Niagara-on-the-Lake in 3 Scrumptious Bites
Once you consider Niagara’s wine nation, chances are high Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) involves thoughts, and for good motive. Residence to a few of Canada’s oldest and most celebrated vineyards, this city has constructed its fame on award-winning wines and beautiful winery views. However equally epic is its historical past and thriving meals scene, the place native farms and close by vineyards hold restaurant menus contemporary, seasonal and stuffed with Niagara’s scrumptious flavour.
With so some ways to sip and savour, our 3-day information is your ticket to tasting one of the best of NOTL.
Day 1: Heat winery welcomes, downtown gems & wood-fired flavours!
Ease into Niagara-on-the-Lake with a mixture of candy downtown discoveries, tastings at beloved wineries, a nostalgic cease for ice cream and piping sizzling wood-fired pizza straight from the oven.
Noble Restaurant
6 Picton St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
Situated contained in the historic Prince of Wales Resort, Noble Restaurant affords a refined begin to your Niagara-on-the-Lake journey. The lodge itself dates again to 1864 and has lengthy been a landmark of Victorian class, welcoming visitors with its timeless appeal.
Beginning our wine nation journey right here, we opted for Noble’s Eggs Benedict, served with tender poached eggs, Canadian bacon, sourdough, hollandaise and topped with chives. For a candy begin to the morning we couldn’t resist ordering a stack of Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes topped with Chantilly cream, pure Canadian maple syrup and loads of contemporary espresso.
Fritters on the Lake
217 King St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0 (View Map)
After breakfast take a stroll alongside Queen Avenue, a historic stretch relationship again to the 18th century that now bustles with distinctive boutiques, artisan outlets and comfortable cafés. Tucked throughout from Noble Restaurant is a family-owned bakery and NOTL gem, Fritters on the Lake.
Seize a field of their contemporary, sizzling apple fritters, a neighborhood legend that even attracts followers throughout the border. From traditional plain to caramel-drizzled, each is a candy chew of NOTL. And with cider season across the nook, the crisp apple slushy is the right method to settle down after exploring the Heritage District.
Strewn Vineyard
1339 Lakeshore Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
Once you’re in Niagara’s wine nation, a go to to a winery is virtually necessary if you wish to take in the area’s epic wine-growing tradition. For us, that meant heading to Feast On® licensed Strewn Vineyard for his or her customized tasting expertise.
We made our method to the out of doors Pavilion which overlooks the vineyard’s stunning winery and began with a glowing sip earlier than shifting via 4 hand-picked wines from their portfolio of whites, rosés, reds and dessert wines.
What actually made the expertise shine was our wine guide, who guided us via every pour and inspired us to step exterior our consolation zones. We found wines we already cherished in addition to types we would have ignored, from a lighter, to extra daring flavours we tasted via their 2022 Premium Riesling Luscious, a crisp 2023 Cabernet Franc Rosé, an fragrant small lot Chardonnay Musqué and a funkier 2022 Gewürztraminer.
Marynissen Estates Vineyard
1208 Concession 1 Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
Up subsequent a late lunch and sangria flights at Marynissen Estates Vineyard, a proudly Feast On® licensed vacation spot that celebrates Ontario-grown substances alongside its wines. Whereas conventional tastings are all the time on supply, summer season guests (Might via September) can’t miss their patio facet Sangria Flights.
4 playful flight combos are made in-house utilizing Marynissen Estates’ wines. Assume refreshing combos like Pearadise Allure crafted with their Allure glowing, or Crimson Kiss made utilizing the vineyard’s Cabernet Merlot.
To spherical issues out, the vineyard additionally affords a rotating lineup of locally-sourced snacks and nibbles, from cheese and popcorn to chips and salsa. For one thing with a heartier chew we particularly cherished the stacked roast beef sandwich sourced from native farm store, The Grove Niagara. It’s a tasty pairing to proceed fuelling your NOTL tasting adventures!
Avondale Dairy Bar
461 Stewart Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
Winding down day one, earlier than making your method to dinner, take pleasure in a candy pick-me-up deal with at Avondale Dairy Bar. A real Niagara custom because the Fifties, Avondale Dairy Bar has been scooping up smiles with ice cream made proper on-site utilizing milk from their very own dairy farm.
From thick milkshakes and traditional banana splits to vibrant scoops, the menu is pure nostalgia! For an actual style of Niagara, their seasonal sundaes are to not be missed. We had been fortunate sufficient to go to throughout peak peach season and couldn’t resist making an attempt the peach sundae, made with peach infused ice cream and topped with slices of freshly-picked peaches sourced from farms simply down the street.
BarrelHead at Pillitteri Estates Vineyard
1696 Niagara Stone Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
For dinner we made our method to BarrelHead at Pillitteri Estates Vineyard, a Feast On® licensed spot and native favorite for wood-fired pizza and winery views. The out of doors patio affords loads of seating with decisions among the many orchard, close to the reside music stage or by the kitchen to observe pizzas slide into the wood-fired oven.
We began with the Peach & Blueberry Salad earlier than sharing the Candy Warmth Pizza, topped with sausage, pineapple and sizzling honey. The cocktail and wine menu had been simply as enjoyable with choices just like the Peach Out Man, blended Canadian whiskey, peach nectar and the vineyard’s personal Icewine, whereas the Peachy Eager mocktail saved issues shiny with peach juice, lemon and Barrelhead grapefruit soda.
Earlier than leaving, be sure you fill up on their house-made chili oil and sizzling honey for a scrumptious method to carry a slice of NOTL house with you.
Day 2: Candy Begins, Inventive Stops & MORE Winery Views
From Hungarian bakery specialties to plant-based bites, hands-on pottery and a day of winery touring, Day 2 serves up a scrumptious mix of flavour and surroundings in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Budapest Bake Store
118 Queen St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
We kicked off Day 2 on Queen Avenue at Budapest Bake Store, the place the odor of contemporary kürtőskalács (Hungarian chimney muffins) leads you proper to the door. These golden, sugar-dusted spirals are hand-rolled and baked contemporary all day. We couldn’t resist the traditional Candy Chimney and the savoury bacon, egg and cheese chimney to begin our morning on a scrumptious word.
Avo + Co
106 Queen St Unit E, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
For a lighter pause between all of the indulgence of wine nation, we stopped at Avo + Co, a vibrant downtown café serving up contemporary, feel-good eats. Their menu is stuffed with vibrant, nourishing decisions. We tried the Avo Toasty, topped with creamy avocado, microgreens and a poached egg, together with a Purple Smoothie Bowl full of berries and almond milk. To sip we opted for the Inexperienced Smoothie blended spinach, kale, avocado, pineapple and ginger for a scrumptious noon reset.
Scorching tip: The house owners are keen about bringing contemporary, distinctive choices to Niagara-on-the-Lake’s downtown eating scene. Additionally they run Whisk, a comfy matcha café simply throughout the road, one other must-visit spot should you’re craving matcha.
Queenston Pottery Studio
1648 York Rd RR 1, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
To stability out all of the sipping and snacking, we took a while to discover Niagara-on-the-Lake’s inventive facet with a go to to Queenston Pottery Studio. Based in 1978 by Eva and Frank Mlcak, this family-run studio sits alongside York Street between Queenston and St. David’s, surrounded by orchards and wineries.
Inside their two-level gallery and backyard area, you’ll discover hand-crafted dinnerware, mugs and serving items alongside charcuterie boards, Turkish textiles, and different regionally sourced treasures.
Scorching tip: For a more in-depth look behind the scenes, be sure you try the studio’s workshop calendar and e-book a fingers on-experience or guided studio tour earlier than visiting.
Southbrook Vineyards
581 Niagara Stone Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
Subsequent up was lunch at Southbrook Vineyards, Canada’s first vineyard to attain each natural and biodynamic certification, and proudly Feast On® licensed for its dedication to sourcing native substances. The out of doors kitchen serves up a seasonal menu of wood-fired pizzas, every crafted with what’s contemporary and in peak flavour.
We sampled a couple of standouts together with the seasonal pizza topped with corn, basil, artichoke and rooster, together with the peach, basil, feta and onion pizza. Pairing our lunch with some unforgettable sips, we couldn’t resist making an attempt a flight to pattern a few of the vineyard’s signature wines.
Up first we sipped the Triomphe Orange (an orange wine made by fermenting white grapes on their skins for additional color and depth), subsequent their Cabernet Sauvignon affectionately dubbed the “burger wine” by our server Melanie for the way nicely it pairs with a juicy patty and lastly the crisp Laundry Winery Riesling.
Queens Royal Park
45 Entrance St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
Earlier than winding down our second day, we paused at Queen’s Royal Park, a stunning spot to stretch your legs alongside the strolling trails that hint the water’s edge. The park’s iconic gazebo, initially in-built 1983 for the filming of The Lifeless Zone, has since grow to be one among Niagara-on-the-Lake’s most photographed landmarks, providing postcard-perfect views throughout the lake.
Peller Estates Terrace Wine Bar
290 John St E, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
The ultimate cease of day two ends with a chef’s dinner at Terrace Wine Bar at Peller Estates Vineyard, a Feast On® licensed spot the place the menu is crafted with the identical care because the wines it’s served alongside.
Guided by the philosophy that wine and meals want one another, the kitchen and cellar work hand in hand to create pairings you received’t discover wherever else, each dish thoughtfully matched with one of many vineyard’s scrumptious VQA pours. It’s the right setting for a lightweight chew or extra indulgent meals whereas absorbing golden-hour sunsets with a glass of wine, a cocktail or perhaps a mocktail.
We toasted the day with a Niagara Spritz, made with their Signature Sequence Ice Cuvée Basic, Aperol and bitters. It’s a neighborhood twist on an Italian favorite. For dinner we opted to attempt the three course pre-fixe dinner menu.
We began with the heirloom beetroot salad with fiore di latte and a baco noir discount, adopted by an Ontario striploin paired with pinot noir sauce, spring potatoes, patty pan squash and string beans. For dessert, the chocolate marcona cake with pinot noir–compressed cherries and chocolate crumble was the sweetest method to finish the day in wine nation.
Day 3: Historical past, Native Flavour & Lakeside Allure
Our closing day in Niagara-on-the-Lake blends contemporary begins and heritage stops with beachside strolls, vintage looking, market shopping and one final farm-to-table feast.
Niagara Juice Co.
187 Victoria St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
We kicked off Day 3 at Niagara Juice Co., a comfy native favorite run by husband-and-wife duo Chef Karrie and her husband, the place every little thing on the menu is constituted of scratch. Breakfast meant digging into The Well-known Breakfast Croissant, hand-rolled and layered with bacon, egg, lettuce, tomato and lemony hollandaise.
We paired our breakfast with a mango pineapple smoothie and loads of locally-roasted Black Sheep Espresso. It’s straightforward to see why Chef Kerrie’s breakfast sandwich has earned legendary standing on the town, however don’t skip the candy facet. We grabbed some freshly baked cookies for the street, the right little automobile snack earlier than one other day of exploring. Having fun with our breakfast out on their sunny patio made for a peaceful and scrumptious begin to the morning.
Niagara Heritage Museum
43 Castlereagh St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
Subsequent, we stepped again in time on the Niagara-on-the-Lake Heritage Museum, the place reveals inform the story of Canada’s first capital and the city’s function within the Struggle of 1812. From artifacts and uniforms to neighborhood tales, it’s a cease that places the area’s historic appeal into perspective. Spending time right here provides a wealthy layer of context earlier than heading again out to benefit from the city’s meals and wine.
Treadwell Delicacies
114 Queen St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
After our historical past lesson, it was time for a farm-to-table lunch at Treadwell Delicacies, a restaurant recognized for working carefully with native farms like Quiet Acres in NOTL. We began with their Tomato & Peach Salad with burrata and basil sorbet, then tucked into the Rooster Schnitzel with crisp lettuce, radish and garlic yogurt. Dessert was one other ode to native NOTL flavour. The Peaches with Polenta Cake topped with peach sorbet is made utilizing contemporary peaches sourced from close by farms.
Patio-side sips made it all of the extra gratifying with the smoky Zacapa rum cocktail was wealthy, daring and smoked in entrance of you table-side, whereas the White Peach Spritz mocktail was gentle and refreshing. With good meals and a glass in hand, Treadwell Delicacies is a cease that fills your stomach and fuels your subsequent leg of afternoon adventures.
Lakeshore Antiques and Treasures
855 Lakeshore Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
The afternoon referred to as for a little bit of treasure looking at Lakeshore Antiques and Treasures, the place cabinets are full of classic finds, eclectic décor and one-of-a-kind items ready to be found. Niagara-on-the-Lake is understood for it’s charming vintage outlets, and this cease is a good way to take a break in between your tour of wine nation. Wandering via the store seems like stepping right into a time capsule and it’s a enjoyable method to carry house just a little piece of Niagara.
Walker’s Nation Market
15796 Niagara River Pkwy, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
Earlier than heading off to dinner, we made our method to a beloved farm market that’s been open because the Thirties. Walker’s Nation Market is a good place to fill up on contemporary Niagara fruits, greens and baked items like contemporary fruit tarts made with seasonal fruits likes peaches, cherries and strawberries.
After choosing up your items, proper subsequent door sits the Dwelling Water Wayside Chapel, dubbed the world’s smallest chapel, and sure, it’s as lovable (and Instagram-worthy) because it sounds. Between the market’s seasonal bounty and this quirky landmark, it’s a cease that blends flavour with enjoyable native historical past.
Terroir Restaurant and Winer Bar
1339 Lakeshore Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (View Map)
We closed out our three-day journey with dinner at Terroir Restaurant & Wine Bar, set inside Strewn Vineyard’s property grounds. Proudly Feast On® licensed, Terroir celebrates Ontario’s bounty by combining classical French approach with Niagara’s finest seasonal substances, and the result’s actually a style of place.
Our meal started with a shiny tomato gazpacho constituted of regionally sourced substances and an indulgent beef tartare topped with quail egg and Kozlik’s mustard.
For mains, we loved a wealthy wild mushroom tagliatelle alfredo alongside an Ontario rack of lamb, served with garlic whipped potatoes and buttered broccolini in tapenade jus. Every course was fantastically paired with Strewn wines, making a relaxed and refined finale to our Niagara-on-the-Lake getaway.
Get Able to Discover the Scrumptious Facet of Niagara’s Wine Nation!
From winery tastings and farm-fresh meals to historic strolls and lakeside views, Niagara-on-the-Lake blends small-town magnificence with daring, unforgettable flavours. It’s a feast for all of the senses! To kickstart your subsequent wine nation getaway go to niagaraonthelake.com to begin planning!
