When you step inside 400 Brant Kitchen & Bar, you feel it immediately—the warmth of wood beams that have held their place since 1860, the muted green walls brushed with soft gold accents. The blend of heritage and modern touches that make the space feel both rooted and fresh. 

For generations, the building has carried life within its walls, shifting between hotel and restaurant. In 2024, Sarah Millar and her husband Marcus took ownership, continuing its story.

“It’s gorgeous. Built in 1860 and has so much history. It's always either been a restaurant or a hotel. It's been operating right from the get go. It’s kind of changed hands a couple times over the years and it was important to us to keep the history in the building. We didn't really touch anything structurally,” Sarah said. “It was just updates. The wood beams, all the wood is original. The floors are not original but are in the traditional herringbone style.”

Sarah is no stranger to hard work or long hours. Before owning a restaurant, she worked as a nurse for nearly two decades. 

“I actually went to school for nursing. I worked at McMaster Hospital for 19 years in women's health,” Sarah said. 

Her choice of profession was inspired by family. 

“My stepmom was a nurse. She would come home and tell us all these crazy stories, and then I was kind of like, I think that's something I’d like to do,” Sarah said. “When it came time to choose a school and a profession, I couldn't really think of anything else I had an interest in, so I pursued nursing.”

Sarah started at age 21. For years nursing was her world, until slowly her interest began to shift. “We have a couple of businesses. And then I started kind of creeping out of nursing slowly and then integrated into business,” Sarah said. 

The turn came when Sarah and Marcus went looking for something they could build together. When this building came up last year, it was the perfect chance to merge Sarah’s new direction with Marcus’s unstoppable entrepreneurial streak.

“We were kind of looking for another project and this came up, and we thought it would be a great idea,” Sarah said.

For Marcus, the dream of running a restaurant was longstanding. “It’s something my husband always wanted to do,” Sarah explained. “If I let him, Marcus would start 5 million businesses.” 

Though his career is in the construction industry, the idea of hospitality stuck with him. When the opportunity arose, they jumped in together, Sarah leaving behind her life in nursing to fully embrace a new role as a restaurateur.

The couple were introduced casually through Sarah’s brother. “We actually just randomly met through my brother. Both of us weren't really looking for anything. We started hanging out and that was it,” Sarah said.

Nineteen years later, their marriage has grown into both a personal and professional partnership, with Sarah running the day-to-day operations and Marcus supporting with the practical and financial aspects. 

“My husband is an entrepreneur through and through. His wheels are always turning. I come from nursing where I worked for someone, so it even takes me a minute to get on board sometimes and it feels overwhelming. I don't think the same way he does, but it's kind of cool,” Sarah said. “We balance each other out. My husband is my greatest support system. He’s so smart and he’s got his own ideas. He’s more the person that oversees the business. I’m more the hands-on person, the face of the restaurant and the events coordinator.”

Together, they’ve shaped 400 Brant Kitchen & Bar into more than a restaurant. The spaces within it tell their own stories. On the main level, the private event space called The Brant has become a gathering place. 

“In this room we’ve given the community somewhere to gather, there's been so many events that people are able to have in the community,” Sarah said. “And it's bringing people together in a place that's upscale casual.” 

Downstairs, there’s the playfully named Fore Hundred Room, where golf simulators sit beside long tables that can host up to 100 guests. Outside, a summer addition became the season’s most popular spot. 

“The Garden, which is aside from our patio space… that was my husband’s idea. It has become the most popular spot to sit in this summer. It’s such a fun, cozy vibe out there, it's kind of got the Aperol feel,” Sarah explained. “The soft seating is definitely a draw. It’s different and there’s nothing else like it downtown right now.”

As for the food itself, Sarah describes it as “upscale casual.” 

“You can find a little bit of everything you want. If you want a burger, you can get a burger. If you want short ribs, we have short ribs. It’s kind of that upscale comfort food,” Sarah said. “It's definitely more of an American and Canadian cuisine and it’s not specific in any way.” 

Their best-sellers? 

“The 400 Burger and the Butternut Squash Ravioli. We also have so many amazing gluten-free options,” Sarah said. “If you look at our appetizer menu, 80% of it is gluten-free, we use a gluten-free designated fryer for this. I think that's important.”

