The Town of Whitby is quickly becoming a culinary destination and Brunch & Co. is one of the latest restaurants to be added to the roster. The stylish eatery in Downtown Whitby has quickly gained popularity and is well-known for its contemporary décor, delicious eats, and friendly customer service.

Despite its success, Owner Sarah Pascoal hadn’t always planned to open her own restaurant. Starting as a server at Whitby’s Baton Rouge, Sarah was able to learn the ins and outs of the restaurant business in her seven-year tenure. When the pandemic hit, Sarah saw an opportunity: she rented Baton Rouge’s kitchen in the mornings when the kitchen was not in use. Baton Rouge owners, Matt and Jeff, were supportive of Sarah’s businesses and this partnership allowed her to begin producing to-go breakfast boxes featuring brunch staples like bacon, fresh fruit, and pancakes:

Our breakfast and catering boxes really took off. I loved being able to bring joy to people through food during such a challenging time. As we gained more customers, I realized I wanted to do this on a larger scale – I wanted to open my own restaurant.

Sarah Pascoal, Owner, Brunch & Co.

Sarah notes that her father, Carlos, was her inspiration from the get-go. Sarah has fond memories of her father taking her to Toronto to indulge in the mid-morning meal and wished that there was a trendy brunch spot closer to home. When Carlos passed unexpectedly, Sarah found it difficult to continue pursuing the idea of owning her own restaurant, but ultimately found the strength to move forward:

I found the courage again because I knew deep down, he wanted this for me more than anyone. He was my biggest cheerleader…I know he would have been there every day and I am sure he still is, but in a different way now.

Sarah Pascoal, Owner, Brunch & Co.

At Brunch & Co., Sarah pays tribute to her late father, with a photo of him and his hat hanging side by side on the wall and a menu item dedicated to him called Carlos’ Special, which includes the classics: bacon, three eggs, and choice of toast.

But the classics aren’t all Brunch & Co. has to offer. The menu features unique dishes, like cannoli-stuffed French toast, lemon blueberry ricotta pancakes, and a jalapeño popper bagel. It really is a brunch lover’s paradise and exactly the kind of restaurant Downtown Whitby was in need of.

Sarah chose historic Downtown Whitby for several reasons, but at the top of the list was the potential she saw in the building at 163 Brock St N. Sarah received funding through the Town of Whitby’s Façade and Sign Grants to revitalize the exterior of the building, and also received the Town’s Interior Heritage Building Grant to remodel the interior. 

The finished product is unrecognizable from what the building once was – a true testament to Sarah’s hard work in fulfilling her vision for the space. 

In addition to funding through the Town of Whitby, Sarah was a recipient of a large grant through the My Main Street Local Business Accelerator Program - a data-driven community economic development program focused on revitalizing main streets. The program, funded by FedDev Ontario and overseen by Business Advisory Centre Durham (BACD), helped Sarah purchase costly and much-needed equipment for her business, such as an industrial-size grill and fridge:

My experience working with Joanne at BACD was very positive. In addition to helping me secure funding through My Main Street, Joanne helped me refine my business plan. She was very knowledgeable and provided me with many great resources. I was glad I had the chance to participate in the Business Accelerator Program.

Sarah Pascoal, Owner, Brunch & Co.

In the nearly one year since Brunch & Co. opened, Sarah has seen great success. She attributes much of her success to Whitby’s welcoming and supportive community, noting that residents of Whitby have a strong shop-local mindset and love to see and support new businesses opening, especially in the downtown. Sarah is excited about what the future holds for Brunch & Co:

We’ve just begun hosting themed trivia nights, such as Harry Potter, The Office, and Friends trivia to name a few. We’ve also hosted other events, like high tea and cake decorating classes. Our space is also available to rent after 3:00 p.m. every day of the week.” 

Sarah Pascoal, Owner, Brunch & Co.

As their slogan says, “Brunch is always a good idea”, so if you haven’t had the chance to check out Brunch & Co. yet, make sure you do! Visit Brunch & Co.’s website to view their menu and hours of operation and follow Brunch & Co. on Instagram or Facebook for updates.  

Interested in sharing the story of your local business? Contact Whitby Economic Development to participate in future business stories.