the history

The story goes that an invading Norse army planned to ambush the Scots by slaughtering them while they slept.

This attack required as much stealth as possible so the invaders attacked barefoot.

Unfortunately for them, one of the attackers stepped on a thistle, and his cries of pain were enough to wake the sleeping Scotsmen, who charged into battle and defeated their enemies, thus the Thistle was named The Flower of Scotland.

The Rose has been adopted as England's emblem since the time of The War Of The Roses civil war (1455-1485) between the royal house of Lancaster (whose emblem was the Red Rose) and the royal house of York (whose emblem was the White Rose).

The National Flower of england is the red rose

Daily Specials

Pub & Fare

Do you know the old scottish legend of how the thistle came to be the flower of scotland?

The Rose & Thistle

"Opening a pub has long been a dream of ours; one that we were never sure would really happen; but here we are at the Rose and Thistle in downtown Brantford!!

Why “The Rose and Thistle’, you may ask. Well, Audrey is from Scotland and the national flower of Scotland is the thistle. Phil is from England and the rose is the national flower of England. And who says the Scottish and the English don’t get along!!

We immigrated to Canada in 1982, with wide eyes and a belief that we could do anything. We soon started a family and have a son and two daughters; who are all grown up now.

We are a family-owned business with a desire to enjoy life with friends and family. Our staff are simply the best!! They are kind, courteous and friendly, with your comfort and enjoyment forefront in mind. Our chefs are both from Brantford, with many years of experience in the restaurant and bar business; they are very proud of their profession and extremely meticulous in the preparation and presentation of our dishes.

Our building is reportedly the oldest in the downtown area, part of it dating back to 1835. We have totally renovated the interior to provide a clean, bright and comfortable ambience for you. We are a fully accessible building just two blocks west of the Sanderson Centre and Harmony Square with plenty of parking available just across the road.

We serve wholesome, hearty traditional British meals accompanied by imported and domestic beverages, in a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. There is always something happening at the Rose and Thistle in the evenings; Trivia Night, Open Jam, Karaoke (3 nights a week), Comedy Night or live music. Come in and join us!!

We want you to enjoy your time here at the Rose and Thistle. We look forward to meeting and getting to know you.

Cheers!"

- Audrey & Phil