Eating Out In Hamilton ON: 10 Local Restaurants You Should Try

Hamilton is often overlooked by tourists in favour of Ontario’s more well-known cities, such as Toronto and Niagara Falls. However, Canada’s ‘steeltown’ is not only located in the stunning Niagara Escarpment, filled with tumbling waterfalls and lush hiking trails, but is also home to an increasingly sophisticated cultural scene, with an ever-growing number of art galleries, recording studios and restaurants. Make a visit to Hamilton, and follow our guide to Hamilton’s unmissable eateries.

1. Bridges Café McMaster University

Bridges Café McMaster University

As the centre of Hamilton’s large student population, McMaster University is a driving force behind Hamilton’s local culture. It’s thus no surprise that McMaster campus is also home to one of Hamilton’s most eco-conscious restaurants. Started through a student-based initiative, Bridges Café serves a seasonal vegetarian/vegan menu, with a focus on sandwiches, salads and stir fries.

Bridges Café, Cootes Paradise A, Hamilton, ON, Canada, +1 905 525 9140 Ext. 24422

Edgewater Manor

Nestled along Lake Ontario, Edgewater Manor offers fine dining in a gorgeous 1920s mansion. The menu features a variety of meat and seafood dishes, including a blind six-course tasting menu. The food is accompanied by one of Hamilton’s most extensive wine selections, including a number of rare wines dating back to the 1950s.

Ancaster Mill

Located in Hamilton’s historic community of Ancaster, the Ancaster Mill Restaurant is set in a restored 1850s stone mill, overlooking a stream rushing across the rugged Niagara Escarpment. The mill has been at the heart of Ancaster since its original settlement over two centuries ago, and the restaurant itself has been serving the community for more than 40 years. Ancaster Mill offers a menu of Contemporary Canadian cuisine, with an emphasis on fresh, local produce.

Ancaster Mill, 548 Old Dundas Rd, Ancaster, ON, Canada, +1 905 648 1828

Steve’s Open Kitchen

Canadians may not have invented the fry-up breakfast, but it’s a meal that most Canucks take quite seriously. Voted Hamilton’s #1 breakfast, Steve’s Open Kitchen offers a number of classic breakfasts, from the Hungry Man, complete with home fries, eggs and several kinds of meat, to eggs Benedict, and apple cinnamon pancakes. The welcoming restaurant is decorated with black and white checkered flooring, old-fashioned red booths and photos featuring scenes from Hamilton’s history.

Steve’s Open Kitchen, 149 James St S, Hamilton, ON, Canada +1 905 529 9913

Gorilla Cheese

Gorilla Cheese leads Hamilton’s food truck movement, serving up high-end grilled cheese from a big, black truck. Their sandwiches use local ingredients, including Jensen Cheese from Simcoe and bread from Hamilton bakery, Cake & Loaf. The owners have recently taken possession of a storefront on King St. E, which means fans will always know where to find their favorite perfectly-grilled sandwiches.

Gorilla Cheese, 1218 King St. E, Hamilton, ON, Canada, +1 855 588 2433

Radius

Set in a restored 19th century building, Radius is divided into a café and full-service restaurant. The interior showcases some of the building’s original features, including high-pressed tin ceiling, historic fireplaces, as well as exposed bricks and beams. There’s also an enormous back patio where customers can lounge in the summer months. The restaurant is named for its ingredients, which are sourced as locally as much as possible, featuring naturally grown seasonal vegetables.

Radius, 151 James St S, Hamilton, ON, Canada, +1 905 393 1658

Capri Ristorante Italiano

Open for over 50 years, Capri was the first restaurant in Hamilton to serve pizza. The menu features fresh salads, homemade soups, pasta dishes, beef, chicken and seafood entrees, as well as, of course, pizza. Most of the ingredients are sourced locally, and the tomato sauce, meatballs and dough are made fresh every day.

Capri Ristorante Italiano, 25 John St N, Hamilton, ON, Canada, +1 905 525 7811

Mulberry Street Coffee House

Located in the middle of James St. N’s quirky stores and art galleries, Mulberry Street Coffee House is set in a historic building, with an interior that features chandeliers, vintage couches, crown molding and terrazzo flooring. The coffee, which is fair-trade organic grown, is served alongside homemade baked goods, with a lunch menu that includes gluten-free and vegan options.

Mulberry Street Coffee House, 193 James St N, Hamilton, ON, Canada, +1 905 963 1365

The Powerhouse Restaurant

Powerhouse Restaurant is set in a historic 19th century building that once provided power for the city’s electric rail lines. The restaurant is divided into 6 dining venues, including a main dining room and bar, wine loft, martini bar, outdoor courtyard, and patio bar. The restaurant serves international cuisine, including poutine, a Canadian classic.

The Powerhouse Restaurant, 21 Jones St, Hamilton, ON, Canada +1 905 930 7381

Hutch’s on the Beach

Set on the beaches of Lake Ontario, Hutch’s serves up diner-style classics, including hamburgers, hotdogs ‘with the works’ and milkshakes. Most locals will tell you that this is the best place in the city for fish and chips, with hearty plates of thick fries and crispy, well-battered fish. This family-owned restaurant has been an integral part of the Hamilton community since it opened in 1946.

Hutch’s on the Beach, 280 Van Wagners Beach Rd, Hamilton, ON, Canada, +1 905 545 5508

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.