where jess ate

After spending two years on Spadina as an elongated pop-up, Come and Get It (@ComeAndGetIt416) finally has a permanent home on Queen West, a couple blocks west of Bathurst.

This beloved lunch spot all started back in 2012 with the intention of being open temporarily before the impending condo developer would take over the corner. Soon after opening, Come and Get It became one of the most popular lunch spots in the intersection.

Unlike the pop-up shop, Come and Get It 2.0 is a full service bar and restaurant which serves lunch (with similar offerings to the pop-up) as well as dinner and brunch. Owner Jon Polubiec describes it as the adult version of the original. As you can recall from the version 1.0, the space was painted in bright pink and decorated with nostalgic elements including an N64, Archie comics and plastic lunch boxes which were used as a napkin/condiment holder.

While some of these elements are gone, this location is just as fun. The small, cozy space features graffiti walls, chain-link fences and a bar which features shelving designed to look like a boom box.

For the Come and Get It fans, there’s nothing to be worried about – you’ll be relieved to see some of the same familiar flavours on the menu here (chipotle short rib, Hawaiian pork belly, Granny Smith chicken caesar, mango jerk chicken) along with some tasty new combinations (Ol’ El Paso taco, coconut shrimp and summer veg).

During lunch, they’re serving these flavour profiles in the form of sandwiches, wraps, salads and poutine. For dinner, these same flavour profiles are offered in a few different formats so you can choose your own adventure: a bite (cocktail-friendly canape), slider, mini poutine, flatbread or chips n’ dip. For all you indecisive folks like myself, the menu format couldn’t be more perfect. I always want to order the entire menu even when it’s just myself and Mike and this menu makes it all possible.

Last week, we dropped by Come and Get It and made a serious dent in their delicious offerings:

Hawaiian Pork Belly Bites – roasted 5-spice pork belly with grilled pineapple & hoisin

Buffalo Chicken Bites

Mango Jerk Chicken Bite – spicy roasted chicken with house jerk rub, limed mango on plantain chips

Ol’ El Paso Taco Bites – supermarket-inspired pork & beef chorizo, cilantro crema, queso fresco, pico & house tortilla chips

Coconut Shrimp Ceviche Bite – honey citrus dressing, chunky remoulade on a housemade shrimp chip

Chipotle Short Rib Bite – tender pulled beef short rib with smokey BBQ inspired toppings on polenta

Fried Chicken Caesar Bite – crispy cornmeal crusted chicken with garlic, aioli, fresh granny smith apple & parmigiano on jalapeño cornbread

Fried Chicken Caesar Flatbread 

Coconut Shrimp Poutine

Doughnut Holes – cinnamon doughnuts, salted peanut butter dulce de leche

Mini Oreos – homemade Oreos & cookie crumble whipped cream

Tropical Fruit Parfait – pineapple panna cotta

With the new menu format, we were able to try all the flavour combinations – in several different formats too! All the flavour profiles made for a great bar snack – you could find me camped out here all night sipping on cocktails and munching on these bites.

Highlights for me included the fried chicken caesar bite, ol’ el paso taco bite, fried chicken caesar flatbread, buffalo chicken bite and coconut shrimp poutine. Do you see a pattern here? Come and Get It sure knows their way around fried chicken!

A special they were advertising was the buffalo chicken flavour which was served with a blue cheese aioli. We had them in bite form and I could’ve easily eaten a whole bowl of these. Definitely a must-order if you see them on the board… but I’m hoping they make it onto the permanent menu!

I didn’t think anything could top the fried chicken caesar bite until we were served the same flavour in flatbread form. Crisp chunks of chicken mixed with grilled greens and apple sticks topped with a generous drizzle of garlic aioli and chicken skins. SO good!

The Ol’ El Paso taco bites were served in these cute little taco shells which were really fun to eat – just pop ‘em into your mouth one by one. At Come and Get It 1.0, I was a big fan of their poutine and the one we tried on this visit didn’t disappoint. Definitely try a poutine while you’re here.

Out of the three desserts, my personal favourite was the doughnut holes. They were wonderfully crispy on the outside and were light and fluffy on the inside. The dulce de leche just made them so much more indulgent!

We had such a wonderful time at Come and Get It – if you were a fan of their pop-up shop, you’ll love what they’re doing here. Familiar flavours in a great new space!

*This was a complimentary meal. The opinions in the post, as always, are my own.*