The newest addition to Locket Street in Hamilton is the fancy-pants, breakfast and brunch restaurant called, The Beverly. Some of you might have seen their teaser tweets and posts on social media before opening weekend. They made us curious about their beautifully designed space and brand. Well, it got me lookin’! I went with Jen (@tastehamont) and our SO’s on their second day and dove in with high expectations. With so much detail poured into decor, furniture, branding, and just all the little things, it seemed like they were familiar with the restaurant biz.

254 Locke Street South, Hamilton  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Website  |  Map

We scored the window seats on a gloomy, rainy day, a perfect spot for photos! The menus had a retro design with fun photos of faces on the other side. We chose 4 dishes: Ploughman’s Hash ($14), Tostada Vallego ($13), Sausage Gravy Mac n Cheese ($15), and Cinnamon Toast Punch ($12). Jen and Brad started with a half French press ($4) each and they came with the cutest sugar and milk dispensers, lil’ elephants and cows.

The restaurant was at full capacity the whole time, so I knew the food was going to take a while. It was my first meal of the day, so I was getting a tad hangry. After a 40 minute wait, our plates finally came to us.

My first bite was the Sausage Gravy Mac and Cheese. It came in a little pan that sat on a beautiful black slate with a side of slaw. The gravy was creamy with chunks of tasty sausage scattered throughout but I didn’t get much cheese flavour or texture. Nonetheless, it was my favourite dish. The thing that got me was the description on the menu, a “big ass bowl”… yea, maybe for kids! 5 bites later and it was gone.

I crunched on the tostada next. Three layers of beans, mole, and meat topped with 2 eggs and avocados. It was stacked with crispy tostada shells but it wan’t too big a round… the meat was tasty though. Moving onto the Ploughman’s Hash, I thought it would have cubes of potatoes tossed with meats, veggies, and a bunch of random shit. They’re like, ‘Nah. Gonna put 2 cornflake hashbrowns and sprinkle some pork belly, sausage, and apple on top.” Then they topped it with some super pickled veggies that left a stinging taste in my mouth. Overall, I enjoyed the flavours of the ‘hash’ but felt cheated out of a greasy plate.

Lastly, we saved the Cinnamon Toast Punch for last, like a dessert. Out of all the plates, this had the largest portion. They put a spin to regular cinnamon french toast and used cornbread. Three bricks of cornbread were piled on the plate and decorated beautifully with rosemary cream, spiced caramel popcorn and berry syrup. I wasn’t a fan of the dryness and crumbly texture of the cornbread but I thought the popcorn was a surprising touch.

I left The Beverly thinking I had a decent meal and a decent dining experience. It wasn’t until later, when I started to write this review, that I realized my experience could’ve been better. I was roped-in by the beauty of the space and the perfect presentation of the dishes. I loved all the visual things because they were all so aesthetically pleasing, and right up my alley. When it came down to the food, I’d immediately find pros but I was able to counter it with cons just as fast.

Is it fair they get a pass only because it’s their opening weekend? I’m not sure, my expectations weren’t fully satisfied. I’ll give them another chance once their gears are well-oiled and things are running smoother (hopefully). There are a few items on the menu I’d love to check out, so there’s no doubt I’ll be going back. Like, who doesn’t love to chill and have brunch until 4pm, while sitting in a calm, homey, comforting space? Oh, yea for those who like to sip on mimosas or throw back a glass of wine with brunch, they have alcohol!

Welcome to the Locke Street family, Bev. You’ll fit right in.