In a city full of people who love a good burger and no shortage of places to find those two fisted feasts, The Burger's Priest reigns supreme among many burger-philes. Since opening its first shop at Queen and Coxwell in June 2010, this classic American-style burger emporium has rapidly gained a devout following. The burger king himself is Shant Mardirosian, a man who's almost evangelical about meat. The California native grew up with old-fashioned burgers and after visiting a popular burger joint in New York, decided Canada needed a burger revival. The Armenian-American moved here in 1984, having graduated from Tyndale University College & Seminary and planned to be a pastoral minister until God called him to something else. That 'something else,' he discovered three years later in a burger joint in New York, was “redeeming the burger one at a time” — but only six days a week. “We close everything down on Sunday.”
The high altar of Burgerdom — Burger's Priest open kitchen on Queen West
Hymn boards with engraved crosses are retrofitted with the burger menu
The 'High Priest' Burger with two beef patties, special sauce, lettuce and processed cheese on a non-sesame seed bun
A side of fresh cut french fries is a 'must' with the burgers
The simple Cheeseburger with one beef patty, special sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion and processed cheese on a non-sesame seed bun
The 'Armageddon' burger with 2 patties and two fried, cheese-stuffed Portobello mushrooms
Burger's Priest founder Shan't Mardirosian — Zagat’s just named it the third-best restaurant in Toronto, after Scaramouche and Chiado! photo © David Laurence
Beer-themed proverbs cover the wall as a nod to Shant Mardirosian's seminary background
The 'Vatican City' Double Cheeseburger squeezed between two grilled cheese buns
was named 'Burger of the Year' by Toronto Life magazine
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