Bier Markt Esplanade | Kid Friendly Restaurants

As beer bier lovers we’ve been to Bier Markt on many occasions but a few weeks ago the kids were invited over for their very first experience. I personally like Bier Markt because of the casual atmosphere and the sophisticated settings and  I prefer the Esplanade location for a family visit because there’s more space and different seating options depending on your mood. It’s a cool but relaxed spot. This time we sat in the dining area and we  were able to wheel the umbrella stroller in as well! They parked our industrial stroller at the front (we took two since we walked over) with no issues. We did visit during the week and can definitely say that you should avoid this spot on weekend evenings if you’re taking the kids as Bier Markt draws a huge crowd for the many awesome bands that perform here and I believe it’s 19+ on weekend nights. Great for a date night though!

Little Monkey was asleep when we got to the restaurant so she slept for quite some time whilst active Baby Boy wanted to be part of the experience from start to finish! Wild Child! Bier Markt is known for their stellar beer list with over 150 biers from 50 countries so needless to say we started the evening with a pint. I even switched things up with a beer bier cocktail, a Bavarian Margarita for me and a Belgian Mort Subite for the hubs.

Bier Makt is launching a new menu after the Easter weekend and we got a sneak peek at what will be on offer! Under Chef Michael’s guidance we ate our way through quite a few dishes. I (yes.. alone!) enjoyed the entire Lager Fondue and I licked the bowl of Gruyere and Emmental clean. No shame I tell you. The jar of pickles and bread that accompanied the fondue was enjoyed by the hubs whilst I poked and prodded the cheese. Next up was quite possibly my favourite dish of the evening, Baked Mussels. More places should offer baked mussels! Chef Michael had baked Salt Spring Island mussels in a white butter sauce and topped it with smoked bacon and herbed bread crumbs. So GOOD!

That said the hubs and I also truly enjoyed the Wurst Board. We can totally see ourselves ordering this with a bunch of our friends as it’s great for sharing. The board had various sausages that were accompanied by smoked Gouda cheese, house mustard, onion jam, a Markt pickle jar and Bavarian pretzel. The Little Monkey woke up just in time for this dish and ate half the soft pretzel. The sausages are locally sourced and our favourites were the Maple Walnut, Jalapeno & Cheese Curd and the Apple Sage. I may have to hunt down their supplier Mike Mackenzie! Chef Michael also introduced us to quinoa croutons that evening in his Beet Trio salad. I’m sorry but I can’t eat regular croutons from now on. NOTHING BUT QUINOA CROUTONS FOR ME PLEASE! The final main we sampled was the Bouillabaisse. There was so much seafood in this…it was ridiculous. Lobster tail, PEI mussels, sea scallops, red snapper and cod were in the Pernod broth goodness that had me quadruple dunking my grilled bistro bread. It did get a bit too fishy for me but there’s no denying that there’s plenty of succulent fish in this dish. Quite possibly every seafood lover’s dream. 

These guys definitely know their Bier so be sure to ask them for pairing recommendations (the menu also calls out ideal pairings) based on what types of bier you enjoy. There’s something for everyone. In Fact my earliest memories of getting into beer was with a Friuli at Bier Markt! The new dessert menu wasn’t ready during our visit but having taken a look at it…I know I have to head back soon for the Creme Brulee and the sweet charcuterie platter. Baby Boy has started his own foodie journey so I had brought some puree with me and our hostess was lovely enough to bring me some warm water to warm up his food and his milk bottle. They have high chairs and while the washrooms don’t have a change pad, there’s a spot you can easily change a diaper at in a bind.

I need more fondue in my life so I’ll be heading back soon… also I simply must try their new poutine offers! They’re great on social media so get chatting with them on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!