Ace + Bearly’s = burgers

Even the juiciest secrets have to reveal themselves eventually. It’s official, Ace Burger Co. (2605 Agricola Street) will be taking over the kitchen at Bearly’s House of Blues, Burgers and Ribs (1269 Barrington Street), and the switch will happen just in time for Burger Week (March 20-26).

Mimi Iatrou, Bearly’s owner, “had seen what we had done with Gus’ Pub, and to him it was a really perfect solution,” says George Christakos of he and his father Leo’s decision to open a second coming of Ace. “Now he can focus on the bar and the music program and not worry about the kitchen anymore.”

There’s also a really lovely family connection to this pairing—Christakos’ grandparents once ran a restaurant across the street from Bearly’s in the current Ginger Grass space, and Iatrou’s mother is Leo’s godmother. “It’s really cool for me, I’m two generations removed,” he says. “For that collaboration to still be happening is pretty special.”

Along with having more room for seating, the second Ace will serve up a slightly bigger menu than its Gus’ counterpart. Keeping the classic and deluxe Getaway beef burgers as stars on the menu, Christakos says they’ll try some new flavours too, like Portuguese and north African influenced burgs. And that no-frills, all chill vibe will of course remain.

“If there’s any place similar to Gus’ it’s Bearly’s. They’re real bars, real watering holes,” says Christakos. “It’s the kind of place Anthony Bourdain would fall in love with because there’s nothing contrived here.”

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This article appears in Feb 20-26, 2014.