The Dog and Tiger Kitchen & Bar left the pub world behind to focus on an elevated experience featuring locally-sourced food, seasonal dishes and craft beverages. Executive Chef, Thomas Salvo, and Sous Chefs Josue Vergara and Damon Martin carefully curated a menu that has something for everyone from meat lovers and vegans to enjoy. Located in the heart of Toronto’s Little Italy, Dog & Tiger has the feel of a neighbourhood restaurant with an upscale menu.
“The goal of the Dog and Tiger was always to have great locally sourced craft cocktails, beer and food. When COVID happened, it allowed us to regroup and find a chef that shared that vision. Tom is that Chef,” said Luke Nicholson, Owner of The Dog and Tiger. “I think what makes our new menu so special is that we’re providing a farm-to-table experience that’s approachable and down-to-earth. It’s a chef-led menu that still feels like a local spot. We’re supporting a host of sustainable food providers — and we’re giving guests the opportunity to be a little more open-minded, try something new, and to consider the importance of eating local.”
Photo: Dog & Tiger
We recently dined at Dog & Tiger and are giving you the inside scoop.*
Dog & Tiger Location and Reservations
537 College Street, Toronto, Ontario
For reservations, visit https://app.tablz.com/dog-and-tiger
The Cocktails and More
Dog & Tiger’s menu features a curated selection of craft beers, an extensive and impressive wine list featuring Ontario wine and a great selection of wines from Europe, the USA and South Africa. The cocktail list has all of your favourite libations with a twist. The sweet cocktails aren’t too cloying and the standards are smooth. We tried the Maggie May and the Jack Harvey Wallbanger. Both were heavy on the spirits, but pleasing to the palette.
The Food
We started with the Mushroom Caesar and it tasted as good as it looks. This delicious, earthy salad is vegan friendly and you won’t miss the creamy dressing. The black trumpet vinaigrette elevates the taste of the salad. The potato crumble adds the right amount of crispness to the plate.
Next up were chicken croquettes. Croquettes can sometimes have a pasty interior, especially when béchamel sauce is used. These croquettes were filled with hodge-podge, bread & butter remoulade, pickled beech mushroom, New Farm greens and had a great texture and balanced flavour.
Dessert was their home-made ice cream and pavlova. It was the a sweet end to the meal. It wasn’t too heavy and the meringue was perfect.
The Service
A great dinner can turn into a big disappointment if the service isn’t good. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case at Dog & Tiger. I had great service because they knew that I was reviewing the restaurant. That’s a given. However, I watched the room. People were smiling. The servers engaged with the customers and that is a sign that it’s a welcoming place.
The Atmosphere
The first thing that you will notice when you walk in is the huge mural of, you guessed it, a dog and tiger behind the bar. The bar area is a combination of cool, yet cozy with antiques and books lining the wall. The dining room, with the fireplace, safari style wallpaper and marble topped tables is just eclectic enough to feel cool, but not so cool that you feel like you don’t belong. Head over to Dog & Tiger for a cocktail or a meal. You won’t be disappointed.
*Dinner was hosted, but opinions are our own.
