3rd Street Cafe

Dates of visits: Oct 22, 23, 24, and 26, 2024

This restaurant is an absolute gem. Menu, service and food are absolutely superb. You will be hard pressed to find a better breakfast or lunch spot anywhere. If you’re staying in Sidney, you WILL be drawn back here! Don’t even try to resist!!

First visit: Oct 22, 2024

Scrumptious Club sandwich on sourdough bread served with excellent minestrone soup, and a tuna melt on toasted multigrain with salad, all beautifully prepared and plated by chef Rhonda, were absolutely amazing. You will not find a better restaurant value in Sidney, BC. Frankly, I can’t think of any in Toronto, my home, that can match it.

Our server, Moha, was a dream. She was extremely patient, cheerful and very understanding in helping my very senior mom to negotiate the many wonderful menu offerings. I would go out of my way to attend any restaurant, just to be served by this delightful woman.

One of the other servers, Ruby, was very understanding and accommodating in cheerfully helping us decide on just the right table to satisfy my senior mom’s very particular meets. Another great member of a great team.

An added bonus was the wonderful selection of oldies background music, diverse repertoire from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. Just loud enough to enjoy, not intrusive , and perfect for the more seasoned clientele typical of Sidney, B.C.

Owner Mr Jess Birring is a delightful and remarkable man, and can be extremely proud of his establishment and all the wonderful staff. Bravo to all of them for a truly delightful dining experience! 😎

Looking forward to dining there again soon on this and future visits to beautiful Sidney. B.C.

Second visit: Oct 23, 2024

Conveniently located about a 10-minute walk from where I was staying, and offering vivid memories of the previous day’s gastronomic delights, the 3rd St Cafe exerted an irresistible gravitational pull on my taste buds and olfactory senses. I had to return!!

I simply had to go for a repeat of my first experience, i.e. sumptuous Club sandwich on toasted sourdough bread with superb fully loaded minestrone soup, and a delicious coffee. Rhonda and Moha were up to the task and easily hit it out of the park on all fronts!😋

Third visit: Oct 24, 2024

Today’s changeup was the soup, this time a divine mulligatawny seasoned with a perfect amount of curry. A perfect accompaniment for the obligatory and irresistible Club sandwich. All cheerfully served by Arsh, the wonderful assistant manager who gives Jess some time to recuperate from his busy days in the restaurant. Maybe I’ve died and gone to heaven!!

Fourth visit: Oct 26, 2024

As you can see, and hopefully taste, we’re on a roll here. Another fabulous Club sandwich on sourdough (do NOT mess with success!), and another hearty helping of mulligatawny, this time enhanced with lovely pieces of chicken and a liberal sprinkling of lemon grass to augment the curry. All beautifully and attentively served by Ruby. Topped off with a couple of cups of delicious coffee and I was set for the day! A highlight was a chance to chat with the engaging and effervescent manager, Jess Birring, and congratulate him on this fabulous establishment and his wonderful team.

Also got to look at the magnificent Blackstone Eggs Benny being enjoyed by the gentleman seated next to me at the counter, the view from which, by the way, offers nonstop and diverse entertainment on the street outside the window! By all accounts the best seats in the house!!

Do NOT miss this place! Perhaps a call to the Michelin folks is in order!!😎

I may just have to try the Eggs Benny tomorrow!!

Andy Hoffer Visiting from Toronto, Canada