Hamilton Cuisine

[TheRitsman]

Rays on James St N is changing into a Union Chicken. Electric Dîner looks to be opening soon, and District Tapas from St Catherine's is opening a second location at John St N and Barton on the northwest corner. Noticed a sign for Hottie Smashburgers next to Hendry's on Barton St as well, and the old Dukes restaurant on Barton has something new going in.

[ScreamingViking]

Just read the story about Ray's in the Spec earlier this evening. Unfortunate but I'm glad it won't be long before there's chicken served on that site. We had yet to visit Ray's though.

Restaurants downtown have a rosy future with all the new development. We'll see closures for sure; in the longer run it will be harder to get a table at the well-established ones, but other options will be available instead.

[LikeHamilton]

From the Black Forest Inn's Facebook page:

Good Evening Black Forest Inn Patrons.

The Black Forest Inn will be closing for an undetermined amount of time for kitchen retooling/renovations and training. We are NOT closing our doors permanently and hope to be open for at least takeout/delivery in early November.

We want to thank everyone that came to the restaurant over the last couple months! We will send out Social Media updates as well as website updates when we are ready to serve you all again!

Prost!

[LikeHamilton]

'Permanently closed': Waterdown's Lord Byron Steak and Seafood House out of business

Restaurant posted closure notice Nov. 2

By Mac Christie | Reporter The Flamborough Review | Nov. 28, 2022

A Waterdown landmark, the Lord Byron Steak and Seafood House, has closed its doors.

The fine dining restaurant, a mainstay in the community for close to 50 years, posted a notice outside its door in early November indicating it was closed permanently.

“We are very sorry to announce that our restaurant is permanently closed as of Nov. 2, 2022 due to staff shortage and some family matters,” the notice read. “We would like to thank all of our customers, suppliers and employees of Lord Byron Steakhouse that we have done business with over the years.

“Our restaurant could not have been as successful as it was without your support and loyalty. Thank you all for your valued patronage.”

The steak house had an old-world ambience, including dim lighting, high-backed velvet upholstered chairs, a brick fireplace, wrought-iron chandelier and wood panelled ceiling.

Owner Peter Fousketakis took over in the mid-2010s and the restaurant featured high-end service and a steak and seafood-heavy menu with some Greek dishes.

Attempts to reach the Lord Byron owners for comment were not successful.

https://www.thespec.com/local-flamboroug...k-and-seafood-house-out-of-business.html

[Innsertnamehere]

https://www.thespec.com/business/2022/11/28/punch-bowl-market-and-bakery-to-close-in-december.html

Punch Bowl Market and Bakery to close in December

A popular market in Upper Stoney Creek will be closing at the end of the year.

Punch Bowl Market and Bakery announced on Instagram Sunday that after more than two decades of serving the community, the business would be shutting down after Dec. 23.

The post, written by the Baruzza family who run the market, called the move to close the business a “difficult decision.”

“We would like to thank our longtime and our newest customers we have met over these many years,” read the post. “Many of you have become like family to each of us and we will miss you very much.”

The news of the closure comes months after the Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) announced it had acquired around 20 hectares of land, including that of the market, to expand the new Saltfleet Conservation Area.

Scott Peck, deputy chief administrative officer for the authority, previously told the Stoney Creek News that the organization had planned to lease the building to the market’s proprietors for the foreseeable future.

[TheRitsman]

Few things:

There's a restaurant going in where This Ain't Hollywood used to be. An Italian restaurant (not pizza) called Le Tambour Tavern Restaurant.

There's a Speakeasy called My Father Was Famous opening below Caro, and it's even through a bookshelf secret entrance: https://instagram.com/myfatherwasfamous?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

And Conversate on King William looks to be nearly complete:

[LikeHamilton]

Oakville’s Plank restobar opening sister eatery on Hamilton’s Augusta Street

Popular Bronte restaurant opening in new downtown hotel.

By Jeremy Kemeny The Hamilton Spectator December 8, 2022

A popular Halton hangout is opening in downtown Hamilton, joining the Augusta Street restaurant scene.

Plank Restobar has moved into the ground floor of new hotel, The Laundry Rooms, next to Pheasant Plucker.

The restaurant name might sound familiar to anyone who frequents Oakville’s lakeshore. Plank is among half a dozen eateries and a catering business operated by Catch Hospitality Group in the Bronte neighbourhood.

Augusta’s Plank will open a little more than 10 years after its sister restaurant, which features “small plates, great music and a fine selection of beers, wine and bourbons,” the website says.

Their food focus is “fresh, locally sourced, in-season,” with an October 2022 menu offering “bits and bites,” such as Reuben egg rolls, fried chicken steamed buns and pumpkin hummus with pizza bread. They also offer mains and pizzas, including their foraged mushroom “Shroomin’ Out.”

Boozy options — at Plank’s Bronte location at least — are for guests 21-plus, unless accompanied by a parent.

https://www.thespec.com/business/2022/12...-eatery-on-hamiltons-augusta-street.html

[TheRitsman]

Also, at 17 King William there's a Liquor licence for Parma/Piccolo. It seems they've been working on a restaurant here for like 2 years, very slowly.

