Everyone loves a pub. Yet, a pub where the menu is helmed by a top chef, where the food is farm-to-table fresh, and where the drinks are beloved local finds, ranks higher than most. A favourite College Street spot, The Dog & Tiger has shed its standard-issue pub image in favour of a gastropub feel where a menu of upgraded, seasonal, chef-driven fare takes centre stage.
“The goal of the Dog & Tiger was always to have great locally sourced craft cocktails, beer and food,” says owner Luke Nicholson. “When Covid happened, it allowed us to regroup and find a chef that shared that vision.”
Joining sous chefs Josué Vergara and Damon Martin, newly-hired executive chef Thomas Salvo brings years of experience working at the Chase Hospitality Group of restaurants to his role at The Dog & Tiger. For the new menu, Salvo united his passion for high-quality local ingredients together with Nicholson’s farm-to-table vision. “The owners saw the potential to be more than just a local pub, and it’s been a fun challenge bringing that vision to life,” says Salvo. “For me, the product always comes first. I take pride in serving our guests the best sustainably-sourced produce, seafood, and meat possible.”
Highlighting ingredients from Pasture Butchery, Fogo Island Fish and GTA-based local food distributor 100KM Foods, the new menu includes signature items such as a Mushroom Caesar, House-Cured Lamb Bacon, and Ice Shrimp Empanada. Fresh, seasonal cocktails include the Mind Your Peas and Booze, made with Ontario-grown pea pod juice, Dillon’s Small Batch Gin, fresh lemon juice, mint, and simple syrup. A host of brews from Ontario craft breweries —from Indie Ale House and Blood Brothers to Sonnen Hill and Great Lakes — are also on offer.
“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,” says owner Nicholson. “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,” he adds.
To help introduce the new menu, the restaurant will be hosting monthly events showcasing their new partners. Join the team on October 20th for a five-course dinner held in collaboration with Pasture Butchery. Each course will feature a different animal, with a focus put on underutilized parts of each. Visit Tock to reserve your spot.
The Dog & Tiger Kitchen and Bar is open for dinner, Tuesday through to Sunday. Brunch service is also available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends.
