Top 5 Hidden Restaurants in Brampton

Published July 6, 2017 at 10:43 pm

Sure, Brampton has its star restaurants – you know, the ones at main intersections or scattered across downtown Brampton – but some of Brampton’s gems are its hidden ones.

Whether in an industrial area, on a side street, or in a plaza you’d never visit otherwise, there are a bunch of hidden gems in Brampton, so tucked away that finding them with the help of Google maps might even turn into a game of Where’s Waldo.

From casual to upscale and across the board in flavours and types of food, here are the top five hidden restaurants in Brampton.


5) Taste of Punjab

Taste of Punjab is definitely a gem, hidden in an industrial area near Steeles and Dixie. If you’re looking for some flavourful, authentic Indian dishes in a quaint, cozy shop, it’s perfect. They have the pakoras, biryani, naan, samosas, and butter chicken that you’d expect from an Indian restaurant, with a kick of spice to boot. Their service is neither here nor there, but their portions and the quality of their food is well worth the restaurant-hunt. It’s a great space for friends or co-workers. Enjoy a masala chai and some hot halwa for an even more authentic experience.


4) Man O’Salwa

This place has some seriously delicious shawarmas, pizzas, and burgers, made with flavour and care. It’s probably not on your radar because, first, it opened about two months ago, and second, it’s a hole in the wall in a plaza on Kennedy that’s not facing the main road. You might drive past the plaza initially, and even when you’re in the plaza, you might take a few minutes to realize you’re in the right place. The key is that you’re in the plaza with the blue roof! I really appreciated this place for a few reasons – the owner is kind, they take a little extra time and care to grill their meat and dress their shawarma, their pita was grilled well, their sauces and meat are flavourful, and they add a good quantity of veggies. You can also choose if you want a larger pita or a smaller one, depending on how hungry you are!


3) King Tandoori

Ah, King Tandoori – the little gem on Rutherford you’ve probably never seen before. It looks really small and kind of sketchy on the outside, but when you find it and step inside, prepare to be amazed. If not by the interesting decor (the ceilings have a cave-type facade), by the fact that the restaurant that looked so tiny on the outside is larger than it looks. Honestly, King Tandoori serves some seriously epic Indian food, and you shouldn’t have to miss out on it just because you don’t work in that industrial area. This place is the best for their meat – chicken tikka, lamb everything, and goat and shrimp curries. If you’re looking for something really special, try the chicken biryani, it’s spectacular – the spices are perfect and you’ll get large chunks of chicken, all on a giant platter. What’s also great about this place is that everything – the breads in particular – are made from scratch. So if you want to see how your naan is made, just look over the food counter! Another interesting fact – you can get some Chinese fusion dishes here like hakka noodles. There is another King Tandoori location on Kennedy, but this is the more industrial one.


2) Hakka No. 1

This Melanie Drive spot is an epic choice for all of the industrial workers in the area, and once you know about it, it might become your go-to spot for lunch specials and hakka food. From noodles to rice to meat and beyond, you’ll find a huge variety of food on the menu, including all kinds of chicken (manchurian chicken is pictured below!), noodles (Shanghai, Singapore, and ho-fun included!), beef, fish, veggies, and delicious sauces you can think of. The serving sizes are huge and the restaurant is surprisingly cozy, with ample seating space. Whether you’re snagging some take-out, you’re there for a $7.25 lunch special (which comes with water and a mouthwatering spring roll), or you’re there with a few people prepared to order everything on the menu, you won’t regret your decision to go here. Hakka No. 1 even has bubble tea – yum!


1) Antica Osteria

With a stunning interior and delicious Italian fare, Antica Osteria has made a few of our top fives and rightfully so. When you think of Italian restaurants in Brampton, it might not even be the first that comes to mind, solely because you didn’t know it existed. This sophisticated restaurant is located in a plaza on the outskirts of Brampton at Mayfield and Hurontario, and it might take a few drives around the plaza to notice it, as it’s tucked into a corner nowhere near the dentist or the Caribbean place on the other side of the strip. The resto’s website calls attention to the fact that the establishment occupies “one of the most prestigious indoor spaces in Snelgrove” and the enriching ambiance is apparent as soon as you walk in the door. Antica Osteria boasts a warm, earthy interior, and a wine bar, and it’s deal for a special occasion. With regards to the menu, it doesn’t disappoint, offering such classics as Gnocchi con Pera e Gorgonzola, Penne alla Vodka, lamb and more. If you want to be wowed, try the homemade gnocchi or any of the tender, succulent veal dishes available on the menu. Antica Osteria is also featured in our cover photo!


  1. Antica Osteria
  2. Hakka No.1
  3. King Tandoori
  4. Man O’Salwa – Pizza Burgers Shawarma
  5. Taste of Punjab
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