THUNDER BAY – Food Now – In each city you travel to, if you ask any local, they can tell you where the best places are to eat. Ask many of the locals where the best specials are and each will tell you a different place because many have not heard of the others. We get accustomed to going to the same familiar places that we enjoy and many times order the same dishes time and time again. Today, I am not reviewing anything, I would simply love to give a shout out to the many local places in Thunder Bay that have great deals on meals!
Lets start out with the most sought after – the buffets.
The DaVinci Centre on Waterloo St. offers a large buffet with a variety of foods, such as pasta, chicken, vegetables, salads and perogies on most days. Their buffet is $10.95 which includes coffee/tea or pop and desserts! They run their buffets on Thursday and Fridays from11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. On Friday evenings in the Sports Bar, you can wrangle up a great little dinner for just $5, and each Friday is different. The DaVinci also offers take-out pasta dinners. Check out their website for more details on dates and times. www.davincicentre.com/
The Italian Cultural Centre is another local place to go for a buffet lunch. They offer their lunch on Thursdays and Fridays for $12.50 including tax. The buffet starts at 11:30 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m. The Italian Hall is located on Algoma St. The Italian Hall also offers take out spaghetti dinners. Check out their website for dates and times at www.italiancc.com/.
The Slovak Legion offers a beautiful buffet which is now also available on Thursdays, and the usual Friday for $9.95 person from 11 a.m.to 2 p.m. On Friday evenings the Slovak also offers a steak, spud and beer special for $10.99. The Slovak Legion is located on Atlantic Ave.
The Columbus Centre on May St. also offers a buffet on Fridays for $11, and includes favorites such as pasta, meatballs, chicken, perogies, potatoes, gravy and vegetables. They also have a take-out pasta deal on the first Sunday of each month. The take-out dinner is $9 (bring your own container). Take-out is 1 p.m.-5 p.m. If you would rather attend their sit-down dinner, the cost $11 per person. The sit-down dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. For more information visit their website at www.columbuscentre.ca/en/.
Deluca’s Family Restaurant on Cumberland St. offers a nice buffet on Fridays in their restaurant. The price is $13.95 and you check out their website for more information at delucasfamilyrestaurant.com/.
Mongo’s on Memorial Ave. offers up a stir fry buffet. This place is rather unique, as it offers a bit of everything. They have a small salad bar with two soups with fruits and salads. You can choose from over 25 vegetables and spices along with your choices of beef, pork, sausage, chicken or tofu, noodles, steamed rice, brown rice or make it a wrap! After you have chosen your stir fry items, you hand your dish to the cooks and watch them cook your lunch/dinner on the 650 degree grill sealing in all the flavor! Check out their website for more information at www.mongosgrill.com/ .
Masala Grill located on Algoma St. offers the taste of India, with their Indian/Thai buffet. Lunch and dinner buffets as well as a full scale a la carte menu offer you an authentic Indian and Thai dining experience. Check out their website at www.masalagrille.com/. The buffet prices are under $15 for lunch and just under $24 for dinner. Call for exact pricing 344-3663.
China House in the McIntyre Mall is a full day buffet which offers a variety of items. They change it up a bit in the evening and offer more dinner menu items such as roast beef and sometimes crab legs. The price for the lunch buffet is $10.95 for adults and $7.85 for a child. The dinner buffet is $15.95 for adults and on Friday and Saturday athe adult buffet is $16.95. Seniors receive 10% off the cost of the adult buffet. Call for more details 622-4748.
Ling Lees inside the Port Arthur Curling Club offers a beautiful Chinese buffet lunch from Tuesday to Friday from 1130 a.m.-1:30 p.m.The buffet is $13.50 or $15 (tax included) with a beverage included. Check out their website for further details or call them directly for further information at 344-1441.
Toyko House on Arthur St. offers an all-you-can-eat Sushi bar with a small Chinese buffet and is offered every day. The lunch buffet is $13.95 and the dinner buffet is $23.95. The buffet price is a bit higher on weekends and holidays so please call ahead to confirm pricing 622-1169.
Handu B.B.Q on Memorial Ave. offers a Korean B.B.Q and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday they also offer a small Chinese buffet with the regular B.B.Q. Adult $12.99, seniors $9.99, and a child is $6.99 for their lunch all-you-can-eat. The dinner all-you-can-eat prices are as follows: Adult $19.99, senior $14.99 and child $8.99. For more information give Handu B.B.Q a call 286-4818.
Meiji Restaurant 2 Can dine – 2 appetizers and 2 sushi rolls for $30, or enjoy all you can eat sushi from 4pm til 9pm $23 a person
Twin Dragons on Court St. on Tuesdays offers a hot & spicy buffet for $8.95 and on Friday, a Cantonese buffet for $7.95. Call for more details 345-9988.
