What to know
- The Carbon Bar has officially launched a brand new brunch menu blending Texas-style barbecue with classic comfort dishes.
- Newfoundland-born chef Taylor Wells is leading the kitchen’s next era, bringing East Coast hospitality to one of Toronto’s smokehouses.
- Standout menu items include brisket eggs benedict, chicken and waffles, a massive shareable brunch tower, and over-the-top Caesars topped with ribs, brisket or fried chicken.
- The brunch program aims to show a “gentler side” of The Carbon Bar while still keeping the restaurant’s signature smoky flavours front and centre.
Newfoundland-born chef Taylor Wells is helping usher in a new era at The Carbon Bar: one filled with brisket bennys, smoky Caesars and East Coast hospitality.
Inside The Carbon Bar, Wells is helping shape the restaurant’s newest chapter with the launch of a bold brunch menu that blends Texas-style barbecue with hearty, comforting daytime favourites.
Originally from Newfoundland, the 29-year-old chef says there are surprising similarities between East Coast hospitality and the culture surrounding Texas barbecue.
“You have Southern hospitality, you have East Coast hospitality, and you know one thing that we really have together is just having a good time and being with people we care about,” Wells said. “That’s where you’re gonna see that kind of mesh — large dinners, large formats, just enjoying each other’s company.”
Now leading a Southern barbecue kitchen in the city, Wells has embraced the challenge of respecting classic smokehouse traditions while still introducing her own perspective.
Known for its smoky meats, whiskey-forward cocktails, and Southern-inspired dishes, The Carbon Bar has built its own reputation while taking over the iconic 99 Queen East building. The address has previously been home to now-defunct dance club Electric Circus, and later, Citytv until 1987.
What’s on the menu?
Wells says transitioning into brunch service came with both excitement and challenges.
“We’re used to doing dinners and big flavours, and now we’ve kind of decided that we’re gonna do something a little bit more sunny, something that’s a little bit more light, but still keeping it, you know, Carbon Bar,” Wells explained to Now Toronto.
And that balance is reflected throughout the menu: sweet and savoury is the name of the game throughout all the offerings, from crispy chicken and waffles, to shakshuka to classic french toast. And barbeque is never too far away, with brisket eggs benedict and pit-smoked ribs with all the fixings like beans, mac n’ cheese and coleslaw.
This little-bit-of-everything approach feels personal for Wells.
The new brunch service softens The Carbon Bar’s usual late-night smokehouse energy, replacing whiskey-heavy evenings with daytime comfort food and oversized Caesars built for lingering weekend meals.
Among her top recommendations from the new brunch lineup is the brunch tower, designed for sharing and packed with a variety of options like avocado toast, pancakes, eggs, bacon and more. She also points to the pastrami benny as a standout, combining smoked meat flavours with the richness of a timeless eggs benedict.
“Pastrami takes a long time to make and it’s a long process, so for us, going ahead and having something that takes a long time, something that you know takes a lot of technique, and then putting it on a benny is something that’s super exciting for me,” she explained.
The Carbon Bar is redefining brunch culture
Beyond the food itself, Wells says the goal is to encourage diners to slow down and enjoy the experience, something she feels brunch culture naturally invites.
“I think we’ve been known for smoke and briskets and big platters and big dinners, and I think that this kind of shows a more gentle side of us,” she said.
And if you come for the food, Wells says you should also stay for the Caesars, being offered in true smokehouse form — topped with your choice of brisket, ribs, fried chicken, or even an all-in option.
“I mean, you don’t really get to see something that grand,” she laughed.
