A food lover dishes on her favourite restaurants.
Ontario’s Southwest is a real treat for visitors; offering scenic waterfront, a rich Carolinian forest, rolling farmland and numerous heritage sites & museums. There’s just so much to explore. It’s a given, therefore, that after a busy day enjoying the sights you are inevitably going to be hungry.Luckily, across Ontario’s Southwest are some fantastic restaurants and eateries that offer gorgeous culinary delights which are guaranteed to tantalise your taste buds. Let’s take a look at five of my favourites from across the region:
The Blue Elephant Restaurant & Craft Brew House - Simcoe
For the beer lovers among you, the Blue Elephant Restaurant & Craft Brew House is an absolute must visit. They produce additive-free beer from seasonal, artisanal ingredients and do so in small batches to ensure maximum quality. They’ve been known to brew beer containing sweet potatoes and pumpkins too, so you can be sure that they aren’t your typical brew house. The Blue Elephant offers a very diverse range of foods, meaning that there is undoubtedly something that will satisfy even the hungriest of guests; from Thai cuisine to gourmet burgers, the Blue Elephant has it all.
Spago Ristorante - Windsor
Spago was opened back in 1990 and has been providing guests with exquisite food and top quality service ever since. A family-run restaurant, Spago affords a relaxed atmosphere and has built up many loyal patrons over the years. Praised for its excellent food and first-class service regularly, Sprago was touted as offering the “Best Italian Food in Windsor” by Urbanfood; yet they are always striving to better themselves. Spago offers “basic, simple and honest” food, which is why it is a home away from home for many Italians in the area.
Twisted Lemon - Cayuga
Twisted Lemon is operated by a husband and wife team, who between them have over 40 years in the hospitality industry. The concept of Twisted Lemon was to bring together everything they felt is important and loved in fine dining. Described as a “hidden gem”, Twisted Lemon boasts a spectacular open-concept kitchen, eclectic ambience and extensive menu to suit all tastes. Moreover, they offer cooking classes based around sexy food with head chef and owner Dan Megna.
Charles Dickens Pub - Woodstock
Owned and operated by a British family, Charles Dickens Pub is a unique English public house situated in Woodstock, Ontario. Anyone wanting to experience the feel of a traditional English pub, complete with a range of beers, homemade meals and familiar English pub fare. Locally sourced products are sourced wherever possible throughout the year and there is always a warm welcome awaiting you.
