‘Very excited’: Well-known Asian restaurant in Ontario opening Burlington location

A well-established Asian restaurant brand in the GTA will soon have a home in Burlington.

The new Spoon and Fork restaurant, set to open next month at 1200 Brant St., in the Brant Power Centre plaza, is beginning to take shape.

INsauga.com has learned that Spoon and Fork, which blends Japanese and Thai cuisine and offers All-You-Can-Eat as well as à la Carte options, plans to open in the Brant Power Centre at 1200 Brant St., just north of the QEW, in September.

“When the opportunity arose to open in Burlington, we saw more than just a new location — we saw a chance to connect with and give back to a vibrant, growing community. Our goal is to be as inclusive as possible, reaching different areas and making it easier for more guests to experience our hospitality,” Spoon and Fork spokesperson Will Tsang said.

“We truly believe Burlington will benefit from having a Spoon and Fork nearby, and we’re excited to serve and grow with this amazing community.”

The popular Spoon and Fork restaurant will be a tenant in the former Denny’s location. There is already work being done on the site this month, as the concrete wall has been painted black and there are workers doing renovations inside. 

Matthew Brown, senior director of sales and leasing for Behar Group Realty Inc., which is the broker for Desjardins, the landlord of the 1200 Brant St. property, confirmed they have finalized a new lease with Spoon and Fork.

“We’re very excited to bring this brand to the plaza,” Brown said. “There’s nothing like this in the area.”

Brown said it’s an amazing opportunity anytime you can bring a “strong, recognizable brand” like Spoon and Fork on board.

“We love the Asian fusion they offer, particularly when they are equally as strong with both lunch and dinner traffic,” Brown said. “There will be lots of extra foot traffic for the plaza.”

Brown said there were as many as 10 other businesses interested in the tenant space, but the Behar Group felt Spoon and Fork “was the best fit.”

Brown said the addition of Princess Auto, Spoon and Fork and other businesses to the Brant Power Centre gives the plaza “a good refresh.”

A sign outside the location indicates Spoon and Fork is in the process of a Liquor Licence Application for the premises.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), the organization responsible for deciding whether to grant liquor licences in the province,  facilitated a Public Notice Process, which offers residents an opportunity to respond to a liquor sales licence application in their municipality and to voice any objections to the application.  

The Liquor Licence Application for the Spoon and Fork was received on July 3,  and the public notice period was from July 10-23, the AGCO said in an email. 

“No objections were received during that period. Before an application can be approved, applicants must also provide the necessary letters of approval from municipal officials, including the building department, the fire marshal (or fire protection officer), and the public health department,” the AGCO wrote. “The AGCO is waiting for these letters to be provided by the applicant.”

In addition, AGCO inspectors will visit the Spoon and Fork location and make sure that all proposed areas qualify for licensing, that the areas match what’s in the application and floor plans, and will do a walk through to see if there are any other concerns, the AGCO added.

This will be Spoon and Fork’s seventh location. The Canadian brand of restaurants has spots in Mississauga, Oakville, Etobicoke and Barrie.