Dear reader,
If you live in Toronto, it can be easy to forget that there’s excellent food to be found outside of the city. Last summer, after a hike in Rattlesnake Point, my partner and I ended up in nearby Milton, desperate for a good meal. After much internet research at a local Irish pub with stunningly reasonable prices, we ended up at an Italian restaurant. There, on a cozy patio overlooking the red-brick Main Street, we feasted on grilled calamari, pasta with homemade tomato sauce and baked fish. It was simple and delicious, and it felt vastly different from the much-hyped intensity of a typical downtown restaurant. It made me want to see what else was out there.
Had we travelled an hour farther, we would have found ourselves in a small city with a growing slate of exciting restaurants and food shops. St. Catharines, in lush Niagara Region, has transformed in recent years into a true dining destination. There’s New York–style pizza slung out of an adorable vintage-inspired shop, homemade ice cream and butter tarts, Korean bar snacks, and more. Here are 10 of our favourite spots.
Also in today’s newsletter: where to eat, drink and party like a celebrity during TIFF. Plus, a new collaborative space serving up major cakes and modern coffee. For more of our food-and-drink coverage, visit torontolife.com or subscribe to our print edition.
