What Happened to Marky and Sparky's After Restaurant Takeover?

Marky and Sparky's, at 520 Annette Street in Toronto's Junction neighborhood, was the eleventh episode of Restaurant Takeover (Food Network Canada) season two, aired on 2013-11-06. According to TVmaze's episode page, Frank, a third-generation butcher, had opened a deli as a side business for his wife, Mirella, to run. It offered to-go soups and sandwiches but drew little attention from passersby, partly because it had no sign. Frank thought the deli needed a new player and turned to Marcus, a barbecue expert and longtime customer. The show sent in chef Corbin Tomaszeski and designer Alison Milne, and the episode asks whether Mirella would accept the changes.

Toronto Life, in an article by Caroline Aksich dated 2013-05-14, introduced the result as Marky & Sparky's Smokehouse, owned by Frank Sparky DiGenova, who also runs Butcher by Nature, and Marcus Marky De Simone. The article says the Food Network show redesigned the space, which occupies the former Butcher by Nature location. The menu centered on slow-cooked southern barbecue made with meat from Butcher by Nature: wet or dry baby back ribs, chicken wings, brisket and pulled pork, any of which could go on a sandwich, plus a butcher platter with every protein.

Toronto Life reports nine dine-in seats and says the smokehouse sold 140 pounds of meat on its first day. TV Foodies, a fan directory of TV-featured restaurants, lists Marky & Sparky's Smokehouse at the same address; its page was published on 2014-08-03 and describes the business as a barbecue operation started by Marky, who it says had been slow smoking for more than eight years.

A Google Maps listing for Marky and Sparkys Smokehouse at 520 Annette Street, checked on 2026-10-19, marks the business as permanently closed. The sources read do not say when the smokehouse stopped operating or whether another business now uses the space.