Eggslut, a U.S.-based, suggestively-named egg sandwich phenomenon, is about to make its Canadian debut with two locations in Toronto.
Toronto is more than able to fend for itself on the egg sandwich restaurant front. Institutions like Egg Club rule the roost around here, keeping the city’s civilians fuelled with overflowing piles of pillowy eggs nestled between shiny brioche slices.
But, as Baby Tate once so aptly said, “You can’t outdo the doer,” and, when it comes to this particular style of sandwich (in the North American market, anyway), the “doer” in question is, undeniably, Eggslut.
Founded by chef Alvin Cailan as a Los Angeles food truck in 2011, the concept has since blossomed into a worldwide affair, with brick-and-mortars across California, in Las Vegas, Seattle, and international branches in Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
If the restaurant’s pearl-clutching name isn’t enough of an indication, the restaurant is all about eggs. They’re served coddled with a baguette for dipping, fried or scrambled on a brioche with toppings like bacon, sausage, and even burger patties, and chopped up into egg salad.
For as much of a global affair as Egglut has become over the years, Canada has, historically, been left out of the fun. Soon, that’ll all change.
The chain is set to open two new locations in the city, the first of which lands on King West, seemingly taking over the former home of Porchetta & Co. at 545 King St. W. this spring.
Later, another location is set to open at Yonge and Dundas in the summer.
Both will be in good company among fellow American export Shake Shack, which, after opening its first Canadian location at Yonge and Dundas in the summer of 2024, also plans to open a King West location across the street from Eggslut’s future haunt.
And, look, as something of an eggslut myself, I’m excited to find out what all the fuss is about, but, if it were up to me, I’d give anything just to get Egg Bae (Eggslut’s more modest Canadian cousin?) back.