Hamilton food guide: James Street North, Locke Street, the farmers market and Ottawa Street

Hamilton is a port and steel city at the western end of Lake Ontario, about an hour from Toronto by car or GO train. It has long been a working city, and its food scene is built on immigrant communities, cheaper rents and a generation of cooks who found they could open a restaurant there for less than in Toronto. The city has waterfalls, a big escarpment and an active arts crowd, and several food districts close enough together to explore in a day.

What is James Street North?

James Street North, running north from the downtown core towards the harbour, is Hamilton's arts and food street. Coverage credits the food truck boom of the early 2010s with helping the street's revival. Today it has galleries, cafés, bakeries, pizza, barbecue, Italian, soup, burgers and bars. The monthly Art Crawl brings crowds, and restaurants fill. If you go on an ordinary Saturday, you can walk the street and find a lunch place easily.

What about Locke Street?

Locke Street South, west of downtown in the Kirkendall area, is a neighbourhood strip that has grown from a quiet row of shops into a street of cafés, bars, bakeries and independent restaurants, with a good number of Italian places. It is calmer and more residential than James North, and a pleasant place for a coffee and a walk.

What is the Hamilton Farmers' Market?

The Hamilton Farmers' Market, in the downtown core, is a long-running market with deep roots in the city. It has dozens of vendors selling produce, meat, baking and prepared food, including international stalls. It is a good place to start, to see what Ontario farms are growing and pick up lunch. Hours are limited, and the market is closed on some days, so check before you go.

Ottawa Street, in the east end, is known for old-fashioned shops and textile stores, and it has a market with local producers and crafts. Check the market's own page for its days.

Why is Hamilton famous for Italian food and shawarma?

Hamilton has a large Italian-Canadian community that came in the twentieth century to work in the steel mills, and the city has pizzerias, bakeries and old-school pasta restaurants that have served families for generations. It also has a notable shawarma scene, shaped by its Lebanese and Middle Eastern communities, and local reporting has described the city as having many shawarma joints. A garlicky chicken or beef shawarma wrap is a cheap, filling lunch.

What else is worth trying?

• Pizza. Italian bakeries and pizzerias are everywhere.
• Barbecue. Several smokehouses have opened in recent years.
• Craft beer. Hamilton has a long list of breweries.
• Polish and Eastern European food. Pierogi and cabbage rolls, particularly around the east end.
• Waterfall hikes with a picnic. The city has many waterfalls, and it is easy to buy lunch and take it with you.

How do you get to Hamilton?

GO Transit trains and buses run from Toronto, and the trip takes about an hour. Within the city, the downtown core and James Street are walkable from the GO station, and buses reach Locke Street. By car, it is a short drive from the QEW.

When is the best time to go?

Summer weekends suit the markets and patios, and the Art Crawl evenings fall in the warmer months. Winter is quieter, but restaurants are warm and easy to book. Many small places close on Mondays.

What does it cost?

Hamilton is cheaper than Toronto for the same quality. Ontario's HST of 13 percent applies, and tips of 15 to 20 percent before tax are customary at table service.

What about the waterfront and the escarpment?

Hamilton's setting is part of its appeal. The harbour has a waterfront trail with views over the lake, and the Niagara Escarpment runs through the city, with waterfalls that are a short drive from downtown. A picnic from the market or a bakery is the simplest way to combine food and nature. Waterfall parks can be crowded on summer weekends, with parking limits at some trailheads, so go early. Wear proper shoes, since trails can be slippery, and carry out your rubbish.

A simple plan

1. Take GO to Hamilton and walk to the market for a morning coffee.
2. Walk north on James Street to browse and have lunch.
3. Take a bus west to Locke Street for the afternoon.
4. Try a shawarma on the way home.

For the rest of the province, start at the Food in Ontario page.

How do you plan a Hamilton day trip with friends?

Hamilton rewards a plan made before the GO train leaves. Start a list in the Mosey app with sections for James Street North, Locke Street and the market, then send the invite link so each friend can add the slice, shawarma or pastry they want to try. On the day, rate every plate by name and add a tag such as Pizza or Bakery. Rating places that share a tag earns a badge for that kind of food, so a day of Italian bakeries counts toward something.

Top 3 asks one question about the city each time you open the app after a few hours away. Answer it on the train home and you have a short list of what to order on the second trip.

More guides to read next:

• London, Ontario food guide: Covent Garden Market, Richmond Row, Wortley Village and Old East Village
• Muskoka food guide: farmers markets, butter tarts, maple and cottage-country timing
• Niagara-on-the-Lake food and wine guide: wineries, icewine, fruit stands and winery lunches

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.

On your next Hamilton day, open the Mosey app, rate the best thing you ate and add it to your list.