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Dining in Dufferin: The Upper Pub and Eatery opens at former Wrinkly Bear Brewing Company

October 12, 2023   ·   1 Comments

By Gail Powell

Crystal and Connie Mahon were operating a family-run painting business in Brampton when they both decided to chuck their brushes, head north and pour pints for a living.

The pair worked for about a year at the Wrinkly Bear Brewing Company in Grand Valley until the brewpub owners decided to relocate from the historic schoolhouse and move the brewery to Guelph.

After the brewpub closed in May this year, the sisters made a swift choice to lease the vintage building on the hill at 27 Main St. North for themselves, and they opened The Upper Pub and Eatery at the beginning of June.

“With the building set to be vacant – and having met so many great people in the community while working at the brewpub – we made the spontaneous decision to start our own pub,” said Connie Mahon, owner. “Two weeks later — we opened for business.”

The 1892 two-story brick schoolhouse originally accommodated two elementary classrooms on the ground floor and two secondary school classes upstairs. Two more rooms were added at the back of the building in 1912. The Mahon family now rents these rooms out as community spaces for events such as baby/wedding showers or private parties.

“The building was used as a school until 1959, but then sat vacant for many years,” noted Mahon. “We have a lot of space to work with here, with three rooms on the main level, we can accommodate about 45 guests in each room.”

Around the bar area, the Mahon sisters have infused a subtle East Coast of Canada vibe, paying homage to their Newfoundland roots with a few artifacts and decorative pieces dotted throughout the main dining area. 

Their custom menu is also a reflection of their Atlantic Canada relations, offering patrons a wide variety of traditional Canadian pub fare selections, including fish and chips, jumbo wing dinners, pastas, pizzas, plus a classic grilled chicken on a bun. 

“One week this summer, we offered customers a ‘Billion Dollar Betty Burger’ as a menu item when our Uncle Bill and Aunt Betty came to visit us from Newfoundland,” laughed Mahon.

“We like to have fun with our menu, and our guests, plus we wanted to make our Aunt Betty feel special.”

Adding to their dynamic team is The Upper Pub chef, Greg Willemse. He handcrafts the pub fare, including a unique salad dressing made with a Newfoundland partridge berry syrup base.

 “We want our customers to know we are all about providing consistency and quality with our food. All our recipes are exclusive to our family and The Upper Pub and Eatery,” said business partner and sibling Crystal Mahon.

Coming up at the end of the month, on Saturday, Oct. 28, the pub will host a 19+ Halloween Bash complete with a DJ, buffet, door prize and award for the best costume. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased from the restaurant. 

For more info on hours of operation plus the lineup for live music on Fridays, check out the pub’s social media online. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theupperpubandeatery/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091816342810

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