Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside is a seasonal waterfront cafe and dockside restaurant in Sarnia-Lambton offering coffee, brunch, lunch, dinner and a curated cocktail program. The venue emphasizes outdoor patio and waterfront seating when weather permits, alongside comfortable indoor seating and occasional live music. Menus feature chef-driven daily and weekly specials, rotating seasonal dishes and limited-time features, with the team regularly announcing hours and availability during patio season.
🕰️ Organization Hours:
Last updated on Feb 1st, 2026
Recent Activity
Dockside Staff Appreciation Party notice
Alternate Grounds Café and Dockside will be open for lunch only on Monday, serving from 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM, then closed that evening for the annual Dockside Staff Appreciation Party. The notice explains the crew are heading back to school soon, and the cafe will continue with a slightly smaller team through September 18, 2026.
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Sunday brisket hash brunch feature
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside is serving a limited time 19 hour smoked brisket hash for Sunday brunch on August 23, featuring shredded potatoes, sautéed vegetables, cheese, two over easy eggs, and toast, plus mimosas with many juice options. The cafe notes only three Sunday brunches remain in the season, so come early to enjoy the water top patio in Sarnia and secure a plate.
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Friday dinner special — 18-hour smoked brisket pie
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside is featuring an 18-hour smoked brisket pie as a Friday dinner special, served with creamy mashed potatoes, sautéed veg, and caramelized onion gravy. Chef Andrew prepared the brisket with extreme care and the post warns the pie is in very limited supply, so arrive early at Dockside to try it.
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Matt vs. the bees teaser post
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside posted a playful teaser called Matt vs the bees on August 21 inviting patrons to place their bets with a bee and ping pong emoji. The brief post seems designed to start conversation and hint at a future in venue activity, so check the cafe's social channels for updates or ask staff for details.
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Salmon Wellington
Chef Andrew has rolled out a one night only Salmon Wellington at Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside on 2026-08-20, a puff pastry wrapped salmon served over mashed potatoes, sautéed vegetables, and an herbed hollandaise. This is available tonight only while it lasts, so come hungry and expect a rich, freshly baked plate from the chef's dinner special.
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Dockside season closing notice
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside announced on August 18, 2026 that the Dockside season has one month left, inviting guests to enjoy tacos, cocktails, and the waterfront atmosphere before service ends around September 18. Stop by during the final month to catch the seasonal menu and dockside seating while it is still available.
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Blackened Steak Tacos
Alternate Grounds Café and Dockside is featuring Blackened Steak Tacos for Taco Tuesday, with blackened shaved steak, house made guac, citrus slaw, feta, lime crema, and pickled onions. The post suggests enjoying them on the patio paired with a cold Corona during patio season in Sarnia.
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Pan-Fried Lemon Pepper Haddock
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside is serving a Pan Fried Lemon Pepper Haddock tonight only, two pieces of haddock over seasoned rice with garlic green beans, topped with citrus slaw and scallions. It is presented as a light summer waterfront dinner meant to be enjoyed with a crisp glass of white wine while available.
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Loaded Vegetarian Tostada
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside is featuring a Loaded Vegetarian Tostada for lunch, topped with refried pinto beans, sautéed onions and peppers, pico de gallo, guacamole, feta, and citrus crema. You can keep it vegetarian or add carne asada, jerk chicken, or blackened chicken for extra protein; the special is available for lunch while it lasts.
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Cowbell cooler giveaway winner announcement
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside announced the Cowbell cooler giveaway winner on 2026-08-17, thanking everyone who entered. The short post celebrates community participation and suggests the cafe runs promotions like this for customers.
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Chef Andrew’s Ramen Night
Chef Andrew returns to Dockside for a one night ramen service on 2026-08-15 featuring a Honey Soya Chicken Ramen that staff and customers rave about. Quantities are very limited, so head to Dockside tonight to grab a bowl while supplies last.
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Customer conduct and staff protection announcement
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside published a message on August 15, 2026 thanking kind customers and stating a firm no tolerance policy for abusive or harassing behavior toward staff at Dockside. The announcement emphasizes staff protection, appreciation for regulars, and that guests who abuse employees will not be welcomed back.
