Serena Anagbe / Photo Editor
The Belmont restaurant in One Market.
The Belmont restaurant recently opened on Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus as a new one-stop-shop for students to grab coffee and food while on the go to class.
Laurier’s new restaurant officially opened for business in January. The establishment is located in the One Market building. Students will find it beside the Market St. and Dalhousie St. entrance. The Belmont operates Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Students’ Union owns the restaurant and carried out the production of the project.
“We’re super grateful now that it is up and running,” said Megan Spenler, president and CEO of the undergraduate Students’ Union. “It’s been very popular from what we’ve heard and seen.”
Laurier’s Belmont only took about three months to set up. The Students’ Union team used the original layout of the previous Williams Fresh Café that was in its place until May 31, 2019. The updates including the installment of sinks and other machinery began in November 2023, followed by a fresh coat of paint and design adjustments in December, leading to the opening at the start of the new year.
The menu for The Belmont began with simply coffee and muffins. It has expanded in its first month alone to also serve breakfast items, wraps, salads, sandwiches, soups, lunch boxes and shareable appetizers.
Spenler said the Students’ Union and The Belmont staff are content with the menu as is and the current options available, but there is possibility for more expansion.
“Going forward, I’m sure we’ll be looking to expand to more dietary restriction options,” said Spenler, referring to more gluten free and halal choices.
The Belmont currently carries a Sysco Halal certified butter chicken wrap available along with a butter chicken box for Muslim students looking for more food options. The staff at the Belmont will sanitize and take all precautions needed upon request for students with dietary restrictions.
The Belmont has recently also made online ordering available to customers for easy pickup when in a rush.
“I don’t think a lot of students know that,” said Michelle Finch, a staff member at The Belmont.
Finch also said the restaurant hopes to expand its hours to run until 8 p.m. to make it more accessible to students.
The restaurant was given its name after the old Belmont hotel which previously occupied part of the space where Laurier’s Grand River Hall is currently housed. The Belmont is only one part of future developments in One Market. The university hopes to continue developments by implementing more common space, food choices and even retail options, such as a new location for The Hawk Shop in the downtown core of the city.
This article was originally published in print Volume 23, Issue 7 on Thursday, March 7.
