You may have noticed some movement behind the storefront at 135 Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough, which has been vacant since the closure of vegan restaurant The Food Forest last fall.
Well, wait no further for answers as Love You, Mean It has moved in with the goal of opening in just a few short weeks. While the restaurant and bar might be all new, the faces behind it are not.
Love You, Mean It is the latest project from Sam Sayer, the well-known entrepreneur and namesake behind Sam’s Place and its expansion, Sam’s Place Wienery — both of which are just steps away from the new restaurant. A staple in the downtown core, Sam’s Place has been making original “samwiches,” with all meats cured, smoked, and prepared in-house, since 2010.
For her latest project, Sayer has joined forces with Owen Walsh, a Peterborough native who has worked at the deli for four years, working his way from line cook to manager. Now he is eager to take on an ownership role alongside Sayer.
“Sam is one of the hardest-working people I’ve ever met, and a very big inspiration,I think she’s fantastic,” he says. “I think she’s fantastic. We work really well together.”
Together, they are opening Love You, Mean It with the goal to “bridge the gap between casual dining and fine dining.”
“We’re coming in the middle with the best of both worlds,” Walsh says. “You’re going to eat the best version of a smash burger, but you also may eat a more accessible version of a beef carpaccio.”
Behind such plates is another familiar face — or at least someone who offers familiar tastes — to Peterborough foodies, as everything is the brainchild of head chef Mack Found. Found is the former head chef at Publican House Brewery & Pub, and has also worked in the kitchen at Rare Restaurant and Black Honey.
“The nice thing is that all three of us come from very different backgrounds, but we have similar views on food and how we want to make our customers happy,” says Walsh.
With a rotating seasonal menu and a few popular mainstay items, diners can expect to find just a handful of entrées alongside a list of sharables. Staples include a house bread, onion dips, and a fried mortadella steak served with mustard and a baguette, where guests can make their own sandwiches right at their table.
“We’re big believers that when you go out, it’s for that sense of community,” Walsh says. “You’re joining friends, and you all enjoy the same foods as each other and discuss what you’re eating. That’s an exciting opportunity to have as a consumer.”
The share plates will be paired with a selection of Ontario craft beers and wines. Alongside classics like the ever-popular espresso martini and a negroni, the restaurant bar will offer a list of house cocktails, including one special which plays into the “high-low” theme: a Miller High Life with a shot of Campari — a drink Walsh is excited to bring to downtown Peterborough.
“It adds a slight bitterness to that sweetness from the beer, for a really balanced taste,” he says.
The food will be served in the “intimate” and “cozy” space which seats 36 people across a bar top, tables, and a lounge area with couches and armchairs for a more relaxed dining experience.
“We wanted this restaurant to feel like when you haven’t been home to your parent’s house in a while, where you come in and you realize it’s a familiar space to you,” Walsh says. “You’ll be greeted with a friendly and positive experience that will make you feel warm and at home.”
The name of the restaurant itself is a homecoming for Walsh, as “Love You, Mean It” is a common saying that has always been used by Sayer and her employees at Sam’s Place. While he says the phrase has many “layers,” Walsh explains that it was something they would add on to requests and demands when working diligently in the quick pace of the kitchen.
“When you’re working quickly, things can sound cold and direct sometimes, so we always said this as a sign off and to say that we appreciate each other,” says Walsh, noting that Sayer also often signs off on her text messages the same way. “When we were deciding on the name, it made sense because this restaurant is a love letter to Peterborough and the community.”
While no exact opening date is set yet, as the restaurant finishes renovations in the coming weeks, Walsh is hopeful that Love You, Mean It will be opening to the public by early July.
“I can’t wait to have people in for dinner,” he says.
For updates, follow Love You, Mean It on Instagram.
