By Staff
July 11th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Test Kitchen didn’t make it – maybe Papa Giuseppe’s will do better.
The Test Kitchen was a restaurant that opened up on Brant street and for a short period of time was the hottest spot in town with an exception $10 lunch with a beverage included on the menu.
The Test Kitchen had a sparse clean look to it – it was the place to be seen.
The former Test Kitchen was the first restaurant in the city to put up a pop up patio. There are now two on Brant Street.
The place had a buzz to it and you sometimes had to wait to get a table.
They used all the high tech stuff to take your order and the staff was made up of those young people that just exuded energy.
Alas, something went wrong somewhere and they were suddenly gone. Overnight they stripped the two locations they had and haven’t been since.
There are a number of suppliers and a former landlord that would like to talk to them. Rumour has it that the people who backed the place financially are also looking for them… And these people aren’t your traditional bankers.
The Test Kitchen were the people that brought the first pop up patio to the city – let’s give them credit for that much.
Papa Giuseppe’s east side of Brant – south of Caroline.
$6:00 for a bottle of water is ridiculous. There are still a few places you can get a bottle of beer for less. I was going to try Salvatore’s but now I’m not so inclined. I won’t rule it out but it certainly will not be top of the list.
How many Italian restaurants can the core sustain? To my knowledge we are currently at 5 now with the new Salvatore’s on Lakeshore and Papa Giuseppe’s on Brant. However, the previous commentator states a pizzeria may also go into the Second Cup space.
Crimminy , we have 3 within a stone’s throw of each other just on Brant.
Salvatore’s is quite pricy with a bottle of water costing $6.00 plus tax, it took me 30 minutes and the attention of 3 staff til I could get a second water while I was mildly choking. DiMario’s is simply fabulous and popular however also priced out of the reach of most. Son of a Peach was terrific when they first opened but once the prices sky rocketed by the 3rd visit we stopped going two years ago when their prices sky rocketed. I have never tried Paradisio and found Mange Bene & Cellis’ have routine fare.
Between the several pubs, sports bars, niche fare and the already over represented Italian fare can we sustain the new Papa Giusepoe’s and a third pizzaria?
Still disappointed by the demise of Test Kitchen but relieved to learn that a new resto is heading in there. Also a pizzeria heading into the old Second Cup at Brant and Lakeshore. Burlington loves its pizza!