45. Best New Restaurant

Eldar Cafe

By Sidney Ulakovic

In the heart of the Waterfront District, Eldar Cafe sits on a sunny corner where Thunder Bay diners can finally treat themselves to a taste of Iran. Co-owned by Elham Vejdani and Darya Davoodvandi, Eldar Café opened this past summer, and while the café offers a variety of North American staples for breakfast and lunch, it’s their Persian dishes that have stolen the show. 

“There’s a lot of Iranians in Thunder Bay, but we’ve never had an Iranian restaurant,” says Vejdani (translated by Sama Fazli, employee of Eldar Cafe). “They always come and they’re like, ‘It’s really nice to have this.’” It’s a piece of home for the city’s Iranian folks, but Eldar Cafe has been just as popular with Canadian diners excited to try something new.  

Vejdani says their most popular dish has been kashke bademjan, a Persian eggplant dip served with warm, housemade bread. “Non-Iranians try it and they’re like ‘Oh my god, this is amazing,” Vejdani says. Other signature dishes from their menu include a fragrant and bright lentil soup and sosis bandari, an Iranian street food consisting of a spicy blend of sausage, onion, and tomato paste served with Eldar’s homemade bread. 

Vejdani and Davoodvandi express their gratitude to The Walleyereaders for embracing their restaurant wholeheartedly in such a short time since they’ve opened, and say that they plan to expand their menu in the new year. “It’s really sweet to see when people come and sit down and appreciate the food so much,” Fazli adds. “It’s a great feeling.”

You can see Eldar Cafe’s full menu on their website at eldarcafe.ca. Follow them on Instagram @eldartbay to stay up to date on new menu additions.

