Pumpkin Bread, fresh from the hearth - photo by Mindy Stern
The pumpkin bread was still warm when I entered the kitchen in the John R Park Homestead in Harrow, a “living history” museum, where volunteers dressed in period costumes interact with visitors to demonstrate how food was cooked, wool was spun, and metal was forged. Next to the bread, glasses of apple cider were ready for distribution. “Pick it up,” the kitchen-maid told me, pointing to the loaf pan where an unsliced bread sat, cooling. The cast-iron pan felt like ten pounds of dense metal. Maybe that’s why the bread’s crust was subtly, deliciously crisp. The recipe laid out on the table called for cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ground ginger, all luxury items in the 1850s. John and Amelia Park, whose Classic Revival house and farm buildings have been lovingly restored, ran a mercantile and a Great Lakes shipping business. So, their round metal spice-tin, sitting today between the pumpkin loaves, would have contained exotic spices from all over the world. I imagined myself as a guest in their home overlooking Lake Erie as migrating monarch butterflies were carried on the wind from across the lake.
Outside, volunteers in period 1800s costumes dotted the property, carrying out the homestead’s goal – allowing visitors to experience the crafts of the era in which it was built. Inside the blacksmith shop, Julius Langpeter demonstrated his skills. Grabbing a piece of iron with tongs, he held it over anthracite coal burning in the forge. Emerging a glowing crimson red, the iron was reshaped before our eyes, with Langpeter explaining the process as he worked. As a young boy, he apprenticed in a blacksmith shop in Esslingen am Neckar near Stuttgart, Germany. Now retired, he shares his rare expertise with us.
Julius Langpeter, Blacksmith - photo by Mindy Stern
Facing the lake on a cloudless fall day, Susan Toth sat under a shade tree, spinning wool. All the volunteers were eager to tell their stories, making it no surprise that over 20,000 visitors stop by the John R Park Homestead each year.
Susan Toth spinning wool - photo by Mindy Stern
What is the economic base of this region today? You’ll see the oil refineries’ smoke stacks in Sarnia. There’s also a maritime industry, as the 100-mile peninsula is surrounded by the Detroit River, Lake Erie, and Lake St. Clair, making it home to both recreational boating, cruise ships, and freight and cargo transport. You’ll drive past fields of corn, soybeans, and winter wheat. Less obvious from the car are high-value vegetables and fruits, including tomatoes and grapes. That explains the preponderance of breweries, vineyards, and farm-to-table dining options.
In Sarnia, Rina Barker runs Imperial City Brew House with her husband, Mike Barker. They make premium craft beer and also sell wine. When I raved about a wine that she served, Rina actually put me in her car and drove me to the nearby LCBO so I could grab a bottle. Now that’s what I call customer service! The Barkers opened their brewery five years ago, naming it after Sarnia’s moniker, “The Imperial City,” conferred after a 1914 Royal Visit by Queen Victoria’s son, the Duke of Connaught and granddaughter, Princess Patricia. Back then, just as today, Sarnia was a fast-growing community, fitting the image of “empire.” With royal purples and golds bouncing off their fermentation tanks, the imperial name really fits.
Imperial City Fermentation Tanks - photo by Mindy Stern
Thanks to its proximity to Port Huron, during the Prohibition era in the United States, Sarnia became a rum-running outlet for American bootleggers. When you visit Imperial City Brew House, ask Rina to tell you about the smuggling tunnels they’ve discovered.
Towards the end of your day in Sarnia, make sure you wind up at Lola’s Lounge. You’ll find its amiable owner Tania Auger, leaning over the bar chatting with regulars. After being escorted to your table, try not to be overwhelmed by the extensive menu. And be prepared for a fabulous meal. I was part of a large group and marveled at the kitchen’s skill in getting all of our entrées out simultaneously. Every single dish was a hit. This is a fine dining establishment in a super-casual atmosphere.
Lola’s Lounge - photos by Mindy Stern
Start your next morning with breakfast at Twisted Apron Brunch Bar in Windsor. Chef Charbel Boutros is the exuberant creator of seasonally changing dishes like Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes and Dubai French Toast stuffed with baklava, pistachio cream, chocolate ganache, pistachio sauce, pistachio gelato, and strawberries. To. Die. For. Chef Charbel came to our table and talked about the creative freedom he’s been given at Twisted Apron. Long may he reign.
Twisted Apron’s Head Chef Charbel - photo by Mindy Stern
Strawberry Pancakes at Twisted Apron - photo by Mindy Stern
Even if you don’t drink, another must-see establishment is Amherstburg’s Wolfhead Distillery and Restaurant. Why? Larry Girard, co-owner and Executive Chef, prides himself on using locally sourced ingredients and constantly reinvents the food menu. But there’s something else, outside the facility: 90,000 empty wooden barrels stacked six-high, and stretching as far as the eye can see. While Wolfhead’s own barrels are cached indoors in a dark “aging room,” these barrels are being stored outdoors for Hiram Walker Distillers, a Windsor-based business known around the world for premium whisky. How much are those barrels worth? Larry’s new barrels cost $400 each. If you think an oil field is valuable, do the math on barrel-storage!
Wolfhead stores 90,000 empty barrels for Hiram Walker, the Windsor-based distiller - photo by Mindy Stern
Wolfhead makes seasonal spirits like orange vodka – think Creamsicles – made with super smooth vodka that’s been distilled seen times, and Strawberry gin. Unique liqueurs include best-seller, Coffee Whisky, made with fair trade Costa Rican coffee beans, and Vanilla Almond Biscotti, combining whisky, cream, biscotti flavours, and hints of caramel. I bought a bottle to pour over ice cream and to experiment with in cocktails. After a super-warm welcome and tour with Larry, (Mr. Cost), Marketing Director Danielle Regier Moldovan (Miss Creativity) took us outside to peek at those barrels.
Larry & Danielle at Wolfhead Distillery - photo by Mindy Stern
Sunday is a good day to visit Wolfhead – they serve Caesar drinks (Clamato juice, Worcestershire) and twenty-five different items on skewers. You’re guaranteed to have a great time, and support one of Windsor’s only craft distilleries.
There are several wineries to choose from when planning a visit to Windsor/Essex, and I only had time to visit two of them: Oxley Estate Winery and Pelee Island Winery, considered the birthplace of winemaking in Canada. If you get to Oxley at lunchtime, dine in their airy room with white linen tablecloths and napkins. Sample their wines, and be sure to order their signature dish, Sticky Duck Wings served with chilli garlic honey, crushed peanuts, jalapenos and lime. Finger licking good!
Oxley Estate Winery, Sticky Duck Wings - photo by Mindy Stern
The Oxley Estate is so pretty, it’s perfect for weddings and other milestone events. And though winemakers sometimes take themselves a little too seriously, the folks here definitely have a sense of humour. Check out their Weather Rock, a large boulder suspended from a Japanese-style Torii. I asked how it works and got this answer: “If it’s wet, it’s raining. If it’s dry, it’s not.”
Oxley Estate’s Weather Rock - photo by Mindy Stern
For my visit to Ontario’s Southwest, the Caesars Windsor complex was my base. There’s something for everyone here: large newly-renovated rooms, concerts, comedy, and shows in the 5,000-seat Colosseum Theater, multiple drinking spots, and two fine dining restaurants. Nero’s Steakhouse has one of Windsor’s few sommeliers, Renee Nantais, who eagerly shares her passion for regional wines. On the night we dined there, she expertly paired a Cooper’s Hawk Vineyard’s Riesling with our baked oyster appetizer, and later served “the grape varietal that Canada does best,” a Cabernet Franc to accompany a perfectly cooked steak.
Riesling CHV - photo by Mindy Stern
Near Caesars is the historic neighbourhood known as Olde Walkerville, which got its start as a “planned city,” or company town. Developed in the 1890s by Hiram Walker, it provided housing for factory workers who could walk to work at his distillery. Today, it’s an upscale area with tree-lined streets and heritage homes, including the magnificent Willistead Manor. This 1904 heritage-protected property, designed by famed architect Albert Kahn, was the home of Walker’s son, Edward Chandler Walker and his wife Mary Emma Griffin Walker. Public tours are only given December and July. Book an interior visit or “Breakfast with Santa” at www.citywindsor.ca. On the day I toured, the guides were knowledgeable and made every attempt to answer even the most esoteric questions, like “how many pairs of shoes did Mary own?” I fell in love with the library and desperately wanted to climb the ladder and check out the top shelf books.
The library at Willistead Manor - photo by Mindy Stern
The “Angry Canadian,” Joe Ciaravino of Antonino’s Original Pizza in Windsor, is pretending to be cross. When the 2ndgeneration pizza maker launched a Hawaiian pizza in 2014 with chunks of pineapple, he needed a catchy name. A friend suggested The Angry Hawaiian as a joke. It stuck. In 2025, responding to US tariffs, Ciaravino launched Antonino’s Angry Canadian featuring cheese from Windsor’s Galati Cheese Co, and all-local ingredients: smoked bacon, shredded pepperoni, mushrooms, and hot peppers. No U.S. ingredients, no tariffs. A surge of national pride made Antonino’s newest menu item an instant hit. With five locations across Essex County, any trip to South Ontario should include a sampling of Windsor-style pizza. If you’re lucky, you’ll meet Joe in person. A gregarious guy, he takes great pride in his work. Be sure to leave room for dessert – cannoli – with shells imported from Sicily, and stuffed with Galati’s ricotta. Mama Mia!
Angry Canadian, Joe Ciaravino of Antonino’s Pizza - photo by Mindy Stern
One last thing to do before leaving – check out the murals adorning walls in Walkerville and downtown Windsor. Click on this link to identify the figures in the giant Distillery Square mural: https://distillerysquare.ca/strathconamural/
Distillery Square Mural, celebrating famous figures from Windsor’s past - photo by Mindy Stern
If there was a contest for the friendliest place in Canada, Ontario’s Southwest would be a serious contender. Over two full days exploring the region, I met volunteers at historical sites, staff and owners of cafés, bistros, breweries, wineries, and restaurants. What did they all have in common? Passion for their work, optimism about their future, and warm welcomes. Make Ontario’s Southwest your next vacation destination, and see for yourself!