ON THE MENU: WHAT’S OPENED AND CLOSED ON THE LOCAL RESTAURANT SCENE
Here's a list of what has come, gone and changed in Hamilton and Burlington in November.
Launched
Balaji Ghughra (600 Concession St., Hamilton)
Taking over the storefront that was recently vacated by Delight Corner, Balaji Ghughra is serving up vegetarian snacks and sandwiches from Rajkot, a city in the western Indian city of Gujarat, including crunchy ghughra and melt-in-your-mouth sweets.
IG: @balajighughra_ca
Insomnia Cookies (1035 King St. W., Hamilton)
Warm gooey cookies right out of the oven delivered right to your door for late night cravings — this is the concept behind Insomnia Cookies, a U.S. company that was started over 20 years ago in a university dorm room. Since its inception, the company has sought out locations near universities to serve a hungry student population. The new location in Hamilton’s Westdale Village checks that box.
IG: insomniacookiescanada
Joe Dog’s Gas Bar (529 Concession St., Hamilton)
The new Hamilton location of the popular Burlington eatery opened recently in the heart of Concession’s business area. The space has a cheerful feel with its red upholstered booths, games and large TVs, and it’s available to book for private events. The menu includes bar favourites like chicken fingers, burgers and sandwiches, and there’s a kids’ menu for your littles.
IG: @joedogsgasbar
Mims Pastry (2 King St. W., Hamilton)
Experience the fusion of culture and flavour at this new boutique pastry shop inside Jackson Square, which serves both traditional Nigerian snacks like akara, puff puff and chin chin, and North American favourites like chimney cakes.
IG @mimspastry
Real Fruity Ice Cream (998 King St. W., Hamilton)
Entrepreneur Jacob Koenig has thoughtfully built up a fan base for his New Zealand inspired ice cream with a mobile ice cream bike over the past year. When it came time to open his crowd-funded brick and mortar in Westdale, there was a lineup at the ribbon cutting. Using 100 per cent Canadian dairy and no artificial flavours or colours, real fruity is a blend of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt with real frozen fruit. There are dairy-free and gluten-free options.
IG: @realfruityicecream
Opening soon
The Avro (211 Locke St. S., Hamilton)
New Mediterranean restaurant and bar opening soon in the large, former church space that last housed Planted in Hamilton.
IG: @the_avro_restaurant
Matty Matheson's full-service restaurant at the TD Coliseum is scheduled to open in mid-December and promises "slow-roasted meats, flaky pies, shareable plates, and signature dishes inspired by Matheson and Chef Coulson Amstrong’s take on traditional pub fare." It will be open Tuesday to Sunday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., whether or not the arena has an event.
IG: theironcowpublichouse
Closed & closing
Luigi’s Lasagna & Pizzeria (Upper Sherman Avenue, Hamilton)
A relatively new addition to Hamilton Mountain, Luigi’s took to social media to announce: “This was not an easy choice. Like many small businesses, we have been challenged by the current economic climate, rising costs, and the realities of operating across multiple locations. In order to preserve the heart of Luigi’s and continue offering the quality and care you know and love, we will be focusing all of our efforts on our original home in Milton, Ontario.”
Valley Charcoal (King Street, Dundas)
One of Dundas’s last old-school family restaurants has closed after the owner announced a retirement via a sign in the window of the diner. “After 17 years of being part of your morning, it is time to hang up my apron and catch up on some sleep. Thank you for all these years of support and friendship.”
– List compiled by HAMILTON CITY Magazine contributor Suzanne Zandbergen.
If you have a restaurant opening or changing, please let us know at meredith@hamiltoncitymagazine.ca.