But for Sarah, the food is only half the story. The heart of 400 Brant is community. 

“We love community. We want this to be a place where people come and feel welcome. And where they feel like they're getting value and great food,” Sarah said. “You can bring the whole family here or you can come on a nice date night.”

Community connections run deep. Their central location downtown means guests often pair dinner with a show at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. 

“We have a good relationship with BPAC. We have a partnership with them. Anyone that’s going to a show that day, you can show your ticket and get 10% off your meal. That’s available all year round,” Sarah said.  

Beyond partnerships, Sarah is also about giving back. 

“We do tons of sponsorships. We're doing the breast cancer run right now. We did a big sponsorship for Eagle's Nest for mental health awareness,” Sarah said. “We also sponsored the business program at Notre Dame Catholic high school.”

Even in their promotions, Sarah and Marcus think of the customer first. 

“With the tariffs being implemented, it did affect the prices for people across the board. And we wanted to just ensure that, hey, we understand that things are expensive. This is an additional cost, but we're going to dedicate a day where all of our happy hour, shareables, and appetizers are half off,” Sarah said. “It’s the happy hour menu which we normally only feature from 2-4pm every day; is now on all day for Tuesday, at half off. It’s another way of giving back.”

Running a restaurant is all-encompassing, but Sarah has learned to carve out balance. 

“Nursing was totally different. I worked four days on, five days off. I worked night shift. My husband worked daytime. We'd spell each other off. So that was a whole different thing,” Sarah said.  “And now that we're both in the nine to five, and with a restaurant, it doesn't really shut off completely. You’re always kind of on. I have to draw some hard boundaries, like, I work nine to five, and then my evenings, I try and keep for my family. And weekends, we have amazing managers, amazing staff that have shown us, like, hey, we can handle this, and I don't really need to come in on weekends.”

Her children are part of the story too. She has two sons.

“My 15-year-old works here. He's awesome and he's kind of gotten to know and learn a little bit about the business. It’s definitely sparked an interest in business for him. And I think leading by example shows your kids, hey, you can do anything you want. You can do anything if you put your mind to it and you work hard,” Sarah said. “We've been trying to foster that in both of our kids and nothing's a handout in our family. You work for what you get. He works here. He works just as hard as anyone else. There’s no special treatment.”

For Sarah, what inspires her is the people who come through the doors. “The events room is kind of my area that I've taken over. Managing all the events, taking the inquiries, to executing the party,” Sarah said. “There can be a retirement event, a celebration of life, etc. We probably do 35 plus events a month. I am a people person. I like meeting with them.”

She also lights up when speaking about interior design. 

“I love interior design. If I could spend all my money at Homesense, I would,” Sarah said. “It was exciting to be able to have this blank canvas in this building. I was able to create this space and pick all the details.”

Advice for future entrepreneurs comes easily to Sarah. 

“Just keep going. Keep moving forward. It's not going to be easy. If it was easy, everyone would do it. Expect it to be hard and challenging, and it's not overnight success. You have to work your way there,” Sarah said. “But I think just being persistent and when you get into business having a mentor is important. Having someone that you can bounce ideas off of and get serious advice. That’s huge.”

What grounds Sarah, though, is Burlington itself. 

“Burlington is like everything. I mean, it's our home. It's where our kids are raised. We live here, our friends and family, this is kind of the core of us, really. We love our guests and our locals and just our regulars that come in,” Sarah shared. “They are essentially what keeps you going. Burlington is everything. We're very aware and involved in what's going on in the community.”

Nineteen years into her marriage, Sarah sees her work with Marcus not as a challenge but as a blessing. 

“It’s definitely different. It's kind of cool. And actually, as I get more into it, I appreciate the time we get to spend together. A lot of times when you're an entrepreneur, there's not a lot of time left at the end of the day to spend together,” Sarah said. “And I'm like, hey, we get to see each other every single day. As much as that can be annoying at times, I'm like, Oh, hey you again. But we definitely try to make a point of this: when we go home, we don't talk about work. That's our biggest thing.”

Looking ahead, Sarah is excited to keep growing 400 Brant Kitchen & Bar as a cornerstone of downtown Burlington. With about 40 employees, a thriving events venue, and a menu that blends comfort with creativity, the restaurant has quickly become a fixture. And for Sarah, it’s just the beginning.