Burlington eatery a delicious way to start the day, pure and simple

When Mansoor Nishat moved to Canada in 2018, he learned about a growing new concept in the food industry: Pür & Simple's breakfast, brunch, and lunch model, which specializes in providing fresh, nutritious, yet craveable menu items.

Since the first restaurant opened in 2016 in Laval, Quebec, Pür & Simple has grown to over 50 restaurants. The Burlington location at 1940 Appleby Line was one of the first to open and is one of the most eye-catching, featuring a French country bistro ambience with soaring ceilings, expansive windows, and elegant lighting.

The design became the prototype for all the Pür & Simple restaurants that have followed. It’s also one of the few locations with a live juice bar where diners can watch smoothies being made using fresh fruit, juice, and Greek yogurt.

“We have freshly squeezed orange juice, which we do every morning," said Nishat. "The machine is from Spain and one of the best juicing machines in the world.
You don’t get any pulp. It’s the pure juice without any bitterness. It’s a big, big seller."

There’s also an espresso bar with cappuccinos, espressos and lattes. Every three months they do a special coffee - currently it’s a Cinnamon Bun Latte.

Pür & Simple is also one of the few breakfast and lunch places with an alcohol licence, so diners can indulge in mimosas, sangria, wine or beer with their meal.

And then there's the food.

The menu is divided into different sections. In addition to the traditional farm-fresh egg and bacon brekkie, combo plate options allow hungry patrons to add pancakes, French toast, crepes or waffles.

Craving something decadent? Try the Chocoholic pancakes made with crumbled chocolate brownies, hazelnut chocolate, English cream, chocolate chips and whipped cream.

“On the sweet side, we have our French toasts," said Nishat. "One of the best sellers is the French Toast Crisp. It’s French toast with brioche bread battered and covered in panko and crisped on the grill so it gets very crunchy, yet in the middle it’s soft with raspberries and blueberries on top.”

Fruit is a big seller at Pür & Simple. They do a bowl with about nine different fruits, always fresh and cut to order.

There’s no question that the menu is geared towards breakfast lovers, whether they're looking for a familiar favourite or want to try some bold new flavours.

“There are about 80 items on the menu,” says Nishat. “If a group of eight comes, there is nobody that can say, 'We don’t like the menu.' From things like chicken ‘n’ waffle up to avocado toast, you’ve got a pretty wide range of things covered."

He added that feedback has been positive, and the Burlington location has been voted the number one breakfast  spot by local readers' choice and blog sites.

Breakfast is served until closing every day, and lunch, encompassing a selection of burgers, wraps, and sandwiches, runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Nishat is opening a second local Pür & Simple location on Fairview Street, next to the Burlington Centre, in January 2024.