The Wahlbergs brought the 'Wahlburger' to Toronto, and we tried it!

As Toronto was buzzing with all things TIFF, a different kind of party was bursting with just as much excitement, a burger party that is! The Wahlberg brothers were in town to introduce their cleverly named burger joint, Wahlburgers, opening in the Soho Metropolitan Hotel in 2014. As a city that knows a thing or two about a good patty, we were their top pick for their first expansion outside of the original Hingham, Massachusetts location. And of course, we had to go get a taste for ourselves.

The restaurant is based on their childhood food memories growing up in Boston. With each brother having his own burger on the menu, there’s a fun play on family mealtime. Mark’s pick is a nod to Thanksgiving dinner, a turkey burger with stuffing, orange-cranberry sauce, squash and mayo. Donnie’s has a spicy BBQ vibe with a beef burger loaded with bacon, avocado, white cheddar and jalepenos. And last but not least, Paul, the chef behind it all, is more of a purist — with a signature burger topped with all the classic fixings. Their meat is sourced locally, ground in-house and grilled to order. And for the vegetarians out there? You haven't been forgotten: they have a grilled mushroom burger stuffed with caramelized onions and Owahl’ sauce.

Each burger can be paired with their Mom’s macaroni salad, crispy onions rings or fresh cut fries. But what definitely can’t be missed are the boozy frappes made with their Nona’s homemade ice cream. And so, the burger wars continue.

Where do you go for your favourite burger?