Modern European Restaurants near Burlington, ON

“Dined here for the first time last night and it was absolutely the best meal I’ve had in a very long time! Started with caprese salad and risotto balls which were perfect in every way. The fresh pesto with the caprese was a delicious and fresh twist. Risotto balls were stuffed and cooked beautifully and served on a bed of the best tomato sauce, I couldn’t bare to leave any on the plate. My partner had the beef tenderloin which made me envious but my pork schnitzel with mushroom demi, mashed potato’s and veggies couldn’t have been any better if they tried. A small and intimate atmosphere and the waitresses are very friendly and attentive in all the right ways. This is my new favourite spot, a true gem. Will be back many more times to try everything else on the menu!“

“My family and I tried Spencer's for the first time on September 15th, 2024. Atmosphere/Ambiance was amazing, and the food was unique given the more premium ingredients associated with each dish.

I highly recommend the Branzino for anyone who likes fish, and the Gnocchi for anyone who likes pasta.

For myself, I tried the gnocchi and found the dish incredibly mellow! Very soft textures but also very rich in their ingredients. When I tried the Gnocchi, Spencer's used a chive emulsion. Though it seems Spencer's likes to modify their menu every month by retaining the dishes (i.e., Gnocchi), but modifying their ingredients to present a sense of newness for returning customers!

The Branzino (I believe it is a sea bass) presents a rich flavour profile which includes a Livornese sauce. I tasted hints of olive oil, eggplant, tomatoes and many other ingredients that the staff at Spencer's could probably articulate better! Of all the dishes, the Branzino impressed me who is Chinese and likes to steam and cook my own fish at home!

The Shrimp and Scallop Spaghetti however was disappointing for 2 reasons: a) My nephew who ordered the dish was given 1 scallop and 1 jumbo shrimp (with multiple baby shrimp). I don't know but 1 scallop for a near $50 spaghetti dish that has "Scallop" in the name is cheap... just my honest opinion. I can let that go though, as the second reason was more disappointing. The dish itself was incredibly salty. We found that the pasta itself (and not the sauce) was salty which perhaps was a mistake on the chef's end. It is very reasonable to assume that everyone's salt tolerance is different, but given that my 12 year old nephew found the dish salty (which my sister and myself proceeded to agree with after trying his dish), I think that's a red flag given my nephew loves pasta and is already learning how to cook for himself...

Unfortunately, our waitress did not give us a discount on our bill which I presume is customary especially with high-end restaurants that take great pride in their food. For that alone, my final review will be 4 stars as opposed to 5. Honest mistakes such as overly salty pasta happen and that's okay with me personally. But I think compensation or at least a small discount would demonstrate that you care about your customers.

Summary:
-I Highly recommend the Gnocchi (soft, mellow, relaxing dish) and Branzino (rich flavour profile from the sauce)
-Beware of the Shrimp and Scallop Spaghetti (pasta may be salty, and you may only receive 1 scallop for a near $50 dish)
-Compensation (e.g., discounts on the bill) may not be given even if a dish is unsatisfactory to a customer“

“Hey All, I would just like to share my experience. I had a dinner booked here for my birthday, for 13 people. Booking was easy, and they set up a pre-order, which was called in a day before the booking. Upon arrival, the restaurant was very busy, however, our seats were ready and waiting for us. We set up so food is to be brought out half hour after our arrival, and they were true to their word. The food was served hot, fresh, and tasted amazing, and darn near impossible to finish it all, as the portions are large. Just about everyone had takeout containers at the end. The staff was very friendly and accommodating, washrooms were spotless, and overall atmosphere was very pleasant. Definitely booking more here.“

“I do not typically review restaurants unless they are standouts. After a tough evening of hospital hopping, tired, relieved and hungry- we found this place down the street from the Urgent Care centre. What an absolute gem. It is everything it looks like in the photos except with more charm. They had live traditional music playing and the food was absolutely amazing. It is a little slice of European heaven hiding in Hamilton. Thank you for a great evening! Highly recommend.“

“We had lunch here today. The crepes were fresh and delicious. The service was friendly and fast. Will be back to try to soup and other items. This is a great little restaurant on Kerr street.

Vegetarian options: There are several vegetarian options on the menu.“

“In town for the night and decided to try the restaurant attached to the hotel. Wow! The mother daughter duo are such a delight! We absolutely loved our brushetta to start, mac n cheese with bacon and burger and poutine. We had lovely conversation and most certainly will be back. To add, the portions are great, food is fresh, and the decor and atmosphere is so on point. Thanks for an amazing dinner ladies ?
❤️“

“The picnic table patio is great for family and friends. It’s a hidden treasure. We always bring people here for the food - great quality!“