Brantford’s culinary scene is exciting and diverse. There are so many delicious places to try along main streets like King George Road and many more dispersed throughout the city. Whether you are looking for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a place to chat with friends over a drink, Brantford has something to offer you. In the list of 20 places to try all around the city, there are plenty of options for every occasion.
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Breakfast and Lunch
Start your day off right with any one of these five fine breakfast and brunch menus around Brantford. Whether you are looking for a weekend tradition or the best Sunday brunch in the city, these are the must-try spots:
Kel’s Family Restaurant
https://www.facebook.com/kelsdinerbrantford/
Starting off the category is Kel’s Family Restaurant, a dedicated breakfast and brunch place located on Dunsdon Street in the northern Brier Park neighbourhood. Their standard menu includes Breakfast plates, breakfast wraps and sandwiches, omelettes and a sweet selection of pancakes and French toast. Delicious weekly specials take existing menu items and enhance them with innovative topping combinations and sides. They are announced on the Kel’s Facebook page, so keep an eye out. There are sandwiches, wraps and burgers on the menu that appeal more to the lunch crowd, too.
Kingswood’s Breakfast & Lunch Restaurant
Since 1934, Kingswood’s Restaurant has served the Brantford Community. To this day, the family diner continues to offer a homestyle breakfast menu from their Colborne Street location in West Brant. Their menu includes Omelettes, Eggs Benedict, Pancakes and six different breakfast platters, all with the appeal of warm homemade cooking. In addition to the sizable breakfast options, the lunch menu includes savory sandwiches, loaded wraps and a build-your-own 8 oz. burger section.
Angel’s Diner
https://www.angelsdiner.ca/menu-brantford.html
Angel’s Diner is a north Brantford family restaurant located on the section of King George Road north of the 403 in the Mayfair neighbourhood. This family-friendly diner offers a breakfast, lunch and dinner menu. Their breakfast menu includes creative egg dishes like “Eggs Under The Blanket” - scrambled eggs secured under a warm blanket of melted cheese - and “Angel’s Breakfast Poutine” - fries, cheese, gravy, and bacon all covered in hollandaise sauce! They also serve Omelettes, Eggs Benedict, Breakfast Sautées, and Belgian Waffles, French Toast and Pancakes for diners with a sweet-tooth.
The Olde School Restaurant
https://www.oldeschoolrestaurant.ca/
The Olde School Restaurant, Piano Bar, and Wedding Chapel offers a fine-dining breakfast experience with their special Sunday Brunch. They are located along where Paris Road and Powerline Road meet about halfway between the City of Brantford and Paris, Ontario. Definitely worth the drive, this up-scale restaurant has two brunch sittings on Sunday that feature an all-you-can-eat buffet. The buffet includes a hot table and a cold table as well as Chef-prepared omelettes with versatile fillings.
Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House
https://www.stackedpancakehouse.ca/
Stacked is an Ontario breakfast chain serving up classic breakfast plate specials and decadent pancake creations. In Brantford, they are located on the northern end of King George Road on the Mayfair neighbourhood side of the street. Their breakfast menu offers stacks of pancakes in an amazing variety of flavours: Chocolate caramel, Nutella strawberry, white chocolate Oreo, Cinnabun cakes and PB & J are just some of the delicious combinations listed. Other sweet samplings include French toast, waffles and crepes.
Dining In
Whether you are looking for an evening with the family, a night out with friends or a memorable date-night, Brantford’s many evening restaurants offer a wide selection of atmospheres and flavours from around the world. Here are a selection of five amazing restaurants to try in the Brantford area:
On the Lam
https://www.onthelamrestaurant.com/
On the Lam promises a great night out enjoying creative hand-crafted dishes, wine and gourmet cocktails. They are located near the corner of Queen Street and West Street in Downtown Brantford. Their menu is frequently changing to take advantage of the freshest ingredients, but the staple categories include a selection of bar snacks, fish - which usually includes raw oysters and a complimentary dip, chef’s choice of meat cuts, delicious sides and a seasonal soup menu. One recurring and very popular side dish is the Beet and Barley Risotto, a colourful one to watch out for to be sure!
