Burlington's No.8 Restaurant

French influence meets locally sourced organic ingredients

Tucked just behind Downtown Burlington’s Brant Street at the corner of James and Pearl, No.8 restaurant welcomes you. This new downtown destination opened in late February. Its inviting patio is set with mature trees, which offer shade to accompany your glass of wine on a sunny summer day. Inside, the multi-level floors of seating and bar area are the place to enjoy delicious food with a French influence.

Executive Chef Stephen Baidacoff, handpicked for his talent, brings a wealth of international expertise from acclaimed restaurants such as Eleven Madison Park, and Noma. His experience and passion indicate a strong desire to produce interesting food for guests.

Chef Stephen and his team expertly pair each dish with selections from an exceptional wine list, creating a dining experience that harmoniously merges tradition and innovation.

It's open from Wednesday to Sunday; come by any evening for a date night or to celebrate a milestone for someone you want to bring somewhere unique. No.8 is a place where you can come and have a simple pasta and a glass of wine, a celebration with your family and friends, or champagne and great steaks. It's a place that can cater to everyone.

Collaboration dinners are something the team feels is a unique way to present additional edits to the regular menu. A recent collaboration dinner with guest Chef Marvin Palomo (of Vela Toronto) was a definite success. Management says they hope to do more collaboration events regularly as a way to introduce the community to other restaurants and chefs. This allows them to have fun and create new dishes, and in turn, extend that experience to guests.

No.8’s menu features shareable plates and staple proteins at its core, but will change seasonally. For those who love steak on a regular basis, it will be available with accompaniments depending on what local organic produce is in season: truffles, red beets or potatoes in the winter, and beautifully al dente white asparagus in the spring and summer.

Management says the concept of the restaurant is: if you like steak, here you will always get a good steak. There will always be a good offering of fish. It might be served with mussels in the winter, and grilled during the summer. The concept of the menu stays very similar, yet the ingredients on those dishes will be seasonally adjusted.

The restaurant’s sommelier has coordinated a great wine program with many high-end wines. They also support local wineries, particularly the regions of Niagara-on-the-Lake and Prince Edward County. Of course, guests can count on selections such as those from Bordeaux.

Attaining a simple cocktail menu, the bar can mix up a summer Aperol Spritz. Martinis are a popular choice to start your evening in Downtown Burlington. Another menu classic is a Negroni.

To finish your meal, the desserts are made in-house by Chef Stephen and his team. The regular menu will offer two to three choices, which you can pair with a special Japanese method of pour-over coffee.

No.8 is poised to be that perfect place for cocktails, wine and highly palatable plates to share, something different from other downtown restaurants.

For more info, visit NumberEight.ca