Caro on James

Name: Caro on James
Address: 229 James street North, hamilton, ON, Canada, L8R 2L2
Telephone: (905) 529-2379
Price range: CAN$30 and under
Rating: 4.3

4.3 (860)

CAN$30 and under

Italian

229 James street North, hamilton, ON L8R 2L2

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 19, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 11 times today

About this restaurant

Neighborhood gem
Good for special occasions
Good for groups

A light and airy space with great modern Italian cuisine and cocktails. A place that you can call home, with friendly staff, great atmosphere and many laughs to be had. This is a restaurant that our dear guests, friends, family and community can enjoy for years to come.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
CAN$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri 4:00 pm–10:30 pm Sat 3:00 pm–10:30 pm Sun 3:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(905) 529-2379
Website
http://www.carorestaurant.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Location
229 James street North, hamilton, ON L8R 2L2
Neighborhood
Hamilton
Cross street
James St. North and Robert Street
Parking details
Municipal lot accessible via Mulberry St. Metered Street Parking available on James St. North
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Soup of the Day
Arugula Salad
pear | gorgonzola | toasted walnuts | fennel | blood orange reduction | white balsamic vinaigrette
Margherita Pizza
fior di latte | tomato sauce | basil
Pepperoni Pizza
tomato sauce | mozzarella | oregano
Garganelli Primavera
cherry tomato | roasted garlic | baby spinach
Chicken Parmesan
4oz breaded chicken | pomodoro | mozzarella | spaghetti | grilled country loaf
Scoop of Gelato

Appetizers

Great to share! Add a chicken breast to any dish $8

Crispy Polenta FriesCA$10.00
marinara | basil aioli | gorgonzola dip
Arugula SaladCA$10.00
pear | gorgonzola | white balsamic vinaigrette | toasted walnuts | fennel | blood orange
Caprese SaladCA$12.00
heirloom tomatoes | fior di latte | basil | balsamic reduction
Caro BreadCA$12.00
toasted country bread | fresh mozzarella | roasted garlic | fine herb | romesco
Focaccia Fried CalamariCA$12.00
marinara | roasted garlic aioli | crispy capers | basil
MeatballsCA$12.00
beef | marinara | parmesan | toasted country loaf

Pizza

Gluten free dough available. Dips ($1) - choice of: marinara | basil aioli | garlic aioli | gorgonzola

MargheritaCA$12.00
fior di latte | tomato sauce | basil
PepperoniCA$14.00
tomato sauce | mozzarella | oregano
Vegan-AtorCA$14.00
Beyond Meat sausage | rapini | black olive | house made vegan cheese | tomato sauce
Fun BobbyCA$15.00
mushroom | pancetta | black olive | tomato sauce | mozzarella
MushroomCA$16.00
truffle butter | woodland mushroom | pickled onion | arugula | mozzarella | parmesan
CarnivoreCA$17.00
pancetta | porchetta | pepperoni | spiced sausage | tomato sauce | mozzarella
Duck ConfitCA$17.00
apple butter barbeque I pancetta | caramelized onion | mozzarella I balsamic reduction
The OmarCA$18.00
fried chicken | Carolina barbeque sauce | corn puree | mozzarella | cheddar | gorgonzola drizzle

Pasta

gluten free noodles also available

Tuscan RigatoniCA$15.00
sausage ragu | rapini | pickled peppers
GnudiCA$17.00
truffle mushroom cream sauce | woodland mushrooms | gremolata
Shrimp & SpaghettiCA$18.00
black tiger shrimp | spicy rose sauce | basil | garlic bread crumb
Garganelli CarbonaraCA$18.00
pancetta | fine herb | garlic cream | parmesan | shallots
Short Rib PappardelleCA$21.00
red wine braised short rib | three cheese | spinach | basil | garlic bread crumbs
Chicken ParmesanCA$23.00
breaded chicken | pomodoro | mozzarella | linguine | grilled country loaf

Dessert

GelatoCA$6.00
ask server for today's selection
TiramisuCA$7.00
CannoliCA$7.00

What 860 people are saying

Caro on James reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.3

4.3 based on recent ratings

4.3Food
4.4Service
4.0Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Southern Ontario
Neighborhood gem

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Caro on James offers "fantastic food" and a welcoming atmosphere, perfect for relaxed evenings or special occasions. Guests praise its "attentive service," and the small, thoughtful menu features standout dishes like "delicious pasta" and "wood-fired pizza." Despite minor inconsistencies, it remains a "favorite spot" for many, with "great value" and "gluten-free options."