Food

1. Best Finn pancakes

  1. The Hoito*

  2. Kangas Sauna

  3. Niva’s Restaurant

2. Best cup of coffee

  1. St Paul Roastery*

  2. Calico Coffeehouse

  3. Bay Village Coffee

3. Best tea

  1. International House of Tea*

  2. Calico Coffeehouse

  3. The Sweet North Bakery

4. Best breakfast

  1. Rooster’s Bistro*

  2. Tina’s Breakfast and Lunch

  3. Daytona’s Restaurant

5. Best bakery

  1. Swell Bakery*

  2. Holland Bakery

  3. The Sweet North

6. Best butcher/deli

  1. Maltese Grocery*

  2. George’s Market

  3. Agostino’s Deli

7. Best specialty food store

  1. The Cheese Encounter*

2. Golden Flower

3. Bulk Zone

8. Best appetizers

  1. Tomlin Restaurant*

  2. Madhouse

  3. Lot 66

9. Best Coney sauce

  1. McKellar Confectionary*

  2. Westfort Coney Island

  3. Hodder Greeks

10. Best pizza

  1. Tomlin Subdivision*

  2. Eat Local Pizza

  3. Nook

11. Best fries

  1. Prospector Burger Barn*

2. Hodder Greeks

3. (Tie) Outlaws Burgers and Fries

(Tie) Nipper’s Take-out

12. Best perogies

  1. Port Arthur Polish Hall Limited (Court Street South)*

  2. Royal Canadian Legion Branch 149

  3. Sukhanov Ukrainian Kitchen

13. Best cabbage rolls

  1. Port Arthur Polish Hall Limited (Court Street South)*

  2. Royal Canadian Legion Branch 149

  3. Slovak Legion

14. Best wings

  1. On Deck*

  2. Tomlin Subdivision

  3. Norteños Taqueria/Cantina

16. Best taco

  1. Norteños Taqueria/Cantina*

  2. El Tres

  3. Rancheros TBay

15. Best nachos

  1. Norteños Taqueria/Cantina

  2. Madhouse*

  3. The Neebing Roadhouse

17. Best poutine

  1. Pou-Tinerie (Hodder Greeks)*

  2. Prospector Burger Barn 

  3. Bonobo’s Foods

18. Best burger

  1. Prospector Burger Barn*

  2. Beefcake’s Burger Factory

  3. Tomlin Restaurant

19. Best veggie burger

  1. Bonobo’s Foods*

  2. Prospector Burger Barn

  3. Madhouse

20. Best sweet potato fries

  1. Madhouse*

  2. The Foundry 

  3. Daytona’s Restaurant

21. Best prime rib

  1. Prospector Steak House*

  2. The Keg Steakhouse + Bar

  3. Lot 88

22. Best fried chicken

  1. Tomlin Subdivision

  2. Tomlin Restaurant

  3. Daytona’s Restaurant

23. Best sandwich

  1. Maltese Grocery*

  2. Agostino’s Deli

  3. Fresco’s Deli

24. Best soup

  1. Prospector Steak House 

  2. (Tie) Fox on the Run

    (Tie) The Growing Season

    (Tie) Rooster’s Bistro

  3. (Tie) Kangas Sauna

    (Tie) The Ugly Delicious Stock and Soup Company

25. Best dessert

  1. Dolce Coffeehouse*

  2. Tomlin Restaurant

  3. Caribou Restaurant + Wine Bar

26. Best ice cream/gelato

  1. Prime Gelato*

  2. Merla Mae

  3. (Tie) TJ’s Ice Cream Shoppe

    (Tie) Dolce Coffeehouse

27. Best cocktail

  1. Barkeep

2. Tomlin Restaurant

3. Woodside Bar

28. Best locally made beer

  1. Sleeping Giant Brewing Co.

  2. Dawson Trail Craft Brewery

  3. Lakehead Beer Co.

29. Best mocktail

  1. Barkeep*

  2. Tomlin Restaurant

  3. Woodside Bar

30. Best sushi

  1. Wasabi*

  2. Sushi7 

  3. Sushi Station

31. Best pasta

  1. Nook*

  2. Bar Italia

  3. Giorg Cucina é barra

32. Best bon bon spareribs

  1. Ngan’s Chinese

  2. Mr. Chinese* 

  3. Chinese Express

33. Best noodle bowl

  1. Noodle Bowl *

2. Coco Bay

3. Golden Wok

34. Best Indian restaurant

  1. Masala Grille*

  2. Beaux Daddy’s Thunder Bay's Can-Indian Restobar

  3. Monsoon Thunder Bay

35. Best bannock

  1. The Bannock Lady*

  2. Kokum’s Bannock and Beyond

  3. Bannon’s Restaurant

36. Best salad

  1. Rebel Salad*

  2. The Growing Season

  3. Madhouse

37. Best vegetarian/vegan restaurant

  1. Bonobo’s Foods*

Bonobo’s may be the winner of the Best Vegetarian Restaurant category, but they are a beloved local institution for foodies across the culinary spectrum. From deep-fried fare to fresh salads and fun food fusions, Bonobo’s menu is a creative take on what vegetarian and vegan food can be.

Throughout their many years in business, they have stayed true to their vision: making good food that is good for the planet and all the living beings therein. Their dishes are primarily vegetarian, but can easily be made vegan with substitutions on request. They also carry a wide selection of frozen and to-go vegetarian foods in their in-store fridge and freezers. 

As a bonus, Bonobo’s boasts many local partnerships and products on their menu, proving them to be a true champion of local culinary talent. Hungry yet? Visit Bonobo’s yourself at 493 Oliver Road for dine-in and take-out and follow @bonobosfoods on Instagram to see their monthly specials.

-Kelsey Raynard

2. The Growing Season

3. Rebel Salad

38. Best restaurant

  1. Tomlin Restaurant*

  2. Thai Kitchen

  3. Caribou Restaurant + Wine Bar

39. Best fine dining

  1. Tomlin Restaurant*

  2. Caribou Restaurant + Wine Bar

  3. Giorg Cucina é barra

40. Best pub food

  1. Madhouse*

  2. The Foundry

  3. Tomlin Subdivision

41. Best take-out

  1. Thai Kitchen*

2. Tomlin Subdivision

3. Ngan’s Chinese

42. Best caterer

  1. Salt & Pepper Catering*

  2. Pinetree Catering

  3. Tomlin Catering at the Chanterelle

43. Best roastery

  1. St Paul Roastery*

  2. Rose N Crantz Roasting Co.

  3. Wolfhead Coffee

44. Best patio

  1. Nook*

  2. Bar Italia

  3. Bight

45. Best new restaurant 2024–2025

  1. Eldar Cafe

2. Arnikko’s Pizzeria

3. The Ugly Delicious Stock and Soup Company

46. Best head chef

  1. Steve Simpson (Tomlin Restaurant)*

  2. Andrew Stone (Daytona’s Kitchen)

  3. (Tie) Franco Masdea (Tomlin Catering at The Chanterelle)
    (Tie) John Murray (Red Lion Smokehouse)

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*2024 winner