Smash burgers, fried chicken sandwiches and everything else to eat at The Butcher’s Son on Geary

Over a decade ago, Vito Rizzuto, now chef and co-owner of The Butcher’s Son, was working at his Davisville restaurant, Five Doors North. That’s when he met Matthew Kumprey, who eventually became his trusted meat guy. The two got on so well that they decided to partner up and open a small shop at Yonge and Eglinton, where Kumprey would head up the butchery and Rizzuto would be in charge of the prepared foods. The plan was to expand with a second location, one where they could have more room to start a catering business. But, for a while, Rizzuto was too busy with the restaurant, and the right space never seemed to be available.

Then something serendipitous—and something not-so-serendipitous—happened. Beginning with the latter, there was the pandemic. In its wake, Five Doors North was faltering. But then the perfect space on Geary (an area both men are big fans of) came on the market. So Rizzuto said goodbye to his restaurant to focus exclusively on their new shop.

The top floor of the split-level space houses a huge production kitchen to accommodate the prep for both the butcher shop and the catering business. The shop itself stocks all of your butchery staples—beautifully marbled cuts of beef, house-smoked poultry, racks of ribs, snappy sausages—as well as house-made soups and salad dressings. For customers who get peckish while shopping, the store also sells made-to-order burgers and sandwiches stuffed with steak, fried chicken and battered fish filets.

The duo plan to turn part of the second floor into a dining area, but until that happens, the sandwiches and sides are available to go. Come summer, they’ll set up a patio outside for alfresco dining.

Rizzuto’s rotating selection of salads includes his take on KFC’s coleslaw; another one chock full of beets, scallions, toasted pumpkin seeds and goat cheese; a classic potato salad with double-smoked bacon; a quinoa salad with pecans, cabbage and kale in a bright vinaigrette; and smashed potatoes seared on a flat top with caramelized onions and roasted garlic.

A selection of heat-and-serve options, including house-ground sausages in puff pastry, a short rib Wellington and house-smoked back ribs. (Rizzuto’s secret barbecue sauce is also available for sale from the pantry.)

Below, we have seasoned, thinly sliced sirloin, ready for the grill.

And here it is in its final resting place: the steak sandwich. The grilled striploin is doused in house barbecue sauce, covered with caramelized onions and fried red peppers, and served on a grilled hoagie bun.

The spicy and crunchy fried chicken sandwich on a potato bun is dressed with house ranch, creamy coleslaw and Mrs. White’s pickles:

Here’s a the smash burger mid-smash.

Served on a potato bun, the burger is topped with house Mac sauce and more of Mrs. White’s pickles.

For those who prefer surf to turf, there’s Rizzuto’s take on the Filet O’ Fish. It’s topped with creamy coleslaw, house tartar sauce and a slice of cheddar.

The Butcher’s Son, 195 Geary Ave., 416-534-3732, thebutchersson.ca, @butcherssonto

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