What to know
- Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash made a surprise visit to The Cottage Cheese in Kensington Market ahead of the band’s Toronto concert.
- The guitarist reportedly ordered a full spread of Indian dishes, including chicken 65, chicken chettinad, saag paneer, lamb biryani and gulab jamun.
- Restaurant manager Hari Dahal said Slash particularly enjoyed the spicier dishes and praised the food.
- Slash also posed for a photo with Dahal and signed an autograph on a napkin.
- The Cottage Cheese has previously welcomed other celebrities, including actress Sandra Oh and music producer Sanjoy.
- The restaurant, located at 64 Oxford St., has been featured in the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand and several Toronto food awards.
Before hitting the Rogers Stadium stage earlier this week, Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash paid a surprise visit to one of Toronto’s most celebrated spots in Kensington Market, and word is he really enjoyed the food.
A day before the rock band’s Toronto stop as part of its World Tour on Wednesday, Slash casually walked into award-winning urban Indian restaurant The Cottage Cheese for a bite.
The restaurant’s manager Hari Dahal tells Now Toronto the visit was a complete surprise after a security guard came into the restaurant hours earlier for a walk through.
“We were expecting somebody, but we didn’t know who it was, so when we saw him, it was like really a ‘wow moment,’ full of surprise,” he said.
After growing up listening to Guns N’ Roses and watching the band on TV, seeing Slash in real life was a remarkable experience for Dahal, who said she stood speechless once he realized it was the guitarist.
“I can’t even explain how it felt…I didn’t speak a word, actually. I was just looking at him,” he said. “I welcomed him, took him to the table, and I was shaking a little bit. My hands were not doing what they’re supposed to do, and… I might [have been] very red at the time, so it was full of excitement and a lot of different emotions… I think that was one of the best days in my life,”
‘He was licking the plate’: Slash enjoyed the food
Although the visit left Dahal and other restaurant customers stunned, the guitarist didn’t only come into the restaurant to stir excitement. According to Dahal, Slash came in with a table of four other customers, and ordered a full meal.
The guitarist’s order featured a series of staple The Cottage Cheese dishes, including:
- Papads with mango mint
- Dahi avocado kebab
- Chicken 65
- Chicken mango moilee
- Chicken Chettinad
- Saag Paneer
- Smokey Eggplant Bharta
- Lamb Biryani
- Gulab Jamun
- Pistachio Kheer
Dahal said the guitarist thoroughly complimented the food, and said he especially enjoyed the spicy dishes.
“He loved the food… He was the guy who was eating from the beginning until the end, and he loved spicy food. That’s what he said to me. And he loved chicken 65. He loved chicken chettinad. Those were little spicy dishes, and he liked [them]. He was licking the plate,” the manager said.
After enjoying the food, the guitarist agreed to take a photo with the manager, and gave him an autograph in a napkin, which Dahal now keeps up on a wall in his house.
“He was an amazing guy. Very polite, very nice, very down to earth, and that was my pleasure to have him here, to see him in The Cottage Cheese, having our food, liking it. That is enough for me. I can brag about this my whole life,” he added.
Manager hopes to receive more celebrities
In a city known for its diverse cuisines, with no shortage of delicious options for residents and visitors, the manager said having Slash choose his restaurant for a meal and having him compliment the food was a true privilege.
“We are very, very excited that they even acknowledged The Cottage Cheese for the food, and I am happy. He knew The Cottage Cheese. That’s a big privilege,” Dahal said.
Slash was not the only celebrity to visit the restaurant. According to the manager, The Cottage Cheese has previously received actress Sandra Oh and music producer Sanjoy.
But the most recent visit left Dahal wishing more celebrities would come to the restaurant next.
“[My] fingers [are] crossed because now I understand the feeling of seeing someone who you admire so much from your childhood. The feeling is just imagining that and seeing something in front of you is way too different [of an] experience.”
The Cottage Cheese is located at 64 Oxford St., serving authentic and rich urban Indian bites since 2022. The restaurant has been featured on the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand in 2025, Canadian Top Choice 2024 and 2025, and the Toronto Star Readers Award in 2024.
