inside Toronto’s secret bar brunch pop-up

Bars and brunch aren’t two things you think would go together, but one Toronto location has cracked the code, along with some eggs.

Off the corner of College and Ossington lies Houndstooth, a space playing triple duty as bar, cafe, and venue for a selection of local talent and touring bands.

Most recently, a bi-weekly brunch has been added to the mix, one built from the ground up to prioritize not just being delicious but also affordable.

At first glance, the space (currently lacking a full kitchen) may not be the spitting image of a hot new brunch spot. However, after a few appliances get wheeled in, Houndstooth transforms into a secret brunch nook every other Saturday or Sunday.

“We wanted to make something that would not only get some bodies in here, but also create some excitement,” Houndstooth’s co-owner Alex Gray told YourcitywithIN.com.

Expanding into the pop-up scene is something Houndstooth has engaged in for years, as the location has hosted smaller food installations as well as a parade of merch events in the past.

“It’s all within the ethos of what Houndstooth is,” founder behind Tasty Tay’s brunch, Taylor Benjamin Burgess, told YourcitywithIN.com. “I want to foster a clientele that wants to come and simply get something good, and at the same time, inexpensive to eat.”

[Taylor Benjamin Burgess (left) and Nevin Spencer (right) are ready to whip you up a quick brunch at Houndstooth.]

Burgess, who has extensive experience working in Toronto kitchens, aims to imbue the experience with as much of a down-to-earth attitude as possible, right down to making fresh sourdough for each service at home.

The brunch, which features classics like eggs in any style, breakfast sandwiches, and make-your-own bennies, was built on one principle — that a breakfast plate and a drink should never set you back more than $20.

“I wanted to make this for people who go to places in the neighbourhood, I mean, I’m a regular around here as well, so cheap prices and a non-pretentious attitude are a way of figuring out what is best for everybody,” says Burgess.

To ensure the brunch did not feel forced into a space where it doesn’t belong, Burgess made sure that, in terms of menu and design, it meshed with the vibe Houndstooth has made itself known for.

“I have a huge love for 50s diners and Houndstooth has a bit of that going on within its space,” says Burgess. “So it is all a bit of a kitchy throwback happening within a little bit of a grungey dive space.”

As a result, Tasty Tay’s brunch is becoming a bit of a calendar event, as every other weekend, right after rent or bills get paid, people know that down the road, there is a place to grab a cheap bite with friends.

“You can pull off a one or two-day brunch every other week, and it’ll work well. And every time we put it on, we make new customers who tell their friends. It has taken over the space in a way that feels very natural,” Matthias Marin, Houndstooth’s second co-owner, told YourcitywithIn.com.

For Tasty Tay’s, the pop-up has settled into its biweekly rhythm, as the next two scheduled times are set for this Sunday, May 11, and at the end of the month on May 26.

In terms of other future food pop-ups, Gray remains confident that, if they can all match the vibe and consistency of Tasty Tay’s, it wouldn’t be surprising to see more roll out at Houndstooth in the future.

“The same way many attest that it’s cool to go out and see a band, it’s just as cool to go feel the same way about food, especially when it’s amazing. I want to bring that to this bar, and show that there are some people in our city doing really amazing things.”