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Nashville Chicken & Waffles
Alternate Grounds Café and Dockside is serving a one night only Nashville Chicken and Waffles special on 2026-08-14, featuring panko fried chicken tossed in house made Nashville hot sauce, citrus slaw, and Alabama BBQ sauce. The post warns this seasonal Dockside offering is likely to sell out, and notes there are five weeks left in Dockside season.
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Vietnamese Beef Noodle Bowl - Seasonal Menu Item
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside is serving a seasonal Vietnamese Beef Noodle Bowl with rice noodles, shaved beef, ginger spinach, bean sprouts, fresh herbs, crunchy peanuts, and lime. The cafe says there are five weeks left in the season from the August 14 post, making this a perfect patio lunch while it lasts. Head to Dockside for a bright, savory bowl built for sunny afternoons.
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Prosciutto-wrapped chicken Alfredo
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside is offering a one night only Prosciutto-wrapped chicken Alfredo on 2026-08-13, featuring chicken stuffed with creamy spinach dip and served with roasted red pepper fettuccine Alfredo. The decadent special was posted as a limited offering to encourage diners to try this over the course of tonight.
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Behind-the-scenes Dockside video post
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside posted a behind the scenes Dockside video on 2026-08-12 that highlights the patience and hard work behind their shoots and features lighthearted moments laughing at Matt. The short clip invites viewers to see the team side of production and enjoy candid, off camera moments.
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Toasty Taco Tuesday
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside is calling this a Toasty Taco Tuesday in Sarnia, with garlic fried lobster tacos and a limited stash of Toasted Head California Chardonnay to pair on the patio. The post emphasizes sunshine, the Dockside view, and that both the wine and tacos are available only while supplies last, so plan to stop by soon.
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General Tso Monday dinner feature
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside is serving a one night only General Tso Chicken dinner feature on 2026-08-10, a crispy, saucy, slightly spicy dish over fried rice with green beans and broccoli. Head to the Dockside patio for cold drinks, waterfront views, and a limited time dinner special available until it is gone.
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Seafood Chowder
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside is featuring a Seafood Chowder tonight, a summer waterfront special loaded with mussels, clams, shrimp, potatoes, pan fried cod, fresh corn salsa, and garlic crostini. The chef special is available tonight until it is gone, making it a perfect spur of the moment plan for seafood lovers near the water.
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Friday night Seafood Chowder feature
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside is featuring a Seafood Chowder tonight, a creamy bowl with mussels, clams, shrimp, potatoes, pan fried cod, fresh corn salsa and garlic crostini. The dish is available on the night of the post while supplies last, making earlier arrival a good plan for waterfront dining fans.
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Korean Bulgogi Bowl
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside is featuring a Korean Bulgogi Bowl for lunch with house marinated bulgogi, house made kimchi, a soft boiled egg, cucumber and bean sprouts, fresh herbs, and sriracha mayo over seasoned rice. The post invites diners to enjoy the patio while Dockside season winds down, noting about six weeks left from the announcement on August 7, 2026.
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Self-deprecating social post about patio and transitions
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside posted a playful social update on 2026-08-05, calling itself a solid water top patio while joking that transitions are not its strong suit. The short, self aware message underscores the cafe's approachable waterfront vibe and friendly social voice.
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Taco & Tequila Tuesday special
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside is running a Taco and Tequila Tuesday special featuring Crispy Fish Tacos made with golden haddock, house made guacamole, creamy pickle slaw, and feta, paired with Palomas on special. The post invites visitors to enjoy lunch on the patio and the waterfront view today, 2026-08-04.
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Summer social post: If youre not here.. your missing out
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside posted a breezy summer invite on 2026-08-03, leaning into sunshine, music, and waterfront vibes. The short message encourages a spontaneous stop by the cafe and dockside seating for a lively, friendly hangout.
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Holiday Monday patio service
Alternate Grounds Café & Dockside is open for Holiday Monday patio service on 2026-08-03 with doors at 11:00 AM, Happy Hour from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM featuring live music by dixonap, and service until 8:00 PM. Bring friends for cold drinks, waterfront views, and the patio atmosphere at Dockside.
