STOUFFVILLE, ONT. (CCN) — In the heart of downtown Stouffville, Ont., lies Saints on Main, a new Filipino-Canadian restaurant and bakery whose vibrant dishes and Christian hospitality have created a community living room where coffee, pizza and faith merge in uniting the community.
Officially opening its doors just over a month ago, Saints on Main is the brainchild of general manager Chuck Ortiz, who merged two pre-existing businesses: Main Street Bakehouse and Pizzeria Saint’s Island Pies, to create an offering unique to Stouffville, north of Toronto.
While locals have been raving about Saints on Main’s eclectic menu that features everything from house-made pastries and handcrafted coffee to breakfast combos and Filipino-inspired pizzas, Ortiz is more proud of the community-centric gathering place he’s helped create, rooted in his and his team’s firm Christian faith.
“The simple goal was to create a space that runs essentially as a cafe, bakery and pizzeria altogether, but it was really more about creating a community. We want this place to be like Stouffville’s communal living room, where people can meet for coffee as much as they do for fellowship,” he said.
“At the end of the day, we are Christians running this place. From the hospitality, the love put in the food, to the atmosphere, we try to create that feeling through who we are and our beliefs. While there isn’t Scripture quoted on the walls or on the menu, we try to have the space itself display that God has His hands on everything, because He has.”
It was that goal that gained the attention of business partners Elbert Chu and Iris Ministries Canada pastor Luke Weaver, who joined Ortiz and staff to get Saints on Main off the ground through its opening month. The three friends belong to the same faith-driven entrepreneur group, where Christian business owners connect and share projects, and soon found themselves working together on Main Street’s newest offering with Ortiz’s vision firmly in mind.
Weaver, who has worked extensively over the past few months renovating the restaurant space for operation, shared how the Christian livelihood of the staff remains visually veiled but wholeheartedly felt by customers flocking to Saints on Main for food, drink and socializing.
“It’s not something where we opened thinking about praying over every person that comes in because we’re Christian-owned, but it does mean that everything we do, we do with excellence, from a sandwich to how we treat people,” he said.
“The reason this is working is because our priority has always been Jesus. It’s always been about loving Jesus and making sure our customers feel loved. No matter who they are, when they walk in, we make sure that our hospitality is what Jesus would give people.”
Still, the restaurant’s quality refuses to be fully outdone, with local food reviewers and near-perfect online ratings across its opening month attesting to the calibre of food and service being provided.
Both the menu and decor are a representation of Ortiz and his partner’s Filipino-Canadian heritage and culture, something he says sets Saints on Main apart as one of the few Filipino-inspired places in the entire region. Weaver highlighted the uniqueness of the restaurant, not solely operating as a Filipino spot, but also as a celebration of the Greater Toronto Area’s multiculturalism.
“It doesn’t feel like you’re walking into the Philippines, because we’re not trying to do that. This is Filipino infused with Canadian, which creates a space that feels comfortable for people, but still gives them the flavours of something that may not be an everyday thing,” he said.
“What’s helped make (Saints on Main) so special in the food scene is that it’s become very indicative of the nearby city, it’s adventurous but welcoming at the same time.”
The finished basement of Saints on Main is the home of Iris GTA’s Men’s Breakfast Group, which held its inaugural gathering on Sept. 26. The space is already being envisioned as the heart of further community connection and, in time, staff plan to host various other gatherings and larger events in the lower multipurpose space, such as family dinners, sports nights and cooking classes for kids and adults.
“A huge part of Saints on Main is coming to celebrate, whether that’s smaller anniversaries, dates or birthdays, but also to help provide a space and classes through some of the nonprofits we work with,” Weaver said.
“We have connections to Fight4Freedom and folks coming out of trafficking where we want to give them a safe space to get their feet under them, get training and just show them love,” Chu said. “Our true success will be found in our connections to the community.”
Looking ahead, Saints on Main is eager to continue serving Stouffville, infusing every interaction with Christian values. Staff and partners alike expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the journey and the blessings yet to come.
“Jesus multiplied the five loaves and two fish even when the disciples thought it to be impossible. We may only have Saints on Main, but whatever we do have, God uses it. That’s always been our prayer, for God to use this place so that people experience excellence through Him,” Weaver said.
