Introducing: Broncos, an all-slider spot just south of Trinity Bellwoods

Introducing: Broncos, an all-slider spot just south of Trinity Bellwoods

(Image: Gabby Frank)

Name: Broncos Slider Bar
Neighbourhood: Niagara
Contact: 127 Strachan Ave., 647-748-4800, broncosrestaurant.com
Previously: Politica
Owner: James Bateman (Branca)
Chef: Drew Alexander Fleming

The Food:
Baby burgers, pint-sized sandwiches and a few small sides. Right now, the list of three-bite options sits at 18 items, but there are still 30 creations on the short list that might make special guest appearances on the menu. Bateman (whose love of sliders comes courtesy of many visits to Detroit’s Green Dot Stables) says his current five favourites are the cheeseburger, the Buffalo fried chicken, the bo ssam, the schnitzel and the Carousel—a nod to the popular St. Lawrence Market bakery’s peameal bacon sammie. For dessert: soft-serve ice cream (with optional toppings like Cap’n Crunch and Pop Rocks) and Belgian waffles.

The Drinks: A tap list that includes offerings from a couple Toronto breweries (Left Field, Great Lakes) and some imports (Rogue, BrewDog, Le Trou du Diable, Les Trois Mousquetaires). There’s also a short and sweet wine selection (one red, one white), mixed drinks and shots of bourbon. Reserved for the patio: cans of Miller Lite.

The Space: Communal tables and cactus-lined windowsills inside, and a patio licensed for 90 outside. “We initially wanted to have more cacti, so we contacted the Ontario Cactus Society,” says Bateman. “The guy emailed us back and the subject line was ‘DON’T DO IT.’ He said there’s a class-action lawsuit in place right now because someone at a bar got drunk and fell into a cactus.”