The Portside Dining Room located inside the Prince Arthur Hotel offers a beautiful prime rib dinner buffet on Friday and Saturday nights for a cost of $27.95 and $21.95 for seniors. They also offer a soup and salad bar Monday to Sunday for a cost of $9.29 or add the salad bar for $2.99 to any of the regular menu items. On Sundays they also offer a breakfast brunch/buffet for $15.95 and $14.95 for seniors. Call and book your table because it is usually fully booked. Call 345-5411 or just out their website for further information.
Up in Smoke, corner of Leland and Arthur St., offers an all-you-can-eat ribs for $24.95 each day of the week and they also offer an all-you-can-eat catfish dinner for $16.95 from Tuesday-Friday. Please check their website for more details at www.upinsmokegrill.ca/or call them directly at 577-7444.
Java Hut on Memorial Ave. offers an all-you-can-eat fish and chips every Friday for $9.95. They also offer a soup and sandwich special each day for only $5.95. Call for further information 344-5521.
Salsbury Grill on Fredrica St. has a catfish Dinner or a 1/2 dozen jumbo breaded shrimp dinner for $9.95 at a buy one get the other half price, everyday. Call for hours of operation 577-8635.
Joeys Only has an all-you-can-eat fish and chips on Tuesdays, offering Alaskan pollock for $12, North Atlantic haddock or North Pacific cod for $16, and an all-you-can-eat shrimp dinner on Thursdays for $25.00 or all-you-can-eat ribs for $26. Check out their website or call direct 577-4334.
Fish
For some of the best fish in town, hit up the restaurants on the Fort William First Nation.
Friday night at Bannon’s, Charlie’s Restaurant has fresh pickerel. Call for more information 625-0279.
K & A also serves up pickerel every day of the week. Call for more information 623-2977.
Vegetarian places
Sweet Peas on Algoma St. offers a themed dinner on Friday evenings. Call 344-8543 for more details or check out their website.
Organic Garden Cafe on Fort William Road offers a veggie burger only on Fridays and in my opinion, the best in town. Open Tuesday-Friday. Call for hours 344-1917.
Bonobos on Oliver Road offers a great variety of vegetarian food in their store to purchase or for take-out. Call for hours 345-6262
Restaurant specials
Tony & Adams Monday night prime rib dinner for $20. For further information call 767-3897 or check out their website.
Lot 66 Mon-Wed $30 per person includes, soup or salad, main course and a dessert. Call 683-7708 or check out their website at www.lot66.ca/
5 Forks on Wednesday soup or salad, main course and a dessert for $25. Call 346-6000 or check out their website at www.5forksrestaurant.com.
Wing Nights
Monday
Montana’s after 8pm $5.99
Moxies 35 cent wings after 4pm
Tuesdays
Daytonas 50 cent wings (minimum order 10)
Wednesdays
Beaux Daddys $5 a lb wings
Galaxy Lanes $4.99 lb
Thursdays
Kelseys Half Price ($5.50 for 8 wings or $9.99 for 16 wings)
Sunday – Kelseys All You Can Eat Wings $18.99
Breakfast specials
Blue Door Bistro is offering buy one breakfast get one free from 8am til 10am Monday to Friday limited time offer. Call 623-5001
MadeFresh Wednesday to Friday Sunrise Special which includes 2 eggs, 2 bacon or sausage, potatoes and toast and coffee for $6.50. Call for hours 285-3440 or check out their website www.freshtastik.ca/.
Portside Dining Room inside the Prince Arthur Hotel – Sunday brunch $15.95 and $14.95 for seniors. Call for more details 346-5139 or check out their website www.princearthur.on.ca.
Caterers:
Salt & Pepper Catering, 801 N Mckellar St. – Friday night offers take out dinners, bring in your own container or for $1 they will sell you one. Check out their website for the Friday specials www.snpcatering.com or call 622-8775. (this special is over until Sept)
The Redhead & the Chef – Tuesdays & Wednesdays they offer direct out of their home dinners. Check out their website for what is available www.theredheadandthechef.com/ or call 621-1599 or 285-8558.
New to Thunder Bay:
Bight Restaurant at Marina Park, 2201 Sleeping Giant Parkway. Call 622-4448 or visit the website.
Silver Birch, 28 N. Cumberland St. 345-0597 or visit their website.
The Foundry, 242 Red River Road 285-3188 or visit their website.
Worth the Drive
This Old Barn – Specializing in top quality prepared meals. Call 935-3015 or visit their website.
Rose Valley Lodge – Specializing in International Cuisine call 473-5448 or visit their website.
Silver Mountain Station – Take a nice drive out and have a relaxing afternoon or an evening dinner out in the country. Call 475-4406 or check out their website for further information.
Sandy’s Bar & Grill – The former McKenzie Inn in Shuniah just east of the city. Call 683-0881 for hours and specials.
These are just some of the buffets, specials, and local places that I have encountered. Prices and times can change so always check with each restaurant to make sure the specials or buffets are still offered and what the hours currently are.
We have a large variety of restaurants in Thunder Bay, so next time you decide to go out for dinner, try a place you haven’t! I think you might be pleasantly surprised to see what we truly have to enjoy in Thunder Bay!
Another great site to check local specials in town: www.thunderbayrestaurants.com
