Wahlburgers, the latest American-born burger chain to make its way north of the border, is headed up by Chef Paul Wahlberg, brother of two Hollywood heavyweights: Mark and Donnie Wahlberg.
One of the main investors in the restaurant franchise is newest dragon and investment guru Michael Wekerle – he joined forces with co-investors Bruce Greenberg, president of Starwood Group, and Henry Wu, president of Metropolitan Hotels.
After recently opening their flagship Canadian restaurant in Toronto recently, they have now announced plans to continue their expansion from coast to coast, with new locations scheduled to open up in Little Italy, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Waterloo, Ottawa, and maybe even Guelph (Waterloo Region Record).
The Wahlbergs’ journey of building the Boston-bred resto is profiled on the A&E show “Wahlburgers.” The restaurant offers casual comfort food in a family-friendly environment. With fresh made-to-order burgers, fries and frappes, the menu reflects a mix of classic burgers and sides, as well as Wahlberg childhood favourites. The Toronto location is the first North American expansion outside of the original Hingham, Massachusetts restaurant.
“Canadians for some reason love a good burger. It’s in our blood,” said Wekerle to the Waterloo Region Record. “As kids, most of us had our birthday parties at McDonald’s. It always goes back to the burger. Canadians generally are more burger-oriented, yet Americans have so much more choice,” he noted.
Photo: Wahlburgers
