Entertainment, Restaurants, Cafes
From Book Crawl and Cheapies Record and Tape shop, to legal aid services and medical care, this neighbourhood seems to put endless amenities at your fingertips.
Beasley offers many artistic institutions that are cherished by local residents as well as visitors. Founded in 1914, The Art Gallery of Hamilton is the largest and oldest public gallery in southwestern Ontario. The gallery holds rotating exhibitions of fine art, and is open six days a week, with admission costs free of charge on Floor 2, though it charges a small fee for the remaining sections of the gallery. Tours, film nights, and other events are frequent as well.
Factory Media Centre, located on James Street North, is a not-for-profit artist-driven resource centre for those with a passion for independent film, video, and other forms of digital media and technology. Down the street, Hamilton Artists Inc. works to maintain a bilingual contemporary art institution featuring new regular submissions in addition to showcasing Canadian Indigenous short films.
James Street North is also the location of independent boutiques such as clothing, jewellery and accessories store White Elephant, and the workshop-meets-shop Needlework. On the corner, Mulberry Coffeehouse is one of the many unique cafes with fair-trade organic coffee, house baked goods, live music and local art displays. Some of the most popular places to eat on this street are Jack and Lois, featured on You Gotta Eat Here!; Mesa, with authentic Mexican cuisine; Mediterranean cuisine at Lake Road Restaurant; and Green Bar vegan eatery.
For live-performance shows, Theatre Aquarius and Dofasco Centre for the Arts is recognized as a leader in Canadian theatre. It holds fully-equipped performance and rehearsal spaces, a two-story glass-encased lobby, and an upscale Directors Lounge. Acting as Hamilton’s professional theatre, both famous and locally developed performances are showcased.
For grocery needs, The Hamilton Farmers Market, established in 1837, is open year-round with over 60 vendors. Local and international foods are available, from baked goods, produce and flowers, to meat and seafood – all dietary preferences and concerns are accommodated.