Al Dente
https://www.aldentebrantford.com/
Al Dente is the evening destination for classic Italian dining. Once located in Downtown Brantford, this local, family business has been serving Brantford for over 30 years. Their current location along northern King George Street in the Greenbrier neighbourhood specializes in pizza, pasta and grilled entrées like New York striploin and grilled Atlantic salmon. Al Dente stays true to its origins as a cheesecake restaurant and several decadent selections remain on the menu to this day: Coconut cream pie, orange chocolate and caramel bourbon chocolate chip to name a few mouthwatering examples.
The Everest Grill- Fine Indian Cuisine
http://www.theeverestgrill.ca/
The Everest Grill is a traditional Indian restaurant located in Brantford’s southern Echo Place neighbourhood. Their menu offers vegetarian options like Malai Kofta - potato and cheese dumplings - and Chana Masala - a curry made from spices and chickpeas. Their non-vegetarian options include Chicken Seekh Kebab, Tandoori prawn and marinated Lamb chops. You can finish off the meal with a sampling of traditional Indian desserts like the milk dumpling based Rashmalai and Gulab Jamun and Indian-style ice cream called Kulfi.
Zander’s Fire Grill & Brew Lounge
Zander’s is a lively restaurant in northern Brantford’s Greenbrier neighbourhood. They provide a package experience with great grilled food, standout service and live music on the weekends. Their food and drink menus are both locally-sourced, showcasing the best of Brantford and the surrounding area. Their menu features sandwiches, wings, burgers, pasta, stir fry and lots to throw on the grill. A popular menu item is the oven-baked beer can chicken which is served covered in a signature homemade BBQ sauce!
Fume RestoBar
If you are looking for a special dining experience in Brantford, then consider the Fume RestoBar and its modern twist on fine-dining. This Holmedale restaurant serves beautiful weekly specials made with locally-sourced ingredients. Watch for their specials and weekend features on social media because you do not want to miss favourites like the Bison Burger or Octopus Appetizers. Their main menu offers a premium take on burgers, ravioli and fish and chips as well as stuffed chicken, duck, beef tenderloin and a venison rack as bountiful entrées.
Takeout and Delivery
TakeOut is a great way to end the day. Sometimes, you don’t want to cook or do dishes and other times you are craving a really specific dish. The takeout and delivery options available in Brantford are perfect for every situation. Here is a list of five must-try orders from around the city.
ZaZa’s Pizzeria
It wouldn’t be a Takeout list without a recommendation for a pizza place and ZaZa’s is one of Brantford’s best. They are located on Lynden Road in Brantford’s northeastern end. Their menu offers over 20 different flavours of pizza all baked in a proper wood-fire oven. You can try some of ZaZa’s signature combinations like Potato Bacon, Grilled Chicken Canadian, a traditional Capri pizza or you can build your own creation by selecting from their list of toppings. Besides pizza, they serve hot sandwiches, 3-topping panzerotti and pasta dishes.
Goo’s Takeout and Catering
Goo’s provides Brantford with Canadian favourites with a unique twist. From their location along Shellard Lane in the southwestern neighbourhood also called Shellard Lane, Goo’s offers a fully-loaded menu of all your classic takeout meals. Goo’s menu offers burgers, sandwiches, wraps, fish and chips and 13 flavours of chicken wings. Another standout menu item is Goo’s selection of poutines which include the traditional fries, cheese and gravy alongside creative combinations like a pulled pork poutine, a big mac poutine and a sweet chili poutine among many others.
Burrito Brothers
https://www.burrito-brothers.com/
Another great way to spice up your evening is gourmet burritos from Burrito Brothers. This takeout place can be found along Dalhousie Street in Downtown Brantford or online with Skipthedishes. Their signature burritos come in 10” and 12” sizes and can be customized with a variety of fresh toppings. In addition, Burrito Brothers offers Burrito Bowls, Nachos, Quesadilla and tacos. They will also bundle several different types of meals together in a Family Deal and a Double-It-Up Special.
The Chinese Sisters
https://www.thechinesesisters.com/
This Downtown Brantford restaurant provides the community with a taste of authentic Chinese cooking and the convenience of takeout or delivery dining. The restaurant is located right downtown along Colborne Street or online with their own online ordering or Skipthedishes. The Chinese Sisters’ menu features plenty of hot dishes from Kung Pao Chicken to fried cauliflower with cumin and ground chicken and so much more! Spring rolls, fried rice and many flavours of noodle dishes are also available. This versatile menu is also complimented by weekly specials announced online and over social media, a great way to try something new.
Sai Thai Kitchen
Opened in 2018, Sai Thai Kitchen is Brantford’s hotspot for dine-in and takeout Thai cuisine. They can be found along King George Road in the north Brantford neighbourhood of Greenbrier. Their menu includes noodle dishes, soups, stir-fry, fried rice and plenty of curry options. Their list of appetizers are a great way to start off your meal with a crunch. Standouts include shrimp rolls, crab wonton and golden pouch wonton wraps. All of Sai Thai’s main dishes are made with fresh vegetables and rich, authentic Thai spices.
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Desserts, Cafés and Snacks
This last category is for people looking for a place to order special desserts, to enjoy a brief chat over a cup of coffee or to try local craft brew and share a platter with friends. These five restaurants offer a mix of experiences to appeal to a variety of diners looking for a quick bite in Brantford.
Sociable Kitchen and Tavern
https://www.sociabletavern.ca/home?
Located on King George Road just south of the 403 in the western neighbourhood of Henderson, Sociable Kitchen and Tavern is a trendy spot to enjoy an evening in Brantford. While Sociable also offers burgers, sandwiches, salads and entrées as a part of a dine-in dinner menu, their appetizers and platters are perfect for light snacking during a night out. Their “Sociables'' menu items include an extensive dip platter, loaded nachos, lettuce wraps, wings, and flatbread. On the lighter side, their appetizers pair well with their rotating tap of Ontario-brewed craft beer.
Healthy Rabbit
https://www.healthyrabbit.ca/feedme/
Healthy Rabbit is an amazing restaurant in central Brantford that offers a huge list of smoothies, drinks, and snacks. They can be found along Brant Avenue in the North Ward neighbourhood. Their smoothies are blends of superfoods, protein, fresh fruit, and exciting flavours. The best part? They sound like desserts: Mocha Cream, Vanilla Chai, and Orange Creamsicle are just some of the options off this tasty menu. Healthy Rabbit serves Kombucha, tea and lattes on the drink menu as well. As for treats, they offer a healthy spin on countless classic desserts like brownies, cupcakes and Cheese Cake, many made Gluten-free, Vegan and Raw.
Blue Dog Café
https://www.thebluedogcafe.com/
Blue Dog Café has it all: all-day breakfast, lunch and dinner and an entire page of their menu dedicated to specialty beverages. Visiting this central Brantford café is great any time of day. The café is run out of a converted heritage home in Brantford’s North Ward neighbourhood. Stop by and warm up with their “Strong Dog Pressure Brew,” Espresso blends, latte creations or any other specialty blends. Their cold offerings include smoothies, affogato, and a variety of ice coffee drinks. They also double as a board game café, so you can find a new favourite game and a new favourite seasonal drink!
Dairee Delites
Dairee Delites is a seasonal treat that opens around March and closes at the beginning of fall. This old-fashioned ice cream shop has been an iconic Brantford dessert stop since the 1950s. It is now located at the Home Hardware Plaza along King George Road in the Terrace Hill neighbourhood. They sell treats like soft-serve cones (with nine available dipped-cone flavours), sundaes, flurries and yogurt pies as well as milkshakes, slush drinks and ice cream floats! For several menu items, their sizes come in child size, regular, large and monster.
Bell City Brewing Co.
The Bell City Brewing Co. specializes in craft beer, but they also open their tap room to guests in order to try their brews in pairings with great food. Bell City is located south of Lynden Road, near the Lynden Park Mall in northeastern Brantford. Their menu includes classic snacks like pretzel bites and mustard dips, sliders, samosas and a charcuterie board to enjoy with friends. Bell City has also crafted a masterpiece bacon-pepper grilled cheese served with sriracha lime ketchup on the side.
