Restaurants
Leslieville Pumps
Leslieville Pumps is reminiscent of a Northern Ontario truck stop. Faux Muskoka chairs line the window outside under the old-tyme storefront, while inside cottage memorabilia decorates the walls, and a quarter will buy you a gumball from two giant gas pump-shaped dispensers. There are some notable differences however.
First of all, they don't sell live bait, and second of all, the menu doesn't consist of day old wieners, or vacuum sealed sandwiches. You won't find an expiry date on any of the food here.
Instead, everything is made in-house by co-owner Judson Flom who left a career of working in the higher end of the food industry, to pursue his one true love...barbecue. So when the old Country Style at Queen and Carlaw went up for sale, Judson and his brother Greg made a move.
Last Wednesday, I unintentionally skipped breakfast but it was a good thing I did. I met with a friend and her little one for lunch at the Pumps, and I was starving by the time one o'clock rolled around--which explains the following list of menu items we consumed.
While waiting for our food (which also takes longer than your average gas station, but this is a good thing) we busied ourselves with reading the decades-old newspaper clippings that cover the tables along with old photos of the station back when the Shoppers across the street was a Dominion.
Up first were the sandwiches. We split a Hickory Smoked Chicken and a Southern Beef Brisket ($7.74 each), which some are already saying is the best in Toronto. Despite this, my favourite of the two was the chicken. The chicken thigh, topped with arugula and tomatoes, was unbelievably tender and I loved the sauce (a mixture of the Pump's own bbq sauce and sweet chili aioli--it tasted similar to what you might expect of a pulled pork sandwich but with a spicy kick).
The brisket, smoked for 14 hours, is then topped with crispy onions, grainy mustard and once again the Pump's own bbq sauce (top photo). It was smoky and tender, but it didn't do it for me as much as the chicken.
On the side we had the corn fritters ($3.99) and dipped them in a Creole sauce made of a secret blend of herbs and spices from their rooftop garden. They aren't the most attractive dish--almost like old-fashioned timbits punctuated with corn kernels--but they were surprisingly addictive.
And because I've never said no to a deep fried pickle, we had to try the Pump's version ($3.99). The pickles breaded in Panko were fantastic--the coating was crispy and buttery while the pickles maintained their crunch. Definitely the best I've had in a while.
And just to push ourselves over the edge, (neither of us ended up eating dinner that night) we tried the French Toast Fingers. Drizzled with milk chocolate and sprinkled with bacon, they were 50% breakfast, 50% dessert, but 100% delicious. Given the ingredients, this dish was decadent without being cloyingly sweet.
Leslieville Pumps draws a mixed crowd. Devoted first-name-basis regulars of its previous incarnation still show up for their double-double with a side of scratch and win tickets, while others have caught on to what the kitchen is serving up, and some just run in to pay for their gas and head back to their car unaware of the delicious sandwiches they missed out on.
Lunch and dinner isn't the only thing on offer at The Pumps. Open for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the Pumps serves up breakfast sandwiches, and fresh-baked goods including blueberry muffins and butter tarts.
Even when the kitchen closes at 8pm, hungry patrons can still find a meal in slow-cooked authentic Sri Lankan curry made by a staff member using her own recipe. I was told it's a hit with cab drivers around the 3am mark when the shifts are changing and drivers are running on empty.
Discussion
38 Comments
Sort By Oldest First / Newest First
Subscribe
Jeeeeez
No, they're not licensed.
Can you not tell the by my name, I LIVE IN THE EAST END????
Someone needs to get his narrow-minded self a real life.
This place is amazing! The food is fantastic (especially the brisket and pulled pork) and the owners/staff always greet you with a smile. The prices may seem high to some but are completely in line with the area. Not to mention free parking and cheap gas! It is a no brainer really!
Check it out – you won’t be disappointed.
I have grabbed a brisket sandwich from here many times and it is awesome. I would definitely recommend it. The sandwiches are never dry but are also not falling apart in your hands or going soggy – which to me is a bonus.
Perhaps before they “lose your business” you should a) give them your business and develop you own opinion instead of jumping on the lame TorontoStar band wagon and b) check out the positive reviews above here from your fellow chowhounders.
I assume the opinions of their regular customers are more important for business…
We ordered the pulled pork sandwich and the chicken one. The pork was dry and pretty tasteless and the bun was boring. The chicken had a weird taste to it and wasnt sweet and spicy as indicated. This bun was burnt. The fries we got for $3 were the smallest portion I've ever seen, and although they were over cooked, the flavor was good.
It's too bad that it wasn't good, cause I wanted this place to rule. The owner seems like a cool dude, but the rest of the staff leaves me puzzled. They could do with music and more energy in there as well as punching up the flavors in their meat.
Very friendly lady at the front counter.
I live just down the street and moved in around the same time they did. Our renovations were punctuated with lunches all of the pumps staples. From the beef brisket to the smoked salmon, Pumps never disappoint! The guys that run it are really friendly, and work hard to achieve quality that you would never expect from a gas station diner.
Highly recommended to anyone looking for a good quick bite and more than the average sandwich in Leslieville.
(ps - the parsley fries... mmm)
Went across the street to Rashers. Much better!