[LikeHamilton]

Top 10 Sandwich Spots in Hamilton for 2023

Just for fun. Any opinion of what others would rate as the best sandwich spot? Any other places not mentioned?

I would put #10 Mikes Subs on Ottawa Street only, closer to #1.

https://cekan.ca/hamilton/top-10-sandwich-spots-in-hamilton-for-2023/

1. Bonanza Bakery
2. Tall Tree Sandwich Co.
3. Rustic Reuben
4. Glow Variety
5. Speedy Subs
6. Tally Ho
7. Redchurch Café
8. Charred Rotisserie House
9. Duarte’s
10. Mike’s Subs

[Hawrylyshyn]

The lunch special from Staropolskie Delikatesy is 10/10

[Fruitloops]

Great info and I salute the entrepreneurs who put their skin in the game.

A couple of other gems.
Big Top at Sherman and Main...true Hamilton.

Cafe Baffico King and Balmoral. Always drove by and wondered until yesterday. Went in, a gem. Bakery only now.

[Fruitloops]

Springers in east end has outstanding sandwiches

[Fruitloops]

👍Star polskie

[NortheastWind]

Originally Posted by Hawrylyshyn

The lunch special from Staropolskie Delikatesy is 10/10

I agree. 10/10.

[LikeHamilton]

Afrolicious evicted from downtown Hamilton space

The future of the James Street North restaurant remains unclear.

Fallon Hewitt Spectator Reporter March 30, 2023

A downtown Hamilton restaurant known for serving Pan-African fare has been evicted from its space on James Street North.

Afrolicious, which opened in late 2021, was served with a notice terminating their tenancy on March 22, according to a letter taped to the eatery’s front door that day.

“We hereby give you notice that your tenancy is terminated by reasons of breaches of covenants in your lease, namely, monetary breach in the amount of $63,767.48,” read the notice from Bailiff Solutions Inc. dated March 21.

According to the notice, the restaurant had five days to vacate the unit and remove their goods and possessions from the space.

The future of the business remains unclear. The Spectator reached out to the restaurant but has not received a response. A phone number for Afrolicious appeared to be out of order as of March 29.

However, their Google profile states the restaurant is “temporarily closed.”

Lucy Gates, executive director of multi-residential and student housing at DMS Property Management Ltd., confirmed to The Spectator that the restaurant’s lease had been terminated. The company manages both 20 Rebecca St. and 46 James St. N.

“In keeping with the confidentiality provisions under the lease agreement, we are not at liberty to discuss the financial or any other details surrounding the termination of the tenancy,” Gates said in an email.

Prior to opening their physical location, Afrolicious operated as a catering company, offering services for a variety of events.

https://www.thespec.com/business/2023/03/30/afrolicious-evicted-from-downtown-hamilton-space.html

[TheHonestMaple]

Not surprised that place closed. I walk by there almost every day, and I never saw anyone in it. The food was mediocre and the atmosphere was terrible. Waayyyy too big a space.

Not really sure why this closure is getting so much attention in the media? I guess it ticks off quite a few boxes in our current political climate. But don't worry about the *evil* landlord, he's only missing over 60k dollars in missed rent payments.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

Not surprised that place closed. I walk by there almost every day, and I never saw anyone in it. The food was mediocre and the atmosphere was terrible. Waayyyy too big a space.

Not really sure why this closure is getting so much attention in the media? I guess it ticks off quite a few boxes in our current political climate. But don't worry about the *evil* landlord, he's only missing over 60k dollars in missed rent payments.

I didn't get to try it, but I heard the food was amazing. I did hear the service was mediocre though and the space was surely too large. To be completely fair, the landlord will surely lose more money with an empty space than a filled one paying some of the rent. It sat empty for literally years. I don't really understand commercial landlords letting units sit vacant instead of just lowering the rents. I own a residential unit and trust me, the math doesnt make pencil out on overpriced rent on a unit that sits empty. I'd much rather offer lower rent and get it filled asap.

[Berklon]

241 reviews on Google with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5.

Sounds like many liked it a lot.

[TheHonestMaple]

Originally Posted by Berklon

241 reviews on Google with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5.

Sounds like many liked it a lot.

Apparently not enough people liked it. And like I said, I walk past there every single day and the place was always dead. And in the evening when it was dark out you could clearly see inside because of the huge windows, was also always empty.

Massive scumbag move to not pay your landlord rent, and they deserve no sympathy. Pay your bills people.

They probably would have done a lot better in a smaller location somewhere closer to their clientele.

[TheRitsman]

You can have amazing food and still fail. I think it was a lot about their marketing. I even follow them but regularly forgot about this place. Not every great cook is a great business owner either. Some are bad at budgeting or running the books. Running a business is as much about accounting and planning as it is about a quality product. We're all speculating, but it wasn't busy enough clearly for a space that large and likely expensive.