These Hamilton-area bacon and egg spots are flipping great
If watching an egg sizzle as it hits a flat-top griddle is your favourite morning pastime, you might already have a go-to Hamilton-area breakfast spot or two. Though, there are so many out there, it is hard to pick.
You could choose a fancy brunch restaurant, serving up mimosas and sourdough avocado toast. Or find a bacon-sausage-egg-potato fry where the breakfast is big and the coffee is bottomless.
In whatever part of the city you wake up, and whatever style you like, there's a morning eatery for you. Here are a couple you might consider trying:
Speaking of watching an egg sizzle, Steve's Open Kitchen's name is literal. Have a seat at the breakfast bar and watch the chefs whip up a morning masterpiece.
Steve's no-nonsense dining room is open for breakfast and lunch, but not on Monday, at 149 James St. S. near Augusta Street. Try the breakfast burger.
There's something for everyone at Gage Park Diner. The small eatery offers classic diner options plus a robust menu of vegetarian and vegan alternatives. Find a plant-based egg, sausage and cheese sandwich alongside the animal-based replica Wednesday to Sunday at 975 Main St. E., directly across from the park.
Find a massive menu of diner favourites at this modern eatery on the Mountain. Try the Philly skillet - a cross between a breakfast skillet and cheesesteak sandwich - for breakfast or lunch seven days a week and dinner Thursday to Saturday. Broadway Diner is at 1550 Upper James St. at Rymal Road.
Big Top Family Restaurant
Customers have been clowning around at this lower city restaurant for decades. The classic eatery with a classic menu has been operating for more than 60 years. Renovations in the last decade exposed a huge circus mural in the dining room. The eatery at 754 Main St. E., on the corner of Sherman Avenue, is open for breakfast and lunch daily.
Breakfast is a fisherman's friend and this busy Burlington Street East spot serves breakfast and lunch every day. Two Cougars toned down the fishing-themed decor a few years ago, but they didn't tone down the food at 601 Burlington St. E. Try the breakfast poutine.
Russell Williams Family Restaurant
Since 1932, Russell Williams has been serving up the favourites to hungry folk in Aldershot. More than 90 years of all-day breakfast must mean they are doing something right at 20 Plains Rd. E., Burlington. Try the crab cake benedict for breakfast and lunch all week and dinner Thursday to Saturday.
We couldn't make a diner list without a classic truck stop-style restaurant. Breezy Corners is open breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week on Highway 6 at Carlisle Road. Everything is made fresh, including the Carlisle burger and the Freelton fan big breakfast at 1480 Hwy. 6.
More than 60 years flipping eggs in the east end, Woodward is the place to be in the early morning. The little diner is open at 7 a.m. daily for breakfast and lunch at 430 Woodward Ave. Try the Monte Cristo sandwich with hand-cut fries.
Jeremy Kemeny is a Hamilton-based web editor at The Spectator. Reach him via email: jkemeny@thespec.com