860 Reviews

S
Sheila
New York City6 reviews
4.0
Dined on June 7, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The food was not as good as my experiences at the former Main & Ottawa site, especially the Cesar salad. I may give the James Street location a second try, but it's no longer my go-to like the original spot.
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B
Bonnie
Toronto / Ontario3 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 7, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food is always great. Service is great. One of our favourite places
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C
Carol VIP
Toronto / Ontario13 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Celebrated a 30th birthday for my son with his Dad and girlfriend. Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious, and great care was taken to ensure we got our meals hot and at the same time. Small but thoughtful menu, and the bambino donuts were ethereal.
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M
Marion
Toronto / Ontario4 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 31, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Server was prompt attentive and friendly The food was delicious and arrived at our table hot Great value for quality food! We will be back!
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J
Jill
Toronto / Ontario6 reviews
3.0
Dined on May 31, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 2
We shared a bottle of wine from Chile nice choice,low tannin and lots of flavour, complimented our meals. Spaghetti and meatballs. Spaghetti sauce was reallygood, meatballs had a nice texture, a little bit heavy on one of the seasoning within the meatball but overall tasty. Generous enough with sauce. Second dish was the pancetta pasta. I prefer my pancetta cooked more (too fatty) and would have preferred more sauce. Had the tiramisu; consistency of the custard part was good just needs more coffee kick/flavour, portion size was nice. We would definitely come back and I personally love the small menu there a lot to be said about that!!!
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L
Lisa
Toronto / Ontario4 reviews
2.0
Dined on May 25, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 3
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 1
We had a reservation for 8 at noon on Sunday, May 25. There was 1 server and 1 cook and no one else in the restaurant for at least an hour after our arrival. Brunch took over 2 hrs. Server was also responsible for hosting, bartending and clearing the tables. Drinks came 1 at a time and took quite a long time. It was 45 minutes before we ordered and waited another 45 minutes for food. Had to ask for the bill 3 times. The cook was responsible for cooking pizza in restaurant as well as cooking the other dishes in the back of the restaurant. Salads were soggy and home fries were old and hard, can’t believe they even served them. The bench seats were incredibly uncomfortable. When we mentioned it to the server she said she was aware, as were the owners. Given the prior knowledge of this by the staff why would they choose to seat us in that location. Especially since we had a reservation which we confirmed and the restaurant was empty. Unfortunately we all agreed that we will not be returning to this location.
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L
Lauren
Toronto / Ontario1 review
3.0
Dined on May 24, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 1
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 2
The restaurant had the smallest sign and we passed it twice, it wasn't even lit up at all. The food was flavorless and not hot when it came to the table. Server was kind and attentive. Atmosphere was bland. Only 2 other tables were there during peak times. It didn't live up to the hype I'd previously heard about and I won't be back.
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D
Daniel
Toronto / Ontario1 review
5.0
Dined on May 23, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Been here many of times, always great. Never have any complaints with Caro.
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T
Theresa
Toronto / Ontario3 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 17, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Server was personable, food was delicious and service was great.
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A
Annemarie
Toronto / Ontario1 review
5.0
Dined on May 13, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a fantastic dinner here with a group of friends. Every dish we ordered was delicious—from the mains to the cocktails to the desserts. One of the highlights was how easy it was to have a conversation without having to shout over loud music, which made the evening even more enjoyable. Our server was excellent—attentive without being intrusive. They kept our water glasses full and checked in on us regularly, even well after we had finished eating. Since it wasn’t very busy on a Tuesday night, we appreciated not being rushed to leave. A great spot for a relaxed evening out with friends. We’ll definitely be back!
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FAQs

Caro on James offers delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. Caro on James also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (905) 529-2379.

Caro on James is rated 4.3 stars by 860 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 19, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 11 times today

229 James street North, hamilton, ON L8R 2L2

Additional information

Cross street
James St. North and Robert Street
Neighborhood
Hamilton
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri 4:00 pm–10:30 pm Sat 3:00 pm–10:30 pm Sun 3:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
CAN$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Municipal lot accessible via Mulberry St. Metered Street Parking available on James St. North
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Website
http://www.carorestaurant.com/
Phone number
(905) 529-2379

Caro on James

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

Lunch Pre-Fixe Menu

Soup of the Day

Arugula Salad

Margherita Pizza

Pepperoni Pizza

Garganelli Primavera

Chicken Parmesan

Scoop of Gelato

Appetizers

Crispy Polenta FriesCA$10.00

Arugula SaladCA$10.00

Caprese SaladCA$12.00

Caro BreadCA$12.00

Focaccia Fried CalamariCA$12.00

MeatballsCA$12.00

Pizza

MargheritaCA$12.00

PepperoniCA$14.00

Vegan-AtorCA$14.00

Fun BobbyCA$15.00

MushroomCA$16.00

CarnivoreCA$17.00

Duck ConfitCA$17.00

The OmarCA$18.00

Pasta

Tuscan RigatoniCA$15.00

GnudiCA$17.00

Shrimp & SpaghettiCA$18.00

Garganelli CarbonaraCA$18.00

Short Rib PappardelleCA$21.00

Chicken ParmesanCA$23.00

Dessert

GelatoCA$6.00

TiramisuCA$7.00

CannoliCA$7.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Caro on James offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Caro on James restaurant rated?

Is Caro on James currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information