This is a tale about two boyhood friends who, in spite of being on two very different paths, came together to change the landscape of salad bars in Toronto forever. A little dramatic? Maybe, but their menu is worth the dramatization — I promise you.

And it’s true, beyond the business itself, the story of how John Gaganiaras and Billy Angelopoulos created what they called The Baro — which is a shortened take on ‘koumbaros,’ meaning ‘best man’ in Greek — will tug on heartstrings around the city and beyond. In all honesty, I don’t even want to tell it. It’s one of the reasons why you need to stop into the latest Queen West addition. You’re bound to find one or both behind the counter to get their story in person.

While you’re at it, you might as well order one of their soon-to-be-famous chopped salads. I recommend the Avotaco, which I think is a fairly self-explanatory name. Of course there’s a salad for everyone since The Baro also has a custom menu.

In addition to the amazing menu these besties created, they also built the space with their own two (or should I say four) hands. From the wooden bench to the kitchen and even the branding, it’s impressive how much time and effort they put into The Baro. And how Instagrammable it all is. So there really is no reason why you should wait on it.