Sept. 2025
Wendy Schneider
When a fire forced Charred, the beloved James Street North eatery, to close its doors in March 2023, owner Mark Morgenstern didn’t just wait for the rebuilding process to unfold—he made a commitment to his team. All 17 of his employees remained on the payroll throughout the 13-month closure, a quiet but powerful act of loyalty that reflects Morgenstern’s character. It’s the kind of behind-the-scenes generosity that defines what it means to be a true mensch.
A year is a long time for any restaurant to be dark, and Morgenstern couldn’t help but worry that his customers might have moved on. So when Charred reopened last April, he ordered too few chickens, which quickly barely lasted through the weekend.
“It’s a great feeling, you know, when people are coming back and they’re telling me ... ‘we’re just so happy you’re back,” he told the HJN a month after reopening.
In the weeks that followed, it became clear that Charred’s following had never wavered. Despite the pressures of inflation and rising food costs—which necessitated some price increases—customers have returned in droves. The restaurant remains packed most days, and its catering business is thriving.
It’s easy to see why. Charred’s menu is pure comfort food, served with care: juicy, charcoal-roasted chicken; tender brisket sandwiches; nourishing chicken noodle soup (a favorite among Hamilton’s Italian community); and their signature poutine—hand-cut fries smothered in rich, savory gravy and cheese, topped with chicken or brisket.
What sets Charred apart is Morgenstern’s unwavering commitment to quality. Nearly everything is made in-house—from the golden, deep-fried fries to the Caesar dressing and croutons. The chicken is locally sourced, free-run, and cooked fresh over blazing hardwood charcoal. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is frozen. Everything is deliberate.
That consistency—of quality, cleanliness, and service—is at the core of Charred’s philosophy. But it’s Morgenstern’s deep respect for his staff that truly defines the restaurant. He treats them with care and dignity, not as a business strategy, but as a reflection of his values. It’s part of what makes Charred feel like more than just a place to eat.
When Morgenstern opened Charred 12 years ago, he was warned that the restaurant business would be unforgiving. And it has been. But for him, the rewards have always outweighed the challenges.“If it was constant complaints, then you’d say, what am I doing it for,” he said, “But it’s the reverse. The reward is not so much the money that you make, because you don’t make a lot of money, but it’s the recognition that people give you as they go out, they give you the thumbs up. That’s what keeps you going.”
