Guide to the Best Eats and Drinks in Ontario

Here at Expedia Canada, we love exploring new places—especially if it involves food. We recently teamed up with Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance to take us on the ultimate Ontario foodie road trip, and we were more than impressed. What’s better than open road and crunchy, salty, sweet meals along the way? It was impossible not to drool over descriptions of their top picks of farmers markets, farm-to-table restaurants, and breweries. Here’s a helpful recap of the some of the best eats in Ontario.

Bite

Ontario farmers’ markets offer nothing less than delectable fruits, cheeses, and meats worthy of a hearty nibble. On your trip around the province, make a stop at St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market in the Waterloo Region. The stalls overflow with summer sausages, artisanal cheese, and an exceptionally special treat: apple cider doughnuts. Forget using a napkin; lick off the sugar dust powdering your fingertips. You’ll also want to make a journey to the St. Catherines Farmers’ Market. Here, you can bite into the brittle crust of fresh sourdough bread, before sinking your teeth into some famous Niagara plump peaches. You’ll want to savour each drop of the sweet juice trying to escape the corners of your lips. You may also want to stop by St. Lawrence Market, which has been around since the 1800s and features treats like Toronto’s peameal bacon sandwiches.

See more of Ontario’s best farmers markets here.

Crunch

Farm-to-table restaurants aren’t just buzz words; they’re true philosophies in Ontario. Take Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, for instance. The staff raises their own pigs, grows their own certified organic vegetables on-site, and bakes their own bread—on top of growing their own grapes for wine. The flavours are well worth the effort. Try out the charcuterie board with house-cured meats, along with preserved veggies from harvest seasons. The Combine is also worth stopping into on your foodie road trip. The restaurant is situated in a century-old home, with a large garden that grows fresh produce. Crunch into a crisp pickle, munch on candied nuts, and break into brick oven cooked fish. Fresh is always best when you’re on the road.

See more of Ontario’s best farm-to-table restaurants here.

Pour

You won’t find many brew masters in hiking boots searching the fields, but that’s MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Co. for you. This on-farm brewery believes in a personal relationship with the ingredients. The hops are grown on the property, and the tank room was dug out of a limestone hill. While you’re exploring the landscape, don’t be surprised if you see the brothers foraging for wild mint. It’s the crowning taste in their famous peppermint stout. Speaking of unusual flavours, check out the Block Three Brewing Co. The brewery knows how to incorporate flavours such as chocolate, grain, and even bubblegum for a tasty beverage to set your night right.

See more of Ontario’s best breweries here.

Some places might claim to have the best food in the land, but in Ontario, there’s a pretty good chance that your dinner was just picked from the earth. Whether you’re looking for fuzzy peaches, crisped fish, or hoppy beer, a road trip through Ontario’s dynamic food scene doesn’t disappoint.

What are some of your favourite Ontario food spots?