Just steps from the lake and right on the corner of Brant Street and James Street, Bardō is downtown Burlington’s new go-to for elevated comfort food, fun group dinners, and stylish date nights. Formerly Bread Bar, the newly reimagined Bardō blends its signature “good ingredients matter” mantra with a fresh new look and a whole lot of good vibes!

the vibe

The wrap-around restaurant occupies the entire corner of the building’s first floor, and you’ll spot the inviting outdoor patio running along Brant St. before you even step inside (we literally can’t wait for summer patio dates).

Once you do step inside, you’re greeted with a spacious open-concept layout, soaring ceilings, and pops of orange accenting warm wood tones throughout the space.

To your left and right, cozy dining areas create the perfect setting for intimate nights out or lively catch-ups. You’ll also spot the kitchen action from your seat, including a peek into the bakery through a glass window.

The whole space feels vibrant and alive, but never too loud to hear your date across the table.

exploring the menu

We kicked things off with Bardō‘s Breads & Spreads, which without context already sounds like the perfect shareable appetizer that you can honestly take down with a drink and some gossip along and make a night of just that.

It comes with house-baked and perfectly chewy breads with Bardō bread dip (an oil and herb creation that’s seriously addictive), a whipped feta dip, a savoury chive butter, and a sweet and smokey Moroccan cherry chutney.

We had to mix in some greens, because balance, so next up was the Bardō Caesar Salad made a little more elevated than the usual restaurant caesar with baby romaine, red gem lettuce, roasted garlic croutons, bacon, parm, and shaved pecorino.

On their mains menu is an array of handhelds, bowls, and plated dinners; we opted for the Braised Short Rib that came beautifully plated with roasted spring vegetables fingerling potatoes with leek and brie, jus, and parsley crumble for texture.

We’ll get into the pizza below, which is its own story but we finished off our meal with their house-made Strawberry Cheesecake dessert and WOW was it the right call. Made with Strawberry rhubarb compote, shortcake crust, and vanilla whipped cream, and the perfect texture.

barPIZZAdō

And of course: the pizzas. They have their own section on the menu so you know whatever you’re ordering, you also need to get a pie for the table (and for leftovers of course).

Bardō is doing a couple different things with their pizza to elevate your experience including: a “spice up your crust” option sprinkling it with house-made everything bagel spices, and offering ordering any pizzas half-and-half; which is a huge win for anyone who struggles to decide on just one flavour.

We went with one large pizza with half of this season’s MVPizza. The flavour changes because it’s a seasonal creation designed by one of Bardō Burlington’s own team members. This one was pepperoni and kale with shaved parmesan — delicious, and even better knowing $1 from each MVPizza order goes to a fund for the team member who created it.

The other half, we decided to get fancy for our first time, and went for the Duck Confit topped with braised duck leg, roasted garlic, goat cheese, Moroccan cherry chutney (yes, like from the bread board!), crispy fried onion, and a white sauce base. A slice of this pizza was a meal in itself and we had enough to take home and share.

bardō to go

Bardō‘s not just for dining in, either – homebodies, tune in. Along the back street-side of the restaurant, just past the main dining space, is the Bardō to Go area: a bakery/café-style counter and mini market that’s equal parts convenient and adorable.

You’ll find: freshly baked pastries, morning options, pizza slices, and bread; take-home pizza kits and dough; house-made sauces; grab-and-go sandwiches and soups; and even a curated wall of merch and local goods.

It’s the kind of spot you’ll want to return to even if you’re just walking around downtown and craving a latte or pop-in treat.

drink highlights

When we visited, we tried some of Bardō‘s non-alcoholic offerings and the selection is honestly impressive. From Dad’s Root Beer (iconic) to a Strawberry Lemonade (with more flavours to choose from) the drinks were flavourful, well-presented, and perfect for a weeknight out.

We also got a coffee drink, to top off the evening; handmade by our server Daniel, who was perfecting his latte art skills, and totally nailed it. Honestly, it’s worth stopping in just to see what design you’ll get on your next coffee.

We love how the team here brings personality into the experience which made for such an amazing impression!

Allow us to entice you to book a Burlington staycation; dining here then retreating back to your room at the waterfront Pearle Hotel & Spa just a short stroll away! We’re thinking.. summer plans? Read more here!