While many new Chinese immigrants to Brantford opened laundries, others pursued a different venture: restaurants. Most establishments served a selection of Chinese-American dishes such as chop suey, alongside more Western dishes such as steak and mashed potatoes.

The first Chinese-owned restaurant in Brantford was the Boston Cafe, opened in 1907. Eighteen other restaurants owned by Chinese immigrants were opened in the city between 1910 and 1929, including the Oyama Cafe (1910), the Patricia Cafe (1922), and the Hollywood Cafe (1929). Later, between 1948 and 1974, eight new Chinese-owned restaurants were introduced. The Oriental Restaurant (1961) is still open (and still family-owned!) today.