Matty Matheson is opening a 9,500-square-foot restaurant in Hamilton
The Iron Cow Public House will be housed in the city’s new arena
Matty Matheson, the Toronto chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, producer, actor and musician, has always been a little bit rock and roll, and he’s about to embark on a new, literally arena-sized project. Matheson—who plays in Pig Pen, a hardcore band named after a founding member of the Grateful Dead—is staking his claim on the new Hamilton Arena, once Copps Coliseum, a concert hall that was graced four times by the legendary jam band.
No, the culinary rockstar won’t be performing on the main stage when it opens in late 2025. Instead, in conjunction with venue and hospitality development company Oak View, which is leading the renovation of the ’80s auditorium—a massive undertaking that promises to result in a world-class venue for concerts, sporting events and live entertainment—he will be opening a new restaurant in the arena.
The Iron Cow Public House will be of cattle-farm proportions: 9,500 square feet, room for 185 hungry people, a speakeasy-style bar and, most likely, a whole lot of meat. But that’s not all. Matheson’s restaurant group, Our House Hospitality Company, is also overhauling the arena’s concession stands that will now feature dishes from Matty’s Patty’s, his smash burger spot, and Rizzo’s House of Parm, his red sauce restaurant in Fort Erie.
“What Oak View Group is doing here is incredible, and I’m honoured to be a part of it,” said Matheson in a press release today. “Bringing people together with amazing food, great service and live music—it’s everything I love. We’re building something special for Hamilton, and I’m pumped for you to see this come together.”
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Erin Hershberg is a freelance writer with nearly two decades of experience in the lifestyle sector. She currently lives in downtown Toronto with her husband and two children.
