Soup season in soup city: 38 varieties and where to find them in the Hamilton area
With the colder weather on its way, soup season is in full effect.
While Hamilton might not seem synonymous with soup, the city has an ample supply - and it also has an annual festival fundraiser, Living Rock Soupfest, and soup staple mini-chain, Burnt Tongue.
The good news is there are many varieties out there - from tomato to congee, and bakso to bisque. The bad news is some are only seasonal. We tried to find as many as possible.
Here are some interesting varieties, and places to try them across the city:
Coconut
Lemongrass Restaurant serves a spicy and sour coconut seafood soup flavoured with lime and chili at 300 Garth St. lemongrassrestaurant.ca
Pepper soup
Afrolicious' Afro-pepper soup is spiced with pepper, among other things. Find the dish, served with goat and assorted meats, at 46 James St. N. afrolicious.ca
Mushroom
Milestones makes a vegan roasted mushroom soup, pureed with basil and parsley flavouring. Find it at various locations, including 1200 Brant St., Burlington. milestonesrestaurants.com
Chicken noodle
Swiss Chalet's classic soup bowl is made with their famous rotisserie chicken" vegetables and noodles. Served at various locations including 1317 Upper James St. swisschalet.com
Chicken dumpling
Caribbean Canadian Restaurant makes a chicken and vegetable soup with dense flour dumplings at 568 Concession St. caribbeancanadianrestaurant.ca
Matzo ball
Charred Rotisserie House serves up fluffy light matzo meal- and egg-based dumplings in chicken broth at 244 James St. N. charred.ca
Aguadito
Peruviano serves a Peruvian-style green chicken soup made with pureed cilantro and thickened with rice at 254 Locke St. S. peruviano.ca
Red pea soup
Jusjerk Caribbean Restaurant's spicy kidney bean-based soup is filled with dumplings, yams and meats. Find it at 3300 Fairview St., Burlington. jusjerk.ca
Congee
Iron Chef serves up savoury rice porridge with various ingredients including shredded pork and preserved egg at 1116 Upper Sherman Ave. ironchefchineserestaurant.ca
French onion
The French serves a soupe a l'oignon gratinee, with an emmental cheese and crouton crust, at 37 King William St. thefrench.ca
Tom yum
Ben Thanh Viet Thai Restaurant serves a hot and sour soup dish with shrimp, chicken, or vegetables and tofu at 113 James St. N. phobt.ca
Wonton
Forbidden City serves up meat- and vegetable-filled dumpling soup, with other vegetables and meats or with broth only, at 273 King St. E. forbiddencityhamilton.com
Lentil
Nabil Middle East Food makes a pureed lentil soup dish at 1 Wilson St. nabilsgrill.webs.com
Dal
The Moghul's serves up dal makhani, a creamy lentil dish made with Indian spices. Find it at 288 Mud St. W. in Stoney Creek. themoghuls.ca
Italian wedding
Domenic's Italian Eatery's vegetable- and meat-filled soup comes with crackers for dipping needs. Find it at 2388 Fairview St., Burlington. domenics.ca
Creamy seafood chowder
The Purple Pear makes a creamy chowder with potatoes and seafood at 946 Barton St. E. thepurplepear.ca
Manhattan-style chowder
Shakespeare's Steak and Seafood restaurant serves up a tomato-based seafood chowder at 181 Main St. E. shakespeares.ca
Pho
Pho #7 serves a house special," Vietnamese beef broth and noodle soup, with rare beef, flank, tendon, tripe and beef balls at 891 Upper James St. pho7.ca
Vegetarian pho
Pho Dui Bo makes ginger-based rice noodle pho chay (vegetarian pho) with mixed vegetables and tofu at 15 Cannon St. E. phoduibo.com
Squash soup
Betula Restaurant serves a butternut squash soup with pumpkin seeds at 225 King St. W. in Dundas. betularestaurant.com
Goulash
Etno serves the Hungarian paprika-spiced stew made of cubes of beef meat braised with onions at 125 Gailmont Dr. etno.ca
Hot and sour
Mr. Gao makes a vegetarian pepper soup variety with tofu, bamboo shoots, wood ear fungus and egg at 1561 Main St. W. gaolaozhuang.ca
Afang
Calabar Kitchen Canada serves a number of West African soups, including the green, spinach-based vegetable dish you can find at the Jackson Square food court at 2 King St. W. calabarkitchencanada.com
Miso
Kenzo's Sapporo miso ramen is one of several noodle soups served at the downtown eatery. Offered vegetarian or with meat, at 21 King St. E. kenzoramen.ca
Garlic soup
La Spaghett serves up a garlic-infused chicken broth soup with cheese tortellini at 970 Upper James St. laspaghett.ca
Aush
Rayhoon Persian Eatery's green thick noodle soup is filled with herbs and beans and topped with yoghurt and fried onions. Find Aush reshteh at 420 Pearl St., Burlington. rayhooneatery.com
Minestrone
Aberdeen Tavern serves a chunky, root vegetable minestrone, with squash, parsnip, kale, white bean, tomato and sage, at 432 Aberdeen Ave. theaberdeen.ca
Stracciatella
Giuseppe's Italian Cuisine & Pizza serves a chicken broth-based soup with an eggdrop Parmesan swirl" and ravioli at 762 King St. E. giuseppegerardoitalian.com
Cream of cauliflower
The Chopped Leaf serves up a creamy cauliflower soup at various locations, including 2535 Appleby Line, Burlington. choppedleaf.ca
Jjigae
BAB Korean Food & BBQ serves soon tofu stew, among other soup dishes. This one is made with soft tofu in spicy broth and can be served with meat or vegetables at 387 Barton St. E. bab-korean-food-bbq.business.site
Leek soup
541 Eatery & Exchange serves a curried potato and leek soup at 541 Barton St. E. fivefortyone.ca
Tortilla soup
Maria's Tortas Jalisco is serving their Sopa Azteca, a spicy tomato-based soup with fried tortillas, at their new location. Order it with chicken or vegetarian at 438 Hwy. 8. mariastortasjalisco.com
Bakso
Indonesian's Flavour makes their basko meatball soup with their in-house meatballs in broth. Delivery only. indonesiansflavour.ca
Bisque
Ancaster Mill's creamy wine and seafood-based lobster bisque is made with sweet potato, eggplant and shrimp at 548 Old Dundas Rd., Ancaster. ancastermill.ca
Gomguk
The Owl of Minerva offers many Korean-style soups, including gomtang, a white broth beef bone soup, served with rice at 309 Main St. E. owlfamily.ca
Tomato
Meltwich Hess serves a side of classic creamy tomato soup perfect pairing with grilled cheese" at various locations, including 236 King St. W. meltwich.com
Tomato red pepper
Cavallo Nero serves a variation of the standard tomato. Their house soup includes roasted red pepper. Find it at 370 Wilson St. E., Ancaster. cavallonero.ca
Tomato bacon
State and Main makes their rich and creamy tomato-based soup with bacon at 1591 Upper James St. stateandmain.ca
Did we miss a type of soup, or restaurant that should be on this list? Let us know: jkemeny@thespec.com