Saffron — Restaurant in Saugeen Shores

A Hidden Gem That Deserves the World!

We visited Saffron Restaurant over the Good Friday long weekend (April 19) as a group of 8 adults and 2 kids, and honestly, it was one of the most memorable dining experiences we’ve ever had.

First, the menu — it’s small, which I loved because it shows real mastery and confidence in their dishes. They’ve carefully curated selections from different cuisines, making sure there’s something for everyone — including vegetarians and vegans. The owner, Jen, told us that when they started Saffron, there was nothing like it in the area, and they wanted to create a space where a diverse group could come together and everyone would have something to enjoy. That spirit really shines through.

The Chole Bhature (Trinidadian Chickpeas Doubles), Thai Green Coconut Curry, and Shahi Paneer were all absolutely outstanding. And the cottage cheese is homegrown! That attention to detail and quality blew us away. The masala chai tea was bottomless, and one person in our group said it instantly reminded them of their hometown in India — it was that authentic and comforting.

What made the experience even more special was the warmth and hospitality. Jen, who was also our server, was amazing — so kind, attentive, and genuinely passionate about the food and the story behind the place. The chef, despite not being affiliated to any of these countries, learned these recipes by traveling the world, and you can feel that love and dedication in every bite. The restaurant’s walls are decorated with travel photos from their culinary journey, adding a personal and intimate touch.

I can confidently say we will come all the way to Port Elgin again, a 3-hour drive, just for Saffron. Our only regret? We were so hungry and excited that we forgot to take any pictures!

This restaurant deserves all the recognition, love, and success. I truly hope it becomes one of the most celebrated restaurants in Canada. An unforgettable experience — we can’t wait...

Let's face it, these high ratings are based on the lack of competition and comparison this small town brings for this restaurant. Bring this menu to a city and have it compete against the top dogs in the same food vein and this rating goes from a 4.8 star(which was the rating at the time of review) to a 3.5 star.

The falafel could have been a lot better if it was cooked properly but unfortunately all we tasted was the raw flavor of chickpeas when soaked from dry. The paneer curry we had was decent, they even seared the paneer, yet it lacked the depth of flavor only a quality Indian restaurant could achieve. I can't say for certain but I'm almost positive the nan bread is recooked from frozen. Likely purchased bulk and then frozen and used when needed. It had an odd aftertaste to it. Even with all of this stated my rating would be higher but for this quality of food the price was ridiculous. $15 for a falafel sandwich is unreal. A full falafel dinner at $15 is understandable but not a sandwich.

Being my first visit, the prices only raised the bar of my expectations after being led there for the experience based on the 4.8 review. From my first encounter, my best review for this place sits a reaching 3.5 stars. Maybe they just had a bad food day which I can't say for certain.

My final thoughts are, this restaurant gets a small town 4.8 stars rating only because the competition is almost zero in this small pond. The people giving these reviews have never tried food like it. Maybe some of the other items deserve such a high rating but nothing I...

We went for a family walk to Saffron tonight. Took the short cut but the field was wet, slippery and muddy all together. 30 minutes after we made it to our destination, and we were served a delicious and satisfying meal! We had been coming to this restaurant for years. However, this is my first time to have chimichanga, which by the way is now my new Saffron favourite! It should be in the regular menu I think! It was delectable! I wish I ordered another one to bring home! We had Indian curry soup and bean sprout as a starter. It's a bit spicy, but our little ones enjoyed it too! And then our chicken chimichanga arrived with our order of butter chicken with extra naan bread! Our girls go crazy over this bread so we knew better to order extra. They are deliciously warm and crispy on the sides. Next we had our order of peanut stew (this is the regular menu) but this is the first time we've ordered this. Definitely the mildest of all the dish we've had here so far and I guess the least of my favourite. If you are new to eating Mexican spicy food, this would be the good place to start.

Lastly, we tried their dates and coconut cream (?) cake. Very dense and sweet! I wouldn't want to eat a big slice of this. It's very rich. We enjoyed it and our kiddos love it too! Heads up to those allergic to nuts, this won't be for you since one of the main ingredients is walnuts.

For the price, and the quality and quantity of food you get, this is I think the best...