Introducing: Bero, pop-up chef Matt Kantor’s new Spanish restaurant in Leslieville
Name: Bero
Contact Info: 889 Queen St. E., 416-477-3393, bero-restaurant.com/
Neighbourhood: Leslieville
Owners: Andrew Bridgman and Giulio Marconi, former owners of The Commissary, and Matt Kantor, the man behind successful pop-ups The Secret Pickle Supper Club and Hidden Kitchen
Chef: Matt Kantor
The Food: Bero is the fourth high-profile Spanish restaurant to open this year, following Patria, Bar Isabel and Carmen. The dishes on Kantor’s Basque-influenced menu include bone marrow gnocchi with snails; squid-ink arancini with beet-juice–marinated squid; and surf-and-turf with pork loin, octopus and chickpeas. The more traditional Sunday brunch menu includes eggs Benedict, bread pudding and hash.
The Drinks: The wine list contains only boutique bottles (ones you can’t find at the LCBO).
The Place: The former Commissary space is refined but cozy, with white linens, plush upholstered chairs and gleaming hardwood.
The Numbers:
• 28 seats in the dining room; 6 more at the bar
• 12 items on the menu
• 4 course menu for $52 with 3 options per course
• 4 nights a week (Wednesday to Saturday), plus Sunday brunch
222541 The entrance to Bero at the corner of Queen and Logan (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-01/ bero-toronto-restaurant-01 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222542 (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-02/ bero-toronto-restaurant-02 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222544 The bar is the same one owner Andrew Bridgman designed and constructed for The Commissary (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-04/ bero-toronto-restaurant-04 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222545 Matt Kantor and sous-chef Chris Scott in the kitchen (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-05/ bero-toronto-restaurant-05 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222546 Matt Kantor (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-06/ bero-toronto-restaurant-06 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222548 Silver bass ceviche (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-08/ bero-toronto-restaurant-08 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222549 White gazpacho with almonds, cucumber and basil seed (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-09/ bero-toronto-restaurant-09 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222554 Mushrooms with peas, eggs and vanilla (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-14/ bero-toronto-restaurant-14 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222553 Pork loin with octopus and chickpeas (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-13/ bero-toronto-restaurant-13 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222558 Bone marrow gnocchi with snails and celeriac purée (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-intro.jpg 656 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-intro/ bero-toronto-restaurant-intro 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222551 White asparagus with cherries, hazelnuts and Parmesan (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-11/ bero-toronto-restaurant-11 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222550 Saffron squid with arancini (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-10/ bero-toronto-restaurant-10 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222552 Lamb loin with avocado, wattleseed and apricots (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-12/ bero-toronto-restaurant-12 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222547 Kantor’s signature shrimp with chermoula, cilantro and lettuce (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-07/ bero-toronto-restaurant-07 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222556 Strawberry "bubbles" with black malt and milk sorbet (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-16-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-16.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-16/ bero-toronto-restaurant-16 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222555 A Catalan verison of crème brûlée with cardamom, blueberries and lemon (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-15-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-15.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-15/ bero-toronto-restaurant-15 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
222557 Chocolate cake with halvah, yogurt-eggplant ice cream and orange-infused olive oil (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing Bero Introducing Bero https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-17-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-17.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bero-toronto-restaurant-17.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/bero-toronto-restaurants/slide/bero-toronto-restaurant-17/ bero-toronto-restaurant-17 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
And what a great team we have.
Looks tasty! wish we had something like this in BWV :-(
What an excellent restaurant! Was there a few weeks ago. Food is very unique and delicious. Wine pairings were well chosen. Cant wait to go back!!