BEAR Steak Sandwiches – Michael Eats

Quick Bites: Bear Steak Sandwiches, Pizza Cantina, Pizza Karachi

Published on July 26, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Original Steak Sandwich from Bear Steak Sandwiches

I’m a big fan of Bear Steak Sandwiches, though I’ll admit that a recent experience there was a bit unfortunate. I ordered the special, which was a steak on rye sandwich, and… it was basically inedible. The rye bread it was served on was so stale and dry that it crumbled into bits the second I picked it up. I took a couple of bites, and then brought it back for a refund, which is something I basically never do. Not great! On the plus side, they seemed to know it was an issue and immediately offered to replace it with an original steak sandwich, which they assured I’d like much better. And they were correct — I’ve previously raved about this sandwich, and yeah, it’s still stellar. A bit too greasy, but otherwise the combo of the ultra-tender steak and zippy chimichurri (and non-stale bread!) is a big winner.

Diavola Stinger from Pizza Cantina

Pizza Cantina, a pizza joint in the Junction, seems to be pretty well regarded, so I was excited to try it. I went with the Diavola Stinger (“San Marzano tomato sauce, hot soppressata, mozzarella & hot honey drizzle”), and it was tasty enough. Certainly, I didn’t dislike eating it. The crust was odd, however. I don’t know if it was supposed to be like that or if something went wrong, but it was extremely stiff and cracker-like, with the ends being full-out crunchy with no softness or chew. It was a bit too much for me, but if you like a crunchy pizza, it was otherwise pretty solid. My only other complaint is that I found the hot honey to be a bit too aggressively applied — but then I find honey on a pizza to work best in small doses. Others may disagree.

Pizza from Pizza Karachi

As you’d gather from the name, Pizza Karachi serves pizza with a Pakistani flair. I tried a couple of pizzas (the Mirchi Sauga and… another one whose name is currently escaping me), and both were solid. They were pan pizzas (somewhat Pizza Hut-esque), and while the vaguely gummy crust was nothing to write home about, the vibrant Pakastani flavours actually worked pretty well.

Crispy Pork Belly Sandwich from BEAR Steak Sandwiches

Published on June 7, 2025 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 550A College Street, Toronto
Website: https://bearsteak.ca/

The Great BEAR sandwich is a collaboration between BEAR Steak Sandwiches and Great Fountain Fast Food, and it’s only being served this weekend (June 7 and 8).

That’s just not enough time for a sandwich this great. I think it’s safe to say that this is the most upsetting thing happening in the world right now. No, I’m not going to look at the news. You look at the news. I want to eat this sandwich for the rest of my life.

The Great BEAR sandwich, as per Instagram: “crispy pork belly, black vinegar sauce, black pepper aioli, pickled onions, scallions, black sesame bun.”

Yes. Yes to all of that. For whatever reason, the notion of putting Chinese roast pork in a sandwich had never even occurred to me, but yeah, of course. Of course that’s good.

The pork is fatty and perfectly cooked, and while my first few bites were a bit lacking in crispy skin, the back half of of the sandwich was loaded with the stuff.

The meat itself is so tender and and flavourful that you could throw it on a bun and call it a day, but the other stuff here really amps up the flavour of the sandwich. And the zippy pickled onions and black vinegar sauce do a great job of cutting through the richness of the unctuous pork; the sandwich is very finely tuned, and never feels too heavy.

The bun looks a bit big in the photos, but it’s pillowy and light, and lets the pork be the star of the show.

So no, sorry BEAR Steak Sandwiches. This can’t just be a limited-time thing. I won’t allow it.

An Amazing Cheeseburger at BEAR Steak Sandwiches

Published on November 6, 2024 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 550A College Street, Toronto
Website: https://bearsteak.ca/

BEAR Steak Sandwiches recently added a cheeseburger to their delightfully focused menu (they serve three things: a steak sandwich, a roast pork sandwich, and now, a burger), and yeah. Of course. Of course I need to try that. Their steak sandwich is easily one of the best sandwiches in the city. So if they’re taking a swing at a hamburger? Yes please.

Bonus: it’s a big fat chunky boy rather than the thin smashed burger that’s so omnipresent in the city. I like a smashed burger as much as the next guy, but come on. Other types of hamburgers exist.

The cheeseburger, as per their menu: “Medium rare chuck patty, American cheese, white onion, pickle, sesame bun. Sauce on the side.”

I skipped the onion, but otherwise got this as is.

Wow, it’s good. Seriously, seriously good. The patty is a thing of beauty: amazing beefy flavour, great texture, perfectly seasoned. That beefy flavour slaps you in the face in all the best ways. I know that it looks very rare in that photo, but it was cooked to a perfect medium rare and had none of the mushiness that you’ll find in too-rare hamburger patties. It was glorious.

It comes with a little tub of what I’m assuming is their chimichurri sauce with mayo mixed in; it’s seriously delicious, but completely unnecessary. When the beef is this good, I don’t need anything to distract from its flavour; the zippiness from the pickles and the salty richness from the cheese are all you need.

The bun has a bit more heft than your typical burger bun, but since the patty here is so substantial, it totally works.

My burger blog is pretty much defunct at this point, but if I were to review this there, I’d rate it a perfect four out of four. I have some minor nitpicks (the cheese could have been meltier, the grind on the beef could have been a bit more coarse, and the beef could have been slightly fattier/juicier), but those are teeny-tiny complaints about an otherwise superlative hamburger.

Amazing Sandwiches at BEAR Steak Sandwiches

Published on June 20, 2024June 20, 2024 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 550A College Street, Toronto
Website: https://bearsteak.ca/

BEAR Steak started out small, serving sandwiches out of someone’s house — a pandemic-era pop-up that was popular enough to graduate to a real-deal restaurant (albeit a tiny one with just enough room to grab your sandwich and go).

The place has gotten an enormous amount of hype since it opened, and let me tell you: it’s all 100% deserved. The hype is real.

They only have a couple of sandwiches on the menu: roast pork, and their specialty, the original steak sandwich. The sandwich is beyond simple — it’s just thickly-sliced flank steak and chimichurri sauce on a Portuguese roll. It’s so good.

You have to be pretty confident in what you’re serving to slice the steak this thick; if the meat isn’t perfectly tender, you’re going to end up pulling it out of the sandwich after your first bite, and no one wants that. But the medium rare beef here somehow manages to be buttery tender while still having a satisfying meaty bite.

It’s also got a great beefy flavour that lets you know they’re using the good stuff. The zippy, garlicky chimichurri adds a nice brightness that complements the beef perfectly, and the lightly crusty bread has just enough substance to hold up to the meat without overwhelming. It’s one of the best sandwiches in the city.