Fall Flavours Underneath 2 Hours from the GTA
Because the leaves flip and the air will get crisp, Ontario’s fall harvest season beckons with heat baked items, scenic drives and farm-fresh feasts. However you don’t must go far to soak in the very best of autumn’s bounty. Inside simply two hours of the GTA, you’ll discover unforgettable fall flavours throughout menus and markets in Guelph-Wellington and Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Whether or not you’re wandering pumpkin patches, sipping seasonal beers and wines or biting into ginger cookie ice cream sandwiches, these locations serve up every little thing to rejoice the season.
Wish to skip forward by vacation spot? No worries!
Harvest Enjoyable and Tasty Treats in Guelph-Wellington
Spanning metropolis and countryside, Guelph-Wellington sits on a number of the province’s most fertile farmland. It’s no shock that you simply’ll discover a great deal of farm markets brimming with seasonal produce, the scent of seasonal baked items wafting within the air and a great deal of spots to fulfill up with mates for a fall-inspired craft brew.
Farm Enjoyable in Guelph-Wellington
Native farms in Guelph-Wellington are buzzing with festive actions this time of yr, inviting you to dig into the harvest and expertise the enjoyment of rural life. From interactive farm adventures to cozy countryside moments, listed here are some not-to-miss stops.
Fall Rural Romp
Have a good time the season with the Fall Rural Romp, a self-guided farm and meals tour by Wellington County that has turn into beloved by guests and locals alike. On Saturday, September twenty seventh, households and meals lovers can discover pumpkin patches, rise up shut with livestock and style their means by the area’s harvest bounty. Stops this yr promise to be further enjoyable with probabilities to see a cider press in motion, get misplaced in corn mazes and even attempt sunflower honey!
You may get all the small print in regards to the fall rural romp right here.
Erin Hill Acres
The place: 5837 3 Line, Erin, ON (View Map)
Run by seventh-generation Ontario farmers, Erin Hill Acres is aware of the way to do fall proper! Take a vibrant stroll on their farm trails, stroll by the pumpkin patch to choose the right one or attempt your fingers in a corn maze! When you’ve labored up an urge for food, head into their barn market to take pleasure in a seasonal deal with or two like pizza topped with their farm recent honey, heat apple cider or a seasonal cookie.
Mapleton’s Natural
The place: 8548 Wellington Rd 7, Moorefield, ON (View Map)
Begin your seasonal journey at Mapleton’s Natural Dairy, the place healthful enjoyable meets mouthwatering indulgence. Their free wagon rides (on choose dates) supply a scenic tour of the farm’s bounty. After wandering by the pumpkin patch, deal with your self to a cinnamon roll topped with a scoop of their home made maple ice cream or a cone of pumpkin pie ice cream. The goats love a go to, and don’t miss the milk-on-tap station or the prospect to choose up uncooked honey that got here straight from the farm’s hives.
Strom’s Farm and Bakery
The place: 5089 Wellington Rd 32, Guelph, ON (View Map)
Open for simply six quick weeks within the fall, Strom’s Farm and Bakery is the place fall appears like a must-visit. The bakery’s legendary pumpkin and harvest apple pies make a robust case for pie being the official meals of autumn, whereas their haskap and pumpkin tarts and Kawartha Dairy ice cream sandwiches add a playful twist to heat days.
Feeling like some farm enjoyable? Thought you’d by no means ask! Their corn maze is an establishment and if you happen to’re up for a bit of nighttime magic, be part of their “Mazing within the Moonlight” occasions to navigate the maze beneath the celebs.
The Fieldstone Barn
The place: 7450 Middlebrook Rd, Elora, ON (View Map)
The Fieldstone Barn is a beautifully-curated fall wonderland. Good for an outting with mates, this spot boasts a beautiful sunflower subject within the late summer season/early fall full with picture opps, a corn maze and a great deal of pumpkins to select from!
In the course of the fall, Fieldstone Barn hosts an artisan market full with seasonal preserves, handcrafted jewelery, candles, recent donuts, skincare and once more, a great deal of cute picture opps to recollect your day.
Fall Impressed Craft Drinks
Guelph-Wellington’s native makers are elevating the bar on fall sipping. These craft beverage producers are infusing the season’s greatest elements into each glass, can and bottle. Every cease provides a novel technique to toast to autumn.
Heartwood Farm and Cidery
The place: 5438 Second Line Erin, Acton, ON(View Map)
In Erin, Feast On® licensed Heartwood Farm and Cidery crafts laborious and glowing ciders from their very own apples, letting the pure sweetness of the fruit shine. We love their Eve Goes Badass cider which options farm-grown cayenne peppers and honey for that candy n’ spicy vibe.
Park Eatery
The place: 294 Woolwich St, Guelph, ON (View Map)
Park Eatery in Guelph delivers with their over-the-top milkshakes: Pumpkin Spice or Caramel Apple Pie, take your decide. This Feast On® licensed cease additionally has an incredible fall menu that adjustments because the seasons achieve this keep watch over their social media for that!
Cox Creek Cellars
The place: 7687 Wellington 22, Guelph, ON (View Map)
If mulled wine is extra your fashion, Cox Creek Cellars has simply the factor. Their Spiced Russet Mulled Wine is as comforting as a knit sweater and pairs fantastically with a crisp afternoon stroll or maybe selecting apples on one of many days Cox Creek permits it! Need a bit of further somethin’ somethin’? Ebook a wine tasting and fireplace pit and pair it up with a charcuterie unfold, wood-fired pizza or each!
Silver Fox Distillery
The place: 7999 Wellington County Rd 109, Arthur, ON (View Map)
At Silver Fox Distillery in Arthur, their fall lineup reads like a dessert menu with a kick. Assume Pumpkin Pie Liqueur, Apple Pie Moonshine and Cranberry Apple Gin; clean, spiced and assured to heat you up on a brisk day.
Elora Distilling Firm
The place: 102 Metcalfe St Unit 4, Elora, ON (View Map)
In Elora, the Elora Distilling Firm takes issues to the following degree with a Pumpkin Chai Liqueur that’s wealthy, fragrant and completely spiced.
Revel Cider
The place: 62 Dawson Rd, Guelph, ON (View Map)
Guelph can also be house to Revel Cider, the place innovation meets fermentation. Their wild-crafted ciders seize the funk, freshness and fruitiness of fall in each bottle. We’re huge followers of their flagship Time and Place cider constituted of aged crab apple pommace however hold an eye fixed out for brand new varieties hitting the store.
Dixon’s Distilled Spirits
The place: 355 Elmira Rd N Unit 106, Guelph, ON (View Map)
Don’t miss Dixon’s Distilled Spirits, serving up their very own Pumpkin Spice Liqueur and an Apple Cranberry Cooler that’s as refreshing as it’s festive.
Go to the Bakeries
If there’s a time of yr to take pleasure in flaky pastries, gooey butter tarts and hearty pies, it’s fall. Three bakeries in Guelph-Wellington are overflowing with causes to deal with your self.
Polestar Fireside
The place: 535 Woolwich St, Guelph, ON (View Map)
At Polestar Fireside in Guelph, fall reveals up of their wood-fired ovens within the type of butternut, cranberry and sage sourdough: an ideal companion for autumn soup dipping. Within the temper for a candy deal with? Their sourdough espresso cake and pumpkin ginger cookie ice cream sandwiches hit the candy spot between nostalgic and ingenious.
Elora Bread Buying and selling Co.
The place: 73 Metcalfe St, Elora, ON (View Map)
In close by Elora, Elora Bread Buying and selling Co. attracts guests from throughout the area for his or her pillowy cinnamon pecan knots, crusty jalapeño cheddar pan loaves and brown butter chocolate chip cookies. Their use of seasonal elements in sourdoughs is a real testomony to fall baking at its most interesting and new menu objects are popping up on a regular basis.
With the Grain Bakery
The place: 295 Woolwich St, Guelph, ON (View Map)
Over at With the Grain Bakery, the glass circumstances brim with rotating fall favourites like pumpkin swirl bread, chocolate babka and pumpkin spice cupcakes. All the things is lovingly made, from doughnuts to granola, and all of it tastes like house.
Harvest in a Glass and on the plate in Niagara-on-the-Lake
Whereas Guelph-Wellington invitations you to attach with the land by pumpkins and pies, Niagara-on-the-Lake is the place the autumn harvest will get poured right into a glass. Right here, September and October are synonymous with grape harvest season, when vines bend heavy with fruit and your entire city appears to swirl with the scent of crushed berries and fermenting juice. It’s a time when the wineries open their cellars (though many do this year-round) and the eating places lean into the bounty of Niagara’s orchards, fields and vineyards.
Sip and Savour at Niagara-on-the-Lake Wineries
Because the leaves start to blush gold and crimson throughout the Niagara Escarpment, native wineries come alive with the vitality of the grape harvest. That is the very best time to sip, swirl and savour not simply the wine, however the tales behind each bottle.
Peller Estates Vineyard + BarrelHead
The place: 290 John St E, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
At Feast On® licensed Peller Estates Vineyard, harvest season is a full-sensory expertise. Between the vineyard’s grand tasting room and the country attraction of BarrelHead, their open-air eatery nestled beside the vineyards, fall takes centre stage.
Friends can sip daring reds and crisp whites recent from the crush pad whereas noshing on wood-fired pizzas topped with autumnal elements (suppose roasted squash, caramelized onions and the vineyard’s personal scorching honey) all beneath a cover of golden grapevines. Paired up with one in all their signature ice wine cocktails, it’s one of the simplest ways to rejoice the winding down of hotter climate.
Strewn Vineyard
The place: 1339 Lakeshore Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
Slightly below ten minutes away, one other Feast On® licensed magnificence awaits! Strewn Vineyard brings collectively terroir and method in each bottle. Their boutique vibe is heat and welcoming, excellent for these seeking to dive deeper into small-lot winemaking. Go to throughout harvest and also you may catch a glimpse of grapes arriving from the winery, heading straight into manufacturing.
Sip a glass of their signature Merlot or award-winning Chardonnay whereas looking over the winery rows wearing fall colors. If the climate continues to be heat sufficient, we propose doing a tasting out on the patio to get to know the wines a bit of higher!
Southbrook Vineyards
The place: 581 Niagara Stone Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
Southbrook Vineyards is Canada’s first biodynamic vineyard and fall is when their philosophy of concord with nature actually shines. The most recent Feast On® licensed cease in NOTL, it’s a can’t-miss. Surrounded by sheep-dotted fields and natural gardens, tastings right here really feel extra like meditative experiences.
Their orange wine and wild yeast-fermented choices replicate each the season and their dedication to sustainability, greatest loved whereas gazing out on the vines of their autumn splendour. We positively suggest pairing a tasting up with their well-known polenta fries!
Marynissen Estates
The place: 1208 Concession 1 Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake (View Map)
A go to to Marynissen Estates (additionally a Feast On® licensed magnificence) delivers a extra intimate expertise. Household-owned and filled with attraction, this vineyard is understood for its old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon and its approachable tasting room workers. Throughout fall, their patio turns into a haven for gradual sipping and relaxed chats, paired completely with the scent of harvest within the air. Whether or not you’re having fun with a tasting or in September, slurping on wine and fruit freezies which make their debut every summer season, you’re certain to have enjoyable.
What’s further cool? It’s additionally house to a number of the oldest business vines in the entire nation! So you already know with each sip you’re having a bit of style of historical past (and rattling, it tastes good). Plus, if you happen to’re travelling with a pupper in tow (we love that) you’ll want to get them organized a Pawesome Pup Flight. This dog-friendly vineyard is stuffed with attraction!
Ravine Vineyards
The place: 1366 York Rd, St. Davids, ON (View Map)
After which there’s Ravine Winery Property Vineyard, the place rustic magnificence meets farm-to-table aptitude. Nestled amongst natural gardens and heritage buildings, Ravine’s fall wine tastings usually embrace seasonal canapés or artisanal snacks. Their dry Rieslings and structured Bordeaux-style reds are the right companions to the altering season, and their hospitality makes each visitor really feel like a part of the household.
Wish to actually embrace autumn? Take a look at their Wines & Vines Tour (advance reserving solely mandatory for teams of 8+ or Wine Membership members) to go for a guided stroll by the winery and prime all of it off with a tasting!
Style Farm Contemporary at Niagara-on-the-Lake Eating places
After a day of swirling and sipping, Niagara-on-the-Lake’s eating scene provides the right place to settle in and savour fall’s most interesting elements. Native cooks know that the harvest is greater than a time, it’s a palette. The area’s produce, meats, herbs and cheeses shine brightest this time of yr, and these eating places deliver all of them along with grace and creativity.
Treadwell Delicacies
The place: 114 Queen St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
At Treadwell Delicacies, each dish reads like an ode to Niagara’s farmers. Discovered by Stephen and James Treadwell, the restaurant is understood for his or her fierce dedication to native sourcing and seasonal cooking whereas crafting European-inspired dishes. With a constantly-eveolving menu, fall brings harvest delights.
We’re not the one ones recommending this spot! Canada’s High 100 Eating places, OpenTBale, TripAdvisor and extra have all awarded Treadwell Delicacies.
So what are you able to count on within the fall? Properly, a part of the enjoyable of an ever-evolving menu is that we actually don’t know! If we needed to guess although? Roasted root greens, duck confit, squash purée and pears poached in VQA wine only for starters. Final yr, some standout dishes included butterut squash soup with pumpkin seed and togarashi, gradual roasted pork stomach with char souop glaze, inexperienced onion and radish and beef tartare with black garlic mayonnaise!
Noble Restaurant
The place: 6 Picton St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
Contained in the historic Prince of Wales Lodge, Noble Restaurant combines refined eating with the richness of the season. With its crystal chandeliers and backyard views, the area feels timeless, whereas the menu leans into the now. Fall dishes may embrace braised quick rib with parsnip purée, pumpkin gnocchi tossed in sage brown butter or a dessert that includes Niagara apples and caramel.
The Garrison Home
The place: 111C Garrison Village Dr, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
Just a little extra informal however equally flavourful, The Garrison Home strikes the right stability between consolation and culinary craft. This cozy gastropub sources recent, native elements and transforms them into seasonal plates that hit the spot. Count on heat smashed potato salad, beer-battered haddock, gourmand burgers made with Ontario beef from Cumbrae Farms and rotating specials that nod to what’s freshest from close by farms and vineyards.
Get pleasure from Your Journey
Whether or not you select farm enjoyable in Guelph-Wellington or sipping and savouring your means by Niagara-on-the-Lake, you’re certain to go away blissful and glad!
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