Sausage fest with lamb, elk, rabbit, kangaroo, vegan options, and more
Let’s get the most important question out of the way. Wvrst is pronounced “vurst”, which is the same pronunciation as the German word for sausage, wurst. I have no idea why the restaurant is spelled Wvrst. Maybe it’s a throwback to the Roman empire when they didn’t have the letter u.
Anyway, Wvrst is the undisputed champion for sausage variety in the country. Unlike other sausage purveyors, these are not minor variations like different sizes of the same thing or some token herbs thrown in. They have 32 distinct varieties, including uncommon meats like elk, bison, and kangaroo. I would love to see crocodile, ostrich, and emu one day. For animal lovers (not in the consumption sense), there are 7 vegan options.
Wvrst’s original location is on King Street West, 25 minutes walk from this outlet at Union Station. The original location has marginally better food quality but this outpost can’t be beat for location. It’s the transport hub for the region and has a direct link to the airport. It’s a decent choice for a quick but pricey bite. This restaurant has a more sophisticated ambience.
Proudly taking centre stage is the giant display case of sausages and cured meats. Newcomers are naturally drawn to the exotic meats. Don’t forget that there is a range of traditional sausages from around the world to choose from. Like South African boerewors, Slovenian kranjska, German bratwurst, or pseudo-German Oktoberfest sausage. I wished they offered more varieties of German sausages. The foods I miss from Southern Germany are Weißwurst (white veal sausages) and Nürnberger (bite-sized pork sausages).
The food
I have been to this location 3 times and my impression is the same: oversalted. I love salty foods but everything here is too salty for me. If they cut back the salt by a quarter or half, it would be perfect.
The menu is hipster biergarten food. Of course, the sausages are the main attraction but they also have pretzels, duck fat fries, and raclette (stinky melted Swiss cheese). Did I mention that they are salty?
The largest sausage is the Barese, meant for sharing. It was grilled well and had a crisp, thin exterior. I finished it on my own. The Padano cheese wasn’t strong. Just a bit more cheese would balance the sausage better. The menu mentioned chilli but I only tasted a standard bratwurst.
The Barese came with a choice of side and I picked marinated mushrooms. Guess what? They were salty. The chillies were noticeable here but I wished they had more time to infuse into the mushrooms. The button mushrooms are cooked quickly so they retained their semi-firm texture. That’s good because mushy mushrooms wouldn’t work when doused with condiments. The liberal use of olive oil made this a heavier than expected snack.
The country bread that came with the plate was just standard crusty white bread. It did not taste like it was made in-house. They were not warmed up.
Other than sausages, the signature dish here is the duck fat fries. It can be upgraded to dirty fries, which just means smothering a bunch of hot dog condiments like peppers and onions. I do not recommend this. The fries are salty enough and becomes unpalatable with all the additions. The quality of the toppings is average and not worth the extra $1.98.
Instead, go for plain duck fat fries. Yes, it’s still oversalted but there is a pleasant undertone of duck. Best appreciated with an acidic sauce like chili tomato or jalapeno to counteract the salt. The fries at this location have a tendency to be limp or overcooked. I prefer the fries at the original location.
The pretzels are decent. It’s one of the few places in Toronto that makes them fresh. Slightly chewy. The plaiting could be neater. They are best with one topping at most. Germans don’t dump multiple toppings on pretzels for good reason. The Everything pretzel has onion, garlic, sesame, and the option to add melted cheese. All strong flavours that fight for attention and overwhelm the bread. If you ever visit Munich or southern Germany, check out the pretzels there for the gold standard.
The place
Wvrst is at the western end of Union Station, close to the food court and GO train platforms. They know their target audience well: office crowd going for drinks and commuters grabbing a quick bite. It’s an enjoyable place to hang out. Seating is mainly on communal benches but there are a couple of booths for more intimate groups.
Verdict
The vast array of sausages is incredible but is let down by the heavy hand with salt for almost everything on the menu. 6/10.
Practical information
- Name
- Wvrst (Union Station)
- Rating
- 6/10 (6.5/10 for flagship location)
- Recommended dishes
- Bratwvrst
Duck fat fries - Prices
- Bratwvrst: $11.13 ($9.85 excluding tax)
Duck fat fries: $6.50 ($5.75 excluding tax)
Plain pretzel $4.80 ($4.25 excluding tax) - Address
- Union Station, 65 Front Street West, Unit 4 (York Street Promenade)
- Hours
- Monday to Saturday 1100h – 2300h
Sunday 1100h – 2200h - Date of visit
- December 2019