Have you ever had bison? How about a dirty soda?
If not, now's your chance!
Irene's is the newest eatery to open up at 508 Queen St. in the former Corner Nook location.
The brainchild of Kate Sillberg and Andrea Belleau, Irene's is offering breakfast and lunch with a focus on local and Indigenous items.
The bison in the bison melt sandwich is sourced from North Horizon Farms in Thessalon.
"It's really important to me to utilize ingredients that are found in Sault Ste. Marie, in northern Ontario, in Canada. With the changing political landscape, it's more important than ever," Sillberg said.
Another unique feature of the restaurant is the option of bannock fry bread in place of white bread or bagels.
"I've been getting a lot of really nice comments on my fry bread recipe," Belleau said.
"I also want to work on a baked bannock recipe to go with our daily soups come the fall."
It's a family affair at Irene's. The restaurant is named after Sillberg's mother and the establishment is staffed by her partner, her sister-in-law Andrea, her son and her stepson.
"It's fun working with family . . . for now," said Sillberg with a laugh.
And even the youngsters are bringing something to the table.
"They're excited about building a creative drink menu," said Sillberg.
The restaurant also offers dirty sodas, which are your favourite pop topped with frothed cream.
"Having dirty sodas, making different teas and lemonades and making daily drinks, that's going to be really fun for the summer."
If you'd like to check out Irene's, head to 508 Queen St., across the street from the plaza.
You can also follow Irene's on social media to keep up with hours and menu items.