From Uptown to Downtown: North York’s Belly Buster Submarines Arrives at King West

by Sabrina Zh

Belly Buster submarines is highly acclaimed by many reviews on the internet. So when they opened their doors at 389 King St. West (near King and Spadina), Nick and I checked it out on the soft opening day to see if the new location lives up to the hype.

The original Belly Buster Submarines location in North York has been around for 38 years. A feature that was important to this new location is that the details and operations remain true to the original location. The decor is a throwback to the seventies: from bright yellow stools to vintage picture frames; this place makes me feel oh-so-nostalgic. Many of Belly Buster’s customers have been coming for years. In fact captured memories are displaying on the wall of “the faces of the satisfied” to dedicate those loyal and happy customers.

We ordered the people’s favourite: the 12 inch turkey bacon sub ($7.65). What did I like about it? All of the little details: creamy, soft artisan buns, finely shredded lettuce, generous amount of turkey, and crispy thick bacon. The quality of each ingredient is at its best, so every bite tastes delicious.

I had a quick chat with Page Magen from Magen Boys Entertainment about this stellar combination of concept, food, and location. Entrepreneurs and partners, Page and Jian, grew up on Belly Buster Submarines and collaborated with Michael Kimel and Christopher Passilidis (owner) for the expansion in GTA. Page mentioned that the freshness of the ingredients is consistent in both locations as the ingredients come from the same supplier. Now customers and fans who grew up with Belly Buster can conveniently grab their favourite subs downtown now.

Belly Buster Submarines is open late at King West until 3:30am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, perfect for busting your hunger after a late night out. To everyone else, don’t let the name scare you. Try it for yourself. Check out their menu here (PDF): http://www.bellybustersub.com/belly_buster_menu.pdf