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Favourite Restaurants of Niagara-on-the-Lake

Chef Jason Parsons at Peller Estates Winery

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appletreebb

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— A local Niagara-on-the-Lake operator tallies up 15 eateries by category. More food than you can handle!

Did you know that Niagara on the Lake has some of the best restaurants in Canada? There is a large number of eating establishments competing for the 3 million or so visitors we have each year. It is seasonal tourism with the most activity between April 1and November 30th.

One unique feature of the town is that many of these restaurants are walking distance from your hotel or Bed and Breakfast. The accommodations are right downtown in close proximity to the restaurants.

Fine dining facilities serve an excellent selection of local wines and often the chef will select a wine to compliment each course. Because of the abundance of fruits and vegetables grown in the area, many of the chefs use fresh local ingredients.

Below are some of my own restaurant recommendations and the criteria by which I categorize them. I do not claim to be a food critic but have personally enjoyed meals at each of these establishments more than once. None of these places have paid me or provided compensation in any way for what I am about to write.

Best Value Fine Dining - "Rest" Stone Road Grille - Favourite of the locals this place is located in a strip mall. Good food, reasonable wines, it has a cosmopolitan feel and the servers are fun. Chef Ryan is very talented. He has an awesome sauce for the fresh oysters. Owners Heidi & Perry are always there making sure your experience is awesome.

Best Fine Dining - Hilebrand or Peller Estates Winery - It was difficult to choose between these two establishments. Peller has executive chef Jason Parsons who makes occasional television show guest appearances. Hillebrand has chef Fran Dodd, the 2010 Toronto Gold Medal Plates winner. Both places are best described as dining experiences as opposed to just dinner. Allow 2 to 3 hours to savour the moment.

Best View - Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club - Panoramic windows highlight a spectacular view of Fort Niagara across the mouth of the Niagara River. The interior was redecorated in 2008. There is an awesome outdoor patio with a limited menu but this year (2011) the chef has a great patio including mussels, perch and chips, ribs, wraps, a signature cheeseburger and a great Caesar salad. Order a cold beer or glass of wine and watch the sailboats go by!

Best Ambience - Escabeche - Prince of Wales Hotel. The food and service are good here too but the restaurant is one of those places that make you feel like a million bucks.

Best "Chef Owned Restaurant" - deLuca's - Chef Tony deLuca has generated quite a following over the years with his mastery of culinary arts but finally he has his own place and the food is very good.

Best Italian - Gate House Hotel - A downtown location with an outdoor patio makes this a popular spot. The good smells just draw you into the place.

Best Asian - Ginger - This family owned & operated restaurant is known for favourites from Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, and China, are featured, in a western style presentation.

Best Pub - Old Angel Inn - Without a doubt the most happening place in town, the Angel is as comfortable for tourists as it is for the many locals who frequent the place. Serving "comfort" food and about 25 different kinds of draft beer. The chicken curry dish is outstanding.

Best Value Family Restaurant - Little Red Rooster - Here is a good choice for those looking to feed a family without emptying the wallet. The Greek salad is always really fresh and the salad dressing is sooooo good! Great home-made soups too.

Best People Watching - Corks - The front patio is right on the sidewalk and offers a great place to sit with a beer or glass of wine and watch the people go by.

Best Outdoor Dining - Epicurean - At lunch they offer cafeteria style service with interesting fresh salads and sandwiches. By night it is converted into a bistro where the food is good and the wine is fine. In the back there is a very pleasant outdoor deck.

Best Eat-in Pizza - Garcioli's - Just want a pizza? A wide selection of crust and ingredients make this place popular with the locals.

Best Take Out Pizza - Rest-to-Go - A great selection of ingredients with a gourmet touch make this a leading choice for food on the run. Good sandwiches too.

Best Veranda - The Charles Inn - Although they have indoor dining in a variety of areas the best tables are on the rear porch overlooking the golf course. The food is excellent and there is a good wine list. They have a portion reduced menu in the lounge that is really good and cost effective.

Best Fun - Italian Pizza and Subs - Owner Martin Mazza loves practical jokes and is a genuinely great guy. He is a town councillor to boot. Best prices in town for beer, wine, pizza, wings and subs. And... best campaign slogan ever... "He Delivers".

By no means is this the complete list. And it is only an opinion by a local resident. In fact there are many other great places to go. If you have never been to Niagara on the Lake you owe it to yourself to take a break. Book at least 2 nights in a hotel, Bed and breakfast or country inn. Enjoy some wine tasting, theatre, shopping and of course dining in the prettiest town in Canada. Guaranteed to be an experience you remember.

Visit Dave Wardle and his wife Gail at their downtown Niagara on the Lake Bed and Breakfast. www.appletreebb.ca

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