Hot date, hot eats
Swipe right on these restaurants in Hamilton and Burlington when you are aiming for romance and great food.
Impress your hot date with our plethora of elegant and classy eateries within Hamilton and Burlington. From a more casual date for cocktails and oysters, to a refined steak dinner, our city has exactly what you need to impress that special someone. Single, not ready to mingle? These restaurants will make for a great celebration night out with friends and family, too!
Victoria’s Steak & Seafood
470 King St. W., Hamilton
IG: @victorias_loves_you
victoriasrestaurant.ca
On the corner of Locke and King, you'll find the luxurious Victoria's Steak & Seafood restaurant. The elegant space, alongside a menu of premium steaks and top-notch seafood dishes, will impress any date. If your tastes are on the high-end, Victoria's is also one of the few places in the city where you can enjoy Japanese A5 wagyu beef. Try dishes like the Niagara honey glazed carrots, the Bay of Fundy sea scallops, or the steak tartare.
Le Tambour Tavern
345 James St. N., Hamilton
IG: @letambourtavern
letambourtavern.com
At the corner of James Street North and Murray Street, in the old This Ain't Hollywood space, there's a beefy new kid on the block. Le Tambour Tavern first impresses with a beautiful space – complete with a kitschy animal musician mural on the wall, a gorgeous circular bar front and centre, and the meat locker with all sorts of beautiful meat cuts hanging in the back. The menu plays host to dishes like escargot, côte de beouf, top sirloin, and elk sliders, to brunch items such as French toast with poached pear, and poached eggs on polenta.
Brothers Grimm Bistro
193 King St. E., Hamilton
IG: @brogrimmbistro
brothersgrimmbistro.ca
In the International Village, located in the heart of downtown Hamilton, you'll find the Brothers Grimm Bistro. This cozy and romantic underground restaurant feels like a tavern you might find in a fairytale. The cellar-style bistro with a speak-easy vibe serves up European fare, such as smoked cornish game hen, chicharon with arepa, Portuguese shrimp Mozambique, and cassoulet. They have also recently started serving waffles at their Brothers Grimm waffle bar, if that is more your style!
The Standard
10 James St. N., Hamilton
IG: @thestandardhamilton
thestandardhamilton.com
The Standard is anything but. It is serving up brunch, lunch, dinner and everything in between, with a menu of specialty dishes you can't find anywhere else; think crispy fried watermelon, charred shishito peppers, Australian lamb with a sultana chutney, and Belgian flatbread with smoked chicken and brie. For an extra-special date night, try the chef's table experience with a seven-course blind tasting menu with a full view of the kitchen action. Perfect for the adventurous eater!
La Spaghett Pasta House
970 Upper James St., Hamilton
IG: @laspaghett
laspaghett.ca
In a tiny little spot on Upper James is a restaurant with big flavour. La Spaghett Pasta House is a quaint and cozy space that is perfect for an intimate night out. Pasta dishes are made fresh to order with over 30 pasta sauce choices, all made from scratch. Try the cream vongole, sausage arrabiata, or roquefort rustico – there is an option for every pasta lover!
Rapscallion & Co.
178 James St. N., Hamilton
IG: @rapscallionrest
rapandco.ca
The dimly lit spot on James Street North just absolutely screams romantic night out.Perfect for the meat lover (though there’s a new favorite dish for everyone on the menu), Rapscallion & Co. offers classy dishes like oysters Rockefeller, lobster and shrimp cappelletti, seared duck breast with apricots, roasted bone marrow, and Denver steak with coffee spice. For a fun weekend date, try the Beatles-themed brunch menu!
Shakespeare's Steak and Seafood
181 Main St. E., Hamilton
IG: @shakespeares_restaurant
shakespeares.ca
One of the mainstays of the Hamilton night-out restaurant scene, Shakespeare's Steak and Seafood has been serving the community for over 50 years. You absolutely can't go wrong with the variety of fresh seafood dishes or high-end steak cuts. Try the Alaskan king crab legs, grilled scallops, New York peppercorn steak or Hamlet's Joy (bacon-wrapped filet with grilled shrimp). The Caesar salad here is even an experience, with servers preparing and serving it tableside, as they did in steakhouses of the past.
Conversate Restaurant
38 King William St., Hamilton
IG: @conversate.restaurant
conversaterestaurant.ca
A newer restaurant on the scene, Conversate Restaurant has opened as part of the King William dining district. With chef Mike Middlemost at the helm, the dishes are executed to perfection each and every time. Dishes like wagyu carpaccio, oysters Rockefeller, tomahawk steaks, beef Wellington, and more decadent dishes grace the menu pages. They also have a hand-selected Niagara VQA wine list – perfect for the date who is a wine lover!
Kamoosh Bistro
34 Main St. N., Waterdown
IG: @kamooshbistro
kamooshbistro.com
A farm-to-table experience, Kamoosh Bistro is located in the historic Waterdown Village and is headed up by executive chef Koosh Kahnamoui. The elegant restaurant has an ever-changing menu, based on what is in season, but you can expect to find high-end dishes with an Italian flair. Think: branzino with kalamata olives, sour cherry-stuffed chicken with Venetian pancetta, puttanesca meatball pasta, or cioppino seafood stew. Try the menu of cicchetti (Italian tapas) for a fun date-night sharing option!
The French
37 King William St., Hamilton
IG: @thefrenchhamont
thefrench.ca
We would be remiss if we did not mention one of the Equal Parts Hospitality restaurants: The Diplomat, Aberdeen Tavern, and (last but not least) The French. The French is a great spot for a sunny lunch date or a business meeting. At night, the warm candle-lit atmosphere makes for a romantic evening; you can almost imagine you're in the city of love itself! As one would expect, The French menu has exactly that – French favourites. Dishes like bibb lettuce salad with a pickled shallot vinaigrette, steak-frites, trout almondine, and duck breast can be found on the menu.
CIMA Enoteca
190 Locke St. S., Hamilton
1200 Brant St. B1, Burlington
IG: @cimaenoteca
cimaonlocke.ca
With a location in both Hamilton and Burlington, CIMA Enoteca is well-known within the community, for both business lunches, meals out with friends and – of course – date nights. Specializing in an Italian-focused menu with Napoli-style wood-fired pizzas and pastas made from scratch, the menu has something for all palates.
Pinbones Fish Market
65 King St. W., Dundas
IG: @pinbonesfishmkt
pinbones.ca
Pinbones is, first and foremost, a fish market with sustainable and ethically sourced seafood brought in daily. But in addition to servicing Dundas with this fishy amenity, it is also a restaurant that offers creative seafood dishes in an ambiance-filled dining room. The menu is another that is ever-changing as things come out in season, but you can try oysters, ceviche, crab cakes, crab bucatini, whole-roasted fish and more. Don't be shellfish, share dishes